Power Apps September 2024 feature updates

Microsoft's latest Power Apps update for September 2024 brings a host of enhancements designed to elevate app development and governance. With features like AI-powered development tools, advanced data security, and expanded cross-tenant capabilities, this update reflects Microsoft's ongoing commitment to empowering organizations with robust, scalable solutions. These improvements not only streamline the app-building process but also strengthen enterprise-grade governance, setting a new standard for innovation within the Power Platform ecosystem.

Some of Power Apps latest enhancements and features:

• Iterative development: Build a plan in Power Apps Studio and solve business challenges with Copilot in an interactive workflow.

• Formula Bar enhancement: Explain the Formula using Copilot function is now live for GCC (Government Community Cloud) users.

• New documentation: Explore the latest on Intelligent Application Workloads as part of the Power Platform Well-Architected framework.

• Enhanced data security: Mask sensitive fields with column-level security to prevent bulk data exports in public preview.

• Multi-tenant recognition: Cross-Tenant license recognition for canvas and model driven apps using Dataverse is now generally available.

View the full list here.

Microsoft Azure Incubation team launches Drasi as an open-source project

Microsoft has unveiled Drasi, its latest open-source project, aimed at revolutionizing event-driven architectures. Designed to streamline change detection and automate reactions in complex systems, Drasi demonstrates Microsoft's ongoing commitment to enhancing real-time data processing. By simplifying how organizations monitor, analyze, and respond to critical changes, Drasi sets a new standard for efficiency and responsiveness in managing sophisticated digital infrastructures.

Drasi’s benefits and features:

• Seamless automation: Achieve real-time insights using sources, continuous queries, and reactions, without traditional data processing complexity.

• Sources: Connect to data sources like logs, database updates, or metrics to gather real-time information.

• Continuous queries: Continuously evaluate incoming changes using predefined criteria.

• Reactions: Automate actions like alerts, system updates, or remediation tasks.

• Versatile applications: Use Drasi for IoT integrations, security enhancements, or advanced application management.

Azure OpenAI Service unveils GPT-4o-Realtime-Preview with audio and speech

The public preview of GPT-4o-Realtime-Preview for audio and speech marks a significant advancement in the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, enhancing its capabilities with cutting-edge voice technology. By integrating advanced voice capabilities into GPT-4o, this update significantly broadens its multimodal functionalities, highlighting Azure's continued leadership in AI, especially in speech technology.

GPT-4o-Realtime-Preview powerful voice capabilities and multimodal features:

• GPT-4o-Realtime API: Go beyond text-driven AI with natural voice interactions for innovative voice-driven apps.

• Azure AI Studio early access: Test GPT-4o-Realtime’s audio features in a playground before production.

• Faster responses: Get near-instant voice replies that outshine typical text-to-speech engines.

• Natural conversations: GPT-4o provides human-like conversations for an authentic experience.

• Multilingual support: Enjoy a wide range of supported languages that can be applied to global-facing applications.

Microsoft Security transforms security platforms with end-to-end security

Cybersecurity has become more crucial for businesses and organizations than ever. In the current times, digital ecosystems must be adaptable and resilient to withstand evolving threats. As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, with increasing risks from ransomware and advanced malware, the strength of an organization's cybersecurity infrastructure is critical. To address these challenges, Microsoft Security is transforming security platforms by delivering comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that empower developers to build robust and practical defenses against these threats.

Microsoft Security's end-to-end solutions can strengthen and stabilize cybersecurity's health for the following reasons:

• Efficiency for developers: Build security apps faster with an API-first approach, simplifying integration.

• Strengthen security: Get a comprehensive view by integrating diverse tools to tackle complex security challenges.

• Streamline operations: Manage multiple systems effortlessly and reduce the complexity of handling fragmented tools.

• AI-powered insights: Predict and prevent threats in real-time, staying ahead with AI-driven analysis.

• Ensure compliance: Keep data secure while meeting compliance standards with consistent governance.

Microsoft extends Purview Data Loss Prevention policies to Fabric lakehouses

Microsoft is expanding its data protection capabilities by extending the Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies of Microsoft Purview to Fabric lakehouses, now available in public preview. Following the success of these policies in Power BI and the general availability of Microsoft Fabric last year, this development aims to further strengthen data security and governance across the platform, enabling organizations to safeguard sensitive information more effectively in their lakehouse environments.

Five reasons why this public preview update is crucial for safeguarding data:

• DLP policies automatically identify sensitive information as it's uploaded into lakehouses within Fabric tenant.

• Comply with regulations like GDPR and HIPAA with ease, ensuring organizations meet industry standards.

• Enhanced visibility for Compliance and Security admins with audit logs for every detection, providing critical insights into the location of sensitive data.

• Set up alerts to notify whenever sensitive information is flagged in Fabric lakehouses or semantic models.

• Take advantage of free DLP policy scanning for now—soon transitioning to a pay-as-you-go model.

