Microsoft AppSource: What is it and How to Use it

Since Microsoft first talked about AppSource in July 2016, a lot has changed. But what does this mean for people who use Dynamics already or are thinking about trying Dynamics 365 for the first time? Let’s break it down.

What’s Microsoft AppSource?

Think of AppSource as a store for apps that work with your Microsoft products. Microsoft sees it as the main place to find any business app you need. You can search for apps based on what industry you’re in, what they do, or what you want to use them for.

In AppSource, you’ll find mainly two types of apps:

Apps:

These are like add-ons for your Microsoft product. Sometimes they’re called Extensions or App Extensions. They can be small, like tools for checking addresses or maps in Office or Dynamics. Or they can be bigger, like entire modules for tasks like shipping or managing warehouses.

Solution Apps:

These are bigger apps meant for specific industries. What used to be called Industry Verticals from other companies or Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) are now Solution Apps in AppSource. For instance, a Professional Services solution for Dynamics AX is now a Solution App in AppSource. You can even ask for a trial online, hosted on Azure.

How is AppSource different from other solutions by ISVs, third parties, or add-ons?

The big difference with AppSource is that you can quickly find and install an app. It’s a lot like using an app store on your phone or tablet. You search for something you want to try, click a button, and it goes straight to your application.

The old way of reaching out to an ISV, getting your partner to mix the code, and handling deployments across different setups is fading away. Software makers who create apps for AppSource follow specific rules that let you easily install or remove these apps whenever you want.

Because of this new setup, AppSource doesn’t work with older versions of Dynamics AX, Dynamics NAV, and Dynamics CRM. But even if you’re using an older version of these apps, you can still benefit from AppSource through Office, Power BI, or other apps. You can also browse AppSource to find apps that might be useful for future upgrades.

Recently, AppSource has grown beyond just Dynamics products. Now, it also offers apps, extensions, and solutions for Office 365, Power BI, Dynamics 365, and Azure “Cloud Solutions.” Before, you’d find these in different places like Azure Marketplace or Pinpoint. It seems like Microsoft plans to bring more of these sources under AppSource and make it easier to find apps within their own products.

How to Use Microsoft AppSource:

You can go to www.AppSource.com and search for apps that you need. Just type in what you’re looking for and browse through the options.

Another way to find apps is by using your Microsoft product directly. Here’s an example:

If you use Power BI, sign in to www.powerbi.com and click on “Get Data” from the bottom-left corner. Then search for what you need, like “Dynamics.”

For Dynamics 365 Business Central users, you can find apps in the Extension Marketplace within the software.