Implementing Access Restrictions in Project for the Web iFrame
IntroductionIn this blog, I’m going to share about Project for the web iFrame which plays an important role in task planning. It allows users to view, create, update, and manage project tasks directly inside Dynamics without leaving the system. However, one major challenge has been the lack of restrictions inside this iFrame — meaning that anyone with access to the project record could freely make changes. With the upcoming update, Microsoft is bringing access control inside the Project for the web iFrame. This gives project managers and admins the power to decide who can do what. Public preview: May 16, 2025; General availability: Mar 2026 Problem StatementUntil now, once a user had access to a project record, they could: This lack of restrictions often led to: For example, if a sales executive (who is not part of the project delivery team) but has access to the record, opens the iFrame, they still had access to create or delete tasks which could cause confusion and project delays. UPDATE: The new feature introduces a security system for Project for the web iFrame that allows: This means if a user is part of project team member, their access can be limited to read-only mode. Availability Timeline: HOW TO ENABLE?? After Enabling, within few minutes, Go to Project team member you will see a Read only column on form. EXAMPLE: A team member can only read the iFrame. So, for that we will provide read access. After, providing read access, User will not be able to edit anything on the iFrame. Everything will be read only. CONCLUSIONThe new access restriction system for Project for the web iFrame ensures that only the right people can make the right changes, at the right time. By giving admins and project managers fine-grained control. With this feature rolling out from May 2025 (preview) and March 2026 (GA), organizations can start planning their access control strategies to take full advantage of it. Thank you, Kalyani for your valuable inputs!
Schedule modes in Project Operations
Problem Definition: It has always been a confusion for the Project Manager to choose between the Schedule modes, whether it should be a Fixed effort, Fixed duration or a fixed unit project. And the primary reason behind it was, that most of the PM wanted to a have a fixed duration/unit project without impacting the effort they have added to that specific task. This was not possible earlier, as the OOB formula to calculate the effort, duration or unit, would only respect one fixed value (effort, duration, unit). Solution: With the new release wave feature named “Include effort-driven schedule modes” it now possible to have a fixed duration As you can see, in the above image the efforts changed the moment an additional resource was tagged to the task. As you can see, in the above image the efforts were not impacted even when an additional resource was tagged to the task. As you can see, in the above image the efforts & duration changed the moment an additional resource was tagged to the task. As you can see, in the above image the efforts were not impacted even when an additional resource was tagged to the task, and the duration value changed. Conclusion: This feature will help the Project Manager to have duration/unit as a schedule mode without impacting the efforts, which might be useful for different Projects across various industries. Thank you, Sankalp for your valuable inputs for this blog!
Time and Expense Entry Agent Approval – using MS Copilot
In this blog, I’m going to share about Agent Approvals in Microsoft D365 related to Project Operations. In this short blog, we’re going to have a look at how Agent Approval work and its importance in MSD. Applies To: Project Operations Integrated with ERP, Project Operations Core PROBLEM STATEMENT: For project managers, one of the most time-consuming activities is the review and approval of time, expense, and material entries. Every record submitted by resources needs to be checked against company policies. Manual review often leads to mistakes, delays, and unnecessary back-and-forth between employees and managers. The challenge is clear: how do we reduce the burden of approvals while ensuring compliance with organizational policies? SOLUTION: Approvals Agent in Project Operations Microsoft has introduced the Approvals Agent, a feature within Dynamics 365 Project Operations powered by Microsoft Copilot Studio. The Approvals Agent automatically reviews time, expense, and material submissions against policy documents uploaded by the organization. Based on these policies: This means project managers only need to focus on exceptions, significantly cutting down review time. SETUP BY ADMIN: 2. A new Time and Expense Agent tab appears, allowing admins to upload policy documents for time, expenses, and materials. 3. The agent can run in two modes: Classify: Marks records as Ready for approval or Needs review. Final approval is still done manually by the manager. Classify and Auto Approve: Records that meet policy rules are automatically approved. BACKGROUND SETTING: New tab opens -> search Microsoft Copilot Studio -> Click on Create new -> Sign in for which user you want to use this feature (NOTE: This will be only visible to the user who is using their ID, Also User should have Time and Approval Agent security role, or another role that provides the same or greater privileges) ACTIVATE THE AGENT: ONCE THE CONNECTION REFERENCE IS MADE AND THE FLOWS ARE TURNED ON. You are set to go with the feature use. Last thing to configure is to update your Approvals rules Refer the image/file, you can add expense entry rules as well. After configuring all the rules, while you login with same user you will see AGENT APPROVAL area in the App. After classification, managers can view the list of reviewed entries. For each record, they can: EXAMPLE:Imagine a consulting company where: Here’s what happens with Approvals Agent: Conclusion: The Approvals Agent in Dynamics 365 Project Operations is a step forward in intelligent automation for project management. By leveraging Microsoft Copilot Studio and well-structured policy documents, organizations can cut down approval times and reduce mistakes. Thank you, Kalyani for your valuable inputs for this blog.