Microsoft fine tunes customization and support for new models in Azure AI

AI has been transforming problem-solving and creativity across various industries, offering groundbreaking solutions that range from generating realistic images to crafting human-like text. Its capabilities demonstrate immense potential, but to unlock its full power, customization is essential. Recognizing this, Microsoft Azure AI has been continuously fine-tuning its models and introducing new customization options, empowering businesses to tailor AI solutions to meet their specific needs and drive innovation.

Microsoft Azure AI new customization features:

• Access top-tier generative AI models with the new fine-tuning capabilities for Azure OpenAI Service GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini.

• Select from a wide range of AI models, including Phi-3.5-MoE-instruct and SDAIA's ALLaM-2-7B, to quickly prototype and evaluate business needs.

• Strengthen AI privacy and security with the upcoming Azure OpenAI Data Zones.

• Ensure full network isolation in Azure AI Studio to prevent external entities from accessing internal resources.

• Build responsible AI by addressing hallucinations in real-time and detecting protected material in code.

Azure Boards September 2024 updates

Microsoft consistently strives to innovate and refine its products to empower project managers in optimizing their workflows and productivity. They introduced several new features and enhancements to Azure Boards, further streamlining project management processes this September 2024.

Azure Boards September 2024 new features and enhancements:

• Area and iteration level fields: Now available to all organizations using the New Boards Hub for more refined project tracking.

• Permanently delete work items: Secure your data by permanently removing attachments to resolve potential security risks.

• Streamlined GitHub integration: Automate your GitHub repository connections with three new REST API endpoints, simplifying your workflows.

• Enhanced GitHub pull requests: Quickly access linked work items via AB# links without digging through descriptions or comments.

• Coming soon: Easily track pull request status (draft, needs review, or running status checks) directly from the work item.

Dark Mode for Power BI Desktop rolls out following high user demand

Microsoft has officially launched the highly anticipated dark mode for Power BI Desktop, part of its Power Platform suite. Responding to overwhelming demand from users, the tech giant aims to enhance the user experience by reducing eye strain, especially for those working long hours on data analytics. This long-requested feature reflects Microsoft's ongoing commitment to improving accessibility and customization in its business tools.

Here are what Power BI Desktop users need to know about this new feature:

• Sleek & easy on the eyes: Dark Mode reduces eye strain and helps you stay focused, perfect for late-night work or those who prefer a darker interface.

• Personalized experience: Customize your data visualization with 4 themes, including Dark Mode, Light Mode, and system-based settings.

• How to enable: Go to Files > Options and settings > Options > Global > Report settings > Personalization > Dark Mode.

• Broad coverage: Dark Mode applies to Home, Report, Table, Model, DAX query views, and more.

Generative AI enhances human skills in CRM to boost sales

Sales success has always hinged on human interaction—fostering familiarity, comfort, and trust. Yet, as new players flood the industry, competition has intensified. To stay ahead, sales teams need tools like Dynamics 365 Sales, which streamline transactions while preserving the essential human touch. In today’s market, leveraging AI is no longer optional but vital for gaining a competitive edge. Microsoft has outlined key ways AI can enhance sales performance without compromising human skills.

Here’s how AI boosts customer relationship management:

• AI goes beyond content creation—it's fine-tuned to address specific customer needs and pain points, ensuring your clients feel understood and valued.

• Copilot takes care of note-taking during calls, generating summaries so sellers can focus on real-time interactions, reading the room, and reacting to subtle context clues.

• AI can analyze potential leads from the earliest stages of the sales process, helping your team zero in on high-value targets with precision.

• AI helps prioritize prospects by pulling in historical CRM data, market insights, news, and recent developments involving key decision-makers.

• AI quickly generates personalized, high-quality emails with clear structure and active language to boost engagement in every interaction.

5 reasons to adopt a multi-region strategy on Azure for business success

Azure is enhancing its global presence by diversifying its regional offerings across countries and continents. This strategic expansion responds to the dynamic cloud landscape, which continually presents new innovations, challenges, and opportunities. In light of this growth, Azure highlights five key benefits of adopting a multi-region strategy for businesses and organizations. The Azure platform enables seamless expansion, access to new markets, and the ability to leverage cutting-edge technologies—all while offering competitive pricing in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

5 benefits of adopting a multi-region strategy on Azure:

• Scalability and Flexibility: Access a diverse range of Azure offerings tailored to meet your evolving cloud needs.

• Resilience and Availability: Minimize the impact of disruptions and data loss with multiple backup and recovery options across various regions.

• Performance and Reduced Latency: Enhance service speed and responsiveness by positioning your data and applications closer to users.

• Full Control: Select the optimal location for your data and applications from 60 datacenter regions in 35 countries.

• Seamless Adoption: Effortlessly develop and implement your organization’s strategies with the Cloud Adoption Framework.