What are Microsoft Power Pages? A Complete Guide

Microsoft Power Pages is made for businesses aiming to craft compelling, external-facing websites with minimal coding effort. 

This cutting-edge tool democratizes web development, enabling both seasoned developers and novices.

So let us discuss the offerings of Microsoft Power Pages and its alternative to see what fits best for your business. 

What are Microsoft Power Pages?

Microsoft Power Pages is a low-code website builder that allows you to create, host, and manage modern external-facing business websites. 

It is part of the Microsoft Power Platform family, which means you can use the same data and tools as other Power Platform components.

For the unique needs of different businesses, Power Pages provides customizable templates, a design studio for easy customization, and a learning hub to easily build a website.

Power Pages is the newest member of the Power Platform family and the new name for Power Apps portals and Dynamics 365 portals.

Power Pages Capabilities

Power Pages Capabilities are the features and functions that Power Pages offers to help you create, host, and manage modern external-facing business websites. Some of the major Power Pages Capabilities are:

Simplified authoring experience for makers 

You can quickly create new sites using the default template or choose from existing industry-based starter templates. Power Pages lets you use the design studio to build robust and engaging websites without writing a single line of code.

Responsive rendering

Power Pages provides support for building websites that are responsive and mobile-friendly because it is based on Bootstrap.

Advanced development capabilities for pro developers 

Investing in Power Pages allows you to work with pro developers in fusion teams. You can use Visual Studio Code and the Microsoft Power Platform CLI to extend functionalities in your website.

Security and governance 

Power Pages allows you to securely enable access to your business data to your users (internal or external) through Power Pages authorization rules. 

You can also choose authentication providers or just allow access to site content anonymously. Power Pages will be hosted as Azure App Service, which means it has ISO, SOC, and PCI DSS compliance. 

Power Pages supports modern TLS crypto standards and has built-in Azure DDoS protection. You can also use edge caching and Web Application Firewall (WAF) capabilities with Power Pages.

Integration with other Microsoft Power Platform components

Power Pages is part of the Microsoft Power Platform family, which means you can use the same data and tools as other Power Platform components. You can also leverage the power of Microsoft Dataverse, Power Automate, Power BI, and AI Builder to create data-driven web applications.

Advantages of Microsoft Power Pages

• Build sites using the shared business data stored in Microsoft Dataverse that you use for other Microsoft Power Platform components.
• Design site layouts and themes using the Power Pages design studio, a fluid visual experience that offers rich and customizable templates.
• Allow external users to securely access your site and use out-of-the-box functionality to collect data, such as forms, surveys, and feedback.
• Use dynamic data handling using liquid language, a templating language that lets you manipulate data and add logic to your site.
• You can customize and extend your site with code components, plug-ins, and web templates and integrate with other services and applications.

Pricing and Licensing

Microsoft Power Pages Pricing and Licensing are based on the number of authenticated and anonymous users visiting each site in a given month. You can choose between prepaid subscription plans or pay-as-you-go plans, depending on your needs and budget.

Authenticated users are those who sign in to your site using an authentication provider, such as Azure Active Directory, LinkedIn, or Facebook. Anonymous users are those who browse your site without signing in.

• The subscription plans for authenticated users are sold in capacity packs of 100 and assigned at the environment level. The price per capacity pack varies depending on the tier you choose, which is based on the minimum number of users you need. For example, if you need 1000 authenticated users, you can choose the Tier 2 plan and pay $75 per capacity pack, for a total of $750 per month.
• The subscription plans for anonymous users are sold in capacity packs of 500. The price per capacity pack also varies depending on the tier you choose. For example, if you think you will have 5000 anonymous users, you can choose the Tier 2 plan and pay $37.50 per capacity pack, for a total of $375 per month1.
• The pay-as-you-go plans are based on the actual number of users who visit your site each month. You can use this option if you have unpredictable or seasonal traffic patterns or if you want to try out Power Pages before committing to a subscription plan. The pay-as-you-go rates for Microsoft Power Pages cost $2 per authenticated user and $0.15 per anonymous user.
• Each Power Pages plan also includes Dataverse storage, which is the cloud-based data platform that stores your business data. The amount of storage you get depends on the type and number of capacity packs you purchase. For example, each authenticated user capacity pack provides 2 GB of database capacity and 16 GB of file capacity. In comparison, each anonymous user capacity pack provides 0.5 GB of database capacity and 4 GB of file capacity.

You can purchase Power Pages plans through the Microsoft 365 admin center with global administrator or billing administrator roles. You can also convert your trial sites to production sites by applying Power Pages subscriptions.

Challenges of Power Pages:

• Data synchronization: Utilizing caching for data synchronization can introduce delays and is not real-time.
• Customization constraints: Power Pages fetches CRM forms without allowing customization, necessitating additional effort to create and customize forms for display and data management.
• Restricted workflow customization: Power Pages relies solely on predefined blocks, lacking the ability to design and create custom fields.

CRMJetty Dynamics 365 Portal: Best Alternative of Microsoft Power Pages 

CRMJetty Dynamics 365 Portal is a platform for creating, hosting, and managing external-facing websites that connect with Microsoft Dynamics 365. It allows businesses to provide self-service options, enhance customer satisfaction, and streamline operations with low-code or no-code solutions. 

Some of the features and benefits of CRMJetty Dynamics 365 Portal are:

Custom Dashboard: Create and manage your own dashboard with quick links, widgets, and charts that display relevant data and activities for your business.

Role-Based Access: Assign different roles and permissions to your users, such as customers, partners, employees, etc., and control what they can see and do on your portal.

360° Entity Management: Access and manage all the default and custom entities in your Dynamics 365 CRM from your portal and create workflows and forms based on their relationships.

Configure Active CRM Layout: Easily configure and customize your portal layout using the drag-and-drop builder and choose from various templates and themes.

Streamlined User Management: Add, edit, and delete users from your portal and assign them to different web roles and teams.

Ease of Operations: Launch your portal in no time with a launch-ready framework and integrate it with other services and applications, such as Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents.

Conclusion

CRMJetty Dynamics 365 Portal is a formidable alternative, especially for those deeply entrenched in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ecosystem. 

The choice between these platforms is not just about selecting a tool but about finding a strategic partner in your digital journey.

For more information about CRMJetty Dynamics 365 Portal, visit our website .

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