Power Nerd Insights – Power Platform Tips and Tricks

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Unlocking Productivity: Top Tools for Power Platform Development

The Power Platform offers a range of tools that enhance development efficiency. Key recommendations include the XRM Toolbox for essential utilities, Draw.io for effective entity relationship diagramming, the PCF Gallery for UI customization, and the Power Platform Samples repository for inspiration. Early adoption of these resources is crucial for developers to streamline their workflows and…

Power Nerd Insights
4–6 minutes
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If you start searching for Power Platform tools it can sometimes feel like navigating a vast ocean of resources. Reflecting on my own experiences, I’ve discovered a handful of incredibly useful tools I wish I’d found earlier. I recently delivered a session to The Power Apps Challenge Community on some of the tools I use regularly and thought it worth a share here.

Why Your Toolbox Matters

Power Platform is a unique blend of low-code/no-code convenience combined with professional-code extensibility. While the platform itself is feature-rich, every developer eventually encounters tasks that require specialized tools. Discovering these tools early can greatly enhance your capabilities and efficiency.

Here’s a closer look at four key resources that either make my life a bit easier or mean I can perform specific actions:

  • XRM Toolbox
  • PCF Gallery
  • Power Platform Samples
  • Draw.io

XRM Toolbox: Your Swiss Army Knife for Power Platform

The XRM Toolbox isn’t just one tool—it’s a collection of invaluable utilities created by and for the community, endorsed by Microsoft, and essential for Power Platform developers.

Getting Started Quickly

Downloading and setting up the XRM Toolbox is straightforward:

  1. Head to the official XRM Toolbox website.
  2. Install and open the application.
  3. Connect to your Dataverse or Dynamics 365 environment.

Once connected, you unlock an extensive library of practical utilities.

Seven Must-Have XRM Toolbox Utilities

Although there are loads of tools I have a set few I use regularly, these six tools quickly became my everyday essentials:

1. Bulk Delete Tool
Tired of messy data? Easily clean your environments by visually selecting records and safely deleting data in batches. Perfect for tidying up after testing.

2. Dataverse REST Builder
REST APIs can be tricky—but this tool simplifies API interactions, helping you create, test, and export precise REST API code snippets effortlessly.

3. Entity Relationship Diagram Creator
Visualizing your data model is critical. This tool auto-generates clear, professional ERDs (using Crow’s Foot notation), making it easy to spot relationships and export diagrams for documentation. More often than not you will be interacting with a solution that is already built and sometimes the documentation won’t be present. In that situation this tool is a lifesaver.

4. FetchXML Builder
Writing FetchXML manually can be a chore. This tool makes query-building fast, reliable, and error-free, while also converting queries for Power Automate and SQL use.

5. Plugin Registration Tool
Registering plugins can be tedious. This enhanced interface simplifies assembly management, updates, and deployments, providing a smoother experience compared to Microsoft’s built-in tool.

6. Plugin Trace Viewer
Debugging plugins is significantly easier when you can clearly review logs. Quickly filter trace logs by date, plugin name, and correlation ID with color-coded visuals for effortless troubleshooting.

7. Flow Execution History
Digging through flow run history in the unified interface can be tedious as it doesn’t have the ability to filter based on inputs of the runs. Fortunately this tool fixes that and even allows you to view run history for multiple different flows at once.

These tools collectively form a robust foundation for smoother Power Platform development.

Draw.io: My Go-To Tool for Entity Relationship Diagrams

When designing a new system, mapping out data structures early on is essential. My preferred tool for this is Draw.io, a user-friendly, web-based diagramming application (you can also download a desktop app).

Why I Love Draw.io for ERDs:

  • Ready-to-use ERD Templates: Getting started is quick and straightforward thanks to built-in ERD templates.
  • Intuitive and Simple Interface: Even if you’re new to diagramming, you’ll find Draw.io’s interface extremely easy to use, helping you rapidly sketch data models without fuss.
  • Built-in Crow’s Foot Notation: Clear representation of entity relationships is essential. Draw.io includes Crow’s Foot notation out-of-the-box, making your diagrams professional and instantly understandable.

I personally find that clearly diagramming data relationships upfront in Draw.io helps avoid confusion later, keeps my data model clean and scalable, and makes collaboration with stakeholders far easier.

PCF Gallery: Unlocking Advanced UI Customizations

The Power Apps Component Framework (PCF) lets you build custom, code-driven UI elements. But you don’t always have to reinvent the wheel! The PCF Gallery offers a fantastic collection of ready-made community controls.

Browse practical tools—like drag-and-drop file uploaders or interactive toggles—and sophisticated UI enhancements such as custom calendars or visual indicators.

Exploring the PCF Gallery has sparked fresh ideas, sped up development cycles, and helped me understand what’s possible beyond default controls.

Power Platform Samples: Inspiration at Your Fingertips

The Patterns & Practices (P&P) community’s Power Platform Samples repository is another treasure trove of practical resources:

  • Power FX snippets: From collision-detection algorithms to accessible color luminance checks.
  • Power Apps templates: Complete solutions, game clones like Wordle, and UI design inspirations using Fluent UI.
  • Power Automate workflows: Adaptable templates and automation examples ready for customization.

Regularly exploring this repository keeps you inspired, helps you adopt best practices, and reduces development effort through proven community contributions.

Final Thoughts: Strengthening Your Power Platform Journey

Effective Power Platform development means creating scalable, maintainable, and intuitive solutions. Leveraging the right tools can dramatically impact your success:

  • Use XRM Toolbox to simplify complex data and plugin management tasks alongside a whole load of other tools.
  • Use Draw.io to effectively plan your data structures and ERDs from the start.
  • Discover PCF Gallery for advanced UI experiences.
  • Tap into Power Platform Samples for inspiration and ready-to-use code.

Remember, the Power Platform community thrives on collaboration. Explore these tools, share your experiences, and contribute back to keep our community vibrant and growing.

What Tools Have Shaped Your Development Journey?

I’d love to hear about your favorite Power Platform tools or any tips you’ve discovered along the way. Share your experiences in the comments below!

Happy developing!

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