Microsoft Power Platform can support a wide range of business applications, workflow automation, reporting and data experiences. But selecting the right consulting partner is not simply a matter of finding a company that builds Power Apps or Power Automate flows. The partner must understand the business process, data model, security requirements, integration landscape and long-term ownership model behind the solution.
This guide explains how to identify and evaluate a Microsoft Power Platform consulting partner. It focuses on the evidence buyers should request, how to assess specialisations and delivery capability, and the commercial and governance questions that help prevent a low-code pilot from becoming an unsupported collection of apps and flows.
What does a Power Platform consulting partner do?
A consulting partner helps an organisation assess, design, implement and support solutions built with Microsoft Power Platform. Depending on the project, services may include Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Microsoft Dataverse, Power Pages, connectors, governance and integration with Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Azure or third-party systems.
Typical services include:
- Business process discovery and low-code opportunity assessment.
- Solution architecture, data modelling and environment strategy.
- Canvas and model-driven app design and development.
- Workflow and business process automation.
- Dataverse configuration, security roles and data governance.
- Integration with ERP, CRM, Microsoft 365 and external applications.
- Testing, deployment pipelines, documentation and user training.
- Platform governance, monitoring, support and continuous improvement.
Not every partner offers the same depth across the platform. A provider focused on departmental apps may not be the right fit for an enterprise programme involving Dataverse, complex integrations, multiple environments and formal application lifecycle management.
Start with the business problem, not the product
Before shortlisting partners, define the process or operational issue to be improved. Examples include replacing spreadsheet-based approvals, digitising field inspections, automating invoice routing, improving service request handling or creating a controlled app for a specific business team.
Document the users, process steps, data involved, systems touched, expected transaction volumes, security constraints and the outcome that would demonstrate success. A clear problem statement helps partners recommend whether Power Apps, Power Automate, Dataverse, an existing Dynamics 365 capability or another approach is appropriate.
Ask the partner to challenge unnecessary app development. If a standard feature or existing enterprise application meets the need, building a custom low-code solution may create avoidable maintenance and governance costs.
How to evaluate a Microsoft Power Platform consulting partner
1. Verify relevant Microsoft partner capabilities
Use Microsoft’s current partner discovery experience and AppSource or Microsoft Marketplace listings to identify providers that describe relevant Power Platform services. Microsoft explains that buyers can find Power Apps partners through AppSource and filter by partner capabilities, specialisations and solution designations. Review the current listing rather than relying on an old badge or a logo copied onto a provider website.
A designation or specialisation can be a useful screening signal, but it does not prove that a specific delivery team has experience with your process, sector or architecture. Ask which individuals will work on the engagement and what they have delivered in comparable environments.
2. Assess hands-on platform depth
Ask for evidence across the components required by your use case. For example, an app that uses Dataverse, custom connectors, cloud flows, role-based access and ERP integration needs more than basic canvas app development. Confirm that the proposed team can explain data relationships, delegation and performance considerations, connector limits, environment strategy and deployment controls.
3. Evaluate architecture and integration experience
Power Platform solutions often connect to ERP, CRM, identity, document management and data platforms. Ask how the partner will manage authentication, API permissions, service accounts, error handling, retries, data synchronisation and monitoring. Clarify whether integrations rely on standard connectors, premium connectors, custom connectors, APIs or middleware, and identify any related licensing or consumption costs.
4. Review governance and application lifecycle management
Low-code development still requires governance. The partner should be able to describe development, test and production environments; solution packaging; managed solutions; deployment pipelines; connection references; environment variables; maker permissions; data loss prevention policies; and ownership after handover.
Ask how the organisation will prevent shadow applications, unmanaged flows, duplicated data and dependence on an individual maker. A sound governance approach should enable controlled innovation without blocking legitimate business use.
5. Examine security and data management
Confirm how data access will be controlled across apps, Dataverse tables, connectors and connected services. Discuss least-privilege access, role design, audit needs, sensitive data, retention and any regulatory or contractual obligations. The partner should document the security model and explain how it will be tested.
6. Check delivery and change-management capability
Ask how requirements are prioritised, prototypes are validated, users are involved and releases are accepted. A partner should provide a delivery plan with milestones, decision owners, test responsibilities, training and support transition. Confirm that the business has time allocated to validate workflows and approve data and process decisions.
Questions to ask shortlisted partners
- Which Power Platform components are in scope, and which are outside your team’s expertise?
- Can you show a comparable solution and explain the business problem it addressed?
- Who will lead architecture, development, security, testing and deployment?
- How will you decide between standard capabilities, configuration and custom development?
- How will the solution connect to our ERP, CRM and other systems?
- What licensing, premium connector, Dataverse capacity or Azure costs should we model?
- How will environments, deployment pipelines and release approvals be managed?
- Who owns the apps, flows, connections and service accounts after go-live?
- What documentation, training, support and knowledge transfer are included?
- How will you measure adoption, process performance and ongoing value?
Compare scope, pricing and total cost
Ask providers to separate discovery, design, app or flow development, integrations, testing, deployment, training and support. Clarify assumptions about user numbers, environments, data volumes, connector types and the number of workflows or applications. Identify which software subscriptions and platform consumption charges are excluded from professional services fees.
Fixed-fee proposals can work when requirements and acceptance criteria are sufficiently clear. Time-and-materials can suit discovery or evolving requirements, but should include role-based rates, estimates, burn reporting and approval controls. A phased engagement may reduce risk by validating one process before expanding to more teams.
Red flags to watch for
- The provider recommends building an app before understanding the process or checking existing capabilities.
- Its proposal focuses on screens and flows but ignores data architecture, security or governance.
- It cannot explain licensing implications or premium connector costs.
- There is no plan for environment management, testing, deployment or support ownership.
- The proposed team is unnamed or materially different from the people presented during sales discussions.
- There is no documentation or handover plan, leaving the business dependent on the original developer.
Where to find Microsoft Power Platform partners
Start with Microsoft’s official Power Apps partner discovery page, which describes how to find partners through AppSource and filter by capabilities. Microsoft’s Power Automate partner directory is another discovery route for automation-focused services. Treat directory listings as a starting point, then validate project fit, named resources, references and delivery approach directly with each provider.
For broader partner research, explore the SeerOmega ERP/CRM directory and compare providers by platform capability, services, location and evidence available in their profiles.
Bottom line: choose a Power Platform consulting partner that can connect low-code delivery to business process design, secure architecture, integration, governance and long-term ownership. Validate the people who will deliver the work, understand the full platform cost and agree measurable acceptance criteria before committing.