How to configure the Feature Release Setup in Power-Apps (preview)
Title: Feature Release Setup (preview)IntroductionIn Power Apps, configuring release channels is crucial for balancing stability with access to new features. Release channels allow app makers to choose update cadences that best fit their organization’s needs, whether they want regular, incremental updates or less frequent, more stable releases. The right configuration can ensure that new features and improvements are introduced thoughtfully, minimizing disruption.Description Power Apps offers a variety of release channels that cater to different needs:• Monthly Channel: Updates are delivered every week, typically the fastest way to access new features and updates.• Semi-Annual Channel: Updates are pushed less frequently, making it suitable for production environments needing higher stability. Each environment, app, and user can be assigned a release channel to control when and how updates are received. This granularity helps organizations manage updates across different departments or roles, tailoring the release strategy based on users’ requirements. Why Choose a Release Channel? Choosing the correct release channel depends on factors like testing requirements, user roles, and how critical app stability is to business operations. For example, development or test environments might use the Monthly channel to stay on top of the latest updates, while production environments might prefer the Semi-Annual channel to ensure that updates are well-tested before deployment. Default and Custom Settings•New apps and environments default to the Monthly Channel.• Custom release channel configurations override the default settings, giving admins greater control over when updates occur. How to Configure Release Channels? Configuring a release channel involves specifying settings at different levels (environment, app, or user levelThe release channel for model-driven apps can be changed in two primary ways:• Environment channel• App channel In addition, the release channel can be overridden with either of these options: •` User channel override• Browser session channel override Channel Release Order of OperationsThe following order determines which setting controls the release channel: 1. URL Override: Takes highest priority.2. User Channel Override: Applies if set.3. App Release Channel: if set to a specific value like Monthly or Semi-annual, rather than auto).4. Environment Release Channel: if set to a specific value like Monthly or Semi-annual, rather than Auto.5. Default to Auto: Applies when both app and environment release channels are set to Auto. Step-by-Step Guide: Configuring the Release Channel1. Set the Environment-Level Channel:o In Power Platform Admin Center, navigate to Environments.o Select the target environment.o In the settings ➔ Behavior, choose the desired release channel (Monthly or Semi-Annual). 2.App-Level Configuration:o Open https://make.powerapps.com.o Under Solutions open an existing solution containing a model-driven app.o Open the app in the app designer.o For app-level control, makers can go to the specific app settings in Power Apps.o Under General Settings, there is an option to set the release channel.o This ensures that the app follows a different update cadence than the environment default, if required. 3. User-Level Channel Changes:o Individual users can modify their release channel settings by navigating to Settings in the Power Apps maker portal.o This setting is beneficial for testing new features without impacting the entire environment or app. 4. Session-Level Adjustments (Browser-based):o Users can modify the release channel for a single session by appending the ?channel=desiredchannel parameter in the URL (for example, ?channel=Monthly).o This is useful for testing purposes without altering the overall settings. 5. Applying Changeso Any change made to the release channel requires users to refresh their browser to take effect immediately.o For larger environments, it’s advised to test updates in a dedicated environment before rolling out changes across all users. ConclusionConfiguring release channels in Power Apps provides essential flexibility, allowing organizations to tailor update schedules based on stability and feature needs. This flexibility can help mitigate the risks associated with frequent updates while ensuring that users have access to the latest tools. By carefully managing release channels, organizations can enhance productivity and maintain control over their app’s user experience. Thank you, Subhash for your valuable inputs to this blog.
