From the Microsoft Power Platform blogs: Local document retrieval; Pivot table; Modern text input; Power Pages component library

In this review of the Power Platform blogs:

• Automating local document retrieval and email drafting with attachment by using Copilot Studio
• How to apply pivot table in Excel using Power Automate desktop
• Modern text input in Power Apps: what you need to know
• Announcing the AI-powered search and summary components in Power Pages component library

Automating local document retrieval and email drafting with attachment by using Copilot Studio

On the Inogic blog, Sam Kumar provided information about a solution built with Copilot Studio that automatically pulls information from local documents.

He noted that it also helps you write emails easily, offering an all-in-one way to manage information and communication.

In his blog post, Kumar showed you how to expand Copilot's abilities to find and pull information from files in shared local folders, making the whole process automatic and more efficient. 

Kumar wrote that the solution uses a few key technologies to work:

• Microsoft Copilot Studio: This is the main tool for building smart chatbots that can talk with users and manage complex tasks.
• On-premise data gateway: A secure bridge that lets cloud tools, such as Power Automate, access files stored on your local network. This is important for connecting to your local documents.
• Microsoft Power Automate (Flows): This tool automates tasks and connects different services, such as creating documents and sending emails.

Kumar then offered an example of how it works.

How to apply pivot table in Excel using Power Automate desktop

On the Power Automate Community Blog, Vishnu Reddy wrote that handling large amounts of data in Excel can be tricky if you don't have a way to summarize it clearly. 

While pivot tables are a typical way to make sense of data  He explained that pivot tables are great for this – but what if you want to create them automatically, without doing everything by hand?

Reddy noted that some people use VBScript to automate the creation of pivot tables. However, he stated that in his experience, that doesn't work, especially when the input data keeps changing or when formatting matters. 

So he wrote that he found a better way: using Power Query along with a ready-made pivot table template. He explained that it's more reliable and works smoothly with Power Automate desktop (PAD).

In this blog, he demonstrated how to build a pivot table template using Power Query and automate the whole process with PAD. He stated that whether you're into robotic process automation, or you just want to speed up your reporting, his guide will help you easily automate Excel data summaries.

Modern text input in Power Apps: what you need to know

Writing on the PowerApps911 blog, Patrick Cooley stated that if you're creating custom forms in Power Apps, and you want a smoother, more modern way for users to enter text, the modern text Input control is a good option. 

Cooley wrote that it's easier to use, looks more up to date, and follows current design standards. However, he noted that while it has some useful features, it still has a few bugs. Consequently, he stated that he's not fully ready to switch over from the classic text input just yet.

In his blog post, Cooley covered the key things you need to know, especially if you're a developer building a custom form without using the standard form control. 

Cooley then explained which properties have changed, what the new ones do, and how to manage validation.

Announcing the AI-powered search and summary components in Power Pages component library

On the Microsoft Power Platform blog, Nagesh Bhat announced that the Power Pages component library now includes new AI-powered search and summary components. 

Bhat wrote that these tools make it faster and easier to build websites by letting you drag and drop ready-made generative AI features right onto your pages, and there's no advanced coding necessary.

Bhat stated that the new search component lets users type in questions or prompts using everyday language, which the Power Pages search agent then understands and summarizes. 

He noted that as a maker, you can choose how the results appear; you can either show the summary right on the same page or send users to a separate search results page for a more detailed view.

Bhat also wrote that the new summary component helps by giving a quick, easy-to-read preview of the page’s content, powered by the Power Pages summary agent.  

In his blog post, Bhat provided more information about AI-powered search and summary components in the Power Pages component library.