Power Apps Architecture Mistakes to Avoid

Most Power Apps architecture mistakes don’t break apps immediately.

They show up later as:

• Slow performance
• Hard-to-change logic
• Unreliable behaviour
• Growing maintenance effort

By the time issues are visible, the app is already in use.

Why Architecture Issues Appear Late

Early on:

• Apps are small
• Data is limited
• Few users are involved

Architecture decisions feel harmless.

At scale, those same decisions become constraints.

Common Architecture Mistakes (Seen Repeatedly)

1. Treating Power Apps as the Processing Engine

• Large datasets loaded into the app
• Heavy filtering and calculations in screens

Impact: slow screens and unpredictable performance.

2. Mixing Data and UI Logic Everywhere

• Business rules scattered across screens
• Logic duplicated in formulas

Impact: fixes become risky and time-consuming.

3. Choosing a Data Source for Convenience

• SharePoint used for complex apps
• SQL used without delegation-friendly design

Impact: performance and scaling problems later.

4. Ignoring Delegation Warnings

• Warnings dismissed during development

Impact: incomplete data and trust issues at scale.

5. Not Designing for Growth

• Built for a team, used by a department
• No plan for data or user growth

Impact: licensing and performance surprises.

What Works in Practice

Teams that avoided these mistakes:

• Kept Power Apps lightweight
• Designed data for delegation
• Centralised core business rules
• Considered licensing and scale early

Architecture stayed boring — and reliable.

Key Takeaway

Most Power Apps problems are architectural, not technical.

Good architecture:

• Limits what the app does
• Clarifies where logic lives
• Anticipates growth

That’s what keeps apps maintainable over time.

Learn Power Apps the Right Way

For those looking to understand Power Apps architecture, data design, and scalability in real projects, the Microsoft Power Apps Training by ExcelGoodies focuses on practical design patterns drawn from production environments.

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Editor’s Note

This article reflects recurring architecture-related issues observed across live Power Apps implementations, typically uncovered after apps scaled beyond their original scope.

Insights compiled with inputs from the ExcelGoodies Trainers & Power Users Community.
 

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