Real-time collaboration using Coauthoring in Canvas App
The 2024 Wave 2 release includes a notable feature for developers creating canvas apps: real-time collaboration using Coauthoring. What is Coauthoring?It was previously forbidden for many creators to edit an app at once. Coauthoring allows developers to quickly author and amend a canvas application. By facilitating rapid collaboration and app development across multiple makers, this experience expedites and saves time during the app development process. When several makers are needed, this functionality also improves code reviews, debugging, and training.A canvas app can be edited simultaneously by multiple developers. In the past, Power Apps Studio copresence experiences allowed numerous developers to collaborate on a canvas application, but only one developer could make changes to the app.With the new coauthoring functionality, multiple developers may work together to edit a canvas app simultaneously, much like they can with Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. With the help of this feature, fusion teams may enhance their Power Apps Studio collaboration and expedite the app development lifecycle. In real time, makers can also view the updates and whereabouts of their coworkers.How to Enable Coauthoring?Coauthoring supersedes the copresence functionality once it is enabled.To enable coauthoring, follow given steps: What are the Limitations of Coauthoring?• When multiple users are editing the application, the following settings are not available: ➢ Search ➢ Save as ➢ Open another or new app ➢ Undo and redo ➢ Switch authoring versions ➢ Depending on whatever restriction is reached first, up to 10 coauthors may be added in a single session or over the course of 10 tabs. Beyond 10, any more coauthors or tabs will be in copresence and won’t be able to edit the app or receive real-time updates. ➢ When an app is opened for editing, the language of the application is locked to the first user’s locale. ➢ Cut is disabled. ➢ Coauthoring is disabled in the Monitor tool. • Issues could arise from the following actions: ➢ When you try to rename a control ➢ When you add AI Builder components ➢ When you add geospatial controls ➢ When one author adds a flow and another coauthor tries to run the flow without first refreshing the app ➢ Some errors from one author’s actions are visible to all other coauthors ➢ When you copy and paste Conclusion:This improvement facilitates teamwork and speeds up development processes by enabling several users to work concurrently on the same canvas app. Teams can expedite the app-building process, share ideas, and give prompt feedback with real-time updates and collaboration tools. This function is revolutionary for companies trying to boost output and encourage teamwork among their development staff. Thank you, Arvind for your valuable inputs for this blog!
Explore Dynamics 365 Sales vs. Sales piece in Project Operations: Crucial Distinctions to Remember
For most organizations running on Dynamics 365 (D365), the traditional Sales module and the specific Sales in Project Operations are some of their best options of choice. These solutions are designed to serve distinct purposes that are aligned with different business needs. In this article, we will delve into various particulars of these differences, or more specifically, what the Sales module has that Sales in Project Operations does not and vice versa. Dynamics 365 Sales: Towards More Efficient Product-Based Services and Relationship Management Dynamics 365 Sales is targeted towards product-based services and all-encompassing relationship management. The following are its distinguishing features: Sales in Project Operations, on the other hand, is appropriate for companies whose sales procedures are closely related to project management and service provision, such as: Whereas Dynamics 365 Sales is focused on sales team activities and basic tracking related to sales transactions like manage leads, opportunities, and customer interactions for product sales. Dynamics 365 Project Operations includes project planning, resource allocation, and financial tracking for service-based projects. It is used for Comprehensive management for project teams, including scheduling and utilization and detailed fiscal management, including project budgets, costs, and billing. BUSINESS SOLUTION: How to Choose the Right Solution for Your Business: Choosing between Dynamics 365 Sales or Sales in Project Operations depends on your industry focus, business model and specific operational needs. Therefore, if you are running a product-based business that requires advanced sales management capabilities such as relationship analytics, goal management among others with LinkedIn and SMS providers integration then you should opt for Dynamics 365 Sales (Sales Hub). On the other hand, if your firm operates within project-oriented sectors that require highly integrated selling procedures revolving around resource planning and project management, then you should go for Sales in Project Operations which comes with specialized tools that cater to these requirements exactly. CONCLUSION: Project Operations focuses on integrating sales operations with project management, whereas Dynamics 365 Sales handles more comprehensive CRM features and product sales management. Project operations serve the demands of sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and professional services, where project delivery and service execution are vital to sales success. Thanks, Kalyani for your valuable inputs!