Power Platform Benefits: The Total Economic Impact Report

Total Economic Impact of Microsoft Power Platform

Smartbridge dug deep into the new report from Forrester, “The Total Economic Impact™ Of Microsoft Power Platform”. It’s a hefty read, so if you simply want the key takeaways, keep reading!

The report is a comprehensive breakdown of the economic impact of Microsoft Power Platform, highlighting significant savings and business efficiencies.

First, here’s a quick dive into what exactly the report is covering:

  • Microsoft Power Apps: low-code development environment

  • Power Automate: a workflow automation tool to automate repetitive tasks and processes

  • Power Pages: a low-code environment for building secure websites

  • Power BI: business intelligence to analyze data and gain insights

  • Copilot Studio: AI-powered assistant environment to deploy virtual agents

Useful Resources

One key observation is that the report emphasizes the platform’s value beyond just technical features. It showcases how Power Platform fosters a cultural shift within organizations by empowering non-developers, which accelerates innovation and breaks traditional IT bottlenecks. This democratization of development seems to be one of the most powerful, yet less tangible, impacts—leading to more agile responses to business needs. It aligns IT and business teams more effectively and allows them to adapt to changes quickly. This isn’t just about cost reduction, but about enabling a more responsive, creative, and empowered workforce.

So, while the financial benefits are impressive, the cultural change in how teams approach problem-solving may have even more long-term strategic value.

Some of the most intriguing data points:

[fusion_counters_box columns=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” body_color=”#333333″ body_size=”23″ icon_size=”50″ color=”#0f8400″][fusion_counter_box value=”224″ unit_pos=”suffix” direction=”up” unit=”%”]ROI over three years, with a payback period of less than 6 months.[/fusion_counter_box][/fusion_counters_box]
[fusion_counters_box columns=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” body_color=”#333333″ body_size=”23″ color=”#0f8400″][fusion_counter_box value=”44.4″ unit_pos=”prefix” direction=”up” unit=”$”]million in employee time savings by automating repetitive tasks and enabling faster app development[/fusion_counter_box][/fusion_counters_box]
[fusion_counters_box columns=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” body_color=”#333333″ body_size=”23″ color=”#0f8400″][fusion_counter_box value=”14.8″ unit_pos=”prefix” direction=”up” unit=”$”]million in operational cost savings, mainly from better visibility into processes like inventory management[/fusion_counter_box][/fusion_counters_box]
[fusion_counters_box columns=”1″ hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” body_color=”#333333″ body_size=”23″ color=”#0f8400″][fusion_counter_box value=”43.6″ unit_pos=”prefix” direction=”up” unit=”$”]million saved on development and IT costs by reducing reliance on pro developers and retiring legacy tools[/fusion_counter_box][/fusion_counters_box]
Total benefits of Microsoft Power Platform
Total Benefits overview from the TEI of Microsoft Power Platform report

Yes, but is Smartbridge seeing the same Power Platform benefits?

We’re seeing many of the same benefits highlighted in the report play out with our clients here at Smartbridge. After implementing Microsoft Power Platform tools, our clients are experiencing significant time savings by automating manual tasks, improving operational visibility, and empowering business users to build solutions quickly without heavy reliance on IT. This aligns perfectly with what the report shows about reducing development bottlenecks and enhancing business agility.

For example, just like the composite organization in the study, Smartbridge clients are achieving improved productivity by using Power Automate to streamline workflows, cut down on repetitive tasks, and drive more strategic initiatives. The ability to build and deploy custom apps faster with Power Apps is driving real innovation and operational cost savings, enabling our clients to adapt quickly and meet business demands efficiently.

Microsoft Data & AI Solutions Partner
Microsoft Digital & App Innovation Solutions Partner

Seen as almost the “anchor” of the platform, Power BI is playing a huge role in driving insights and operational visibility for our clients at Smartbridge. By leveraging Power BI’s data visualization and reporting capabilities, clients are gaining real-time insights into their operations, which helps them make more informed decisions. The report highlights how companies are using Power BI to identify inefficiencies, optimize their supply chains, and cut down on unnecessary costs, and we’re seeing the same impact with our clients.

For instance, Smartbridge clients have been able to centralize their data from various sources using Power BI, making it easier to track KPIs and spot trends. This improved visibility has allowed them to better manage inventory, reduce operational waste, and enhance overall business performance. Essentially, Power BI is enabling smarter, data-driven decisions that are helping our clients boost their bottom line and stay competitive.

And finally, the newest addition to the team, Copilot Studio, is also delivering substantial value for our Smartbridge clients by integrating AI-driven assistance into their day-to-day operations. Similar to what the report outlines, Copilot Studio allows businesses to automate customer support tasks, streamline workflows, and even provide real-time insights, all powered by AI. This helps clients reduce the burden on their human support teams and increases efficiency.

We’ve seen clients use Copilot Studio to handle routine customer inquiries, automate repetitive tasks, and free up their teams to focus on more strategic work. By embedding AI into processes, clients can respond faster to customer needs, reduce errors, and enhance overall productivity. This use of AI through Copilot is giving companies a competitive edge, especially in industries where quick decision-making and customer interaction are critical.

If you want to be a part of our Power Platform success stories, reach out for a 30 minute no obligation call with one of our experts, and skip sales!

Keep Reading: Getting Started with Power Platform Governance & Policies

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