New to the Microsoft Power Platform? Start with These bbdevdays 2026 Sessions

Erik Leaver

If you’re curious about Microsoft Power Platform but aren’t sure where to begin, bbdevdays 2026 on-demand content will get you started. 

This guide brings together a recommended set of bbdevdays 2026 recordings for anyone looking for a practical introduction to Microsoft Power Platform. Start with the overview, then follow either the Power Automate or Power BI sessions. 

Start Here: What Is the Power Platform? 

If the phrase “Power Platform” still feels a little vague, start with sessions that explain the landscape in plain language. These sessions help answer the basic questions: How do these tools connect to Blackbaud data? And how can they help teams reduce manual work? 

Recommended sessions 

• Powering Nonprofit Operations: An Introduction to Automation 
  See real examples of how organizations use automation to reduce manual work and improve efficiency 
• Help, where’s the on-ramp? Getting started with Power Automate 
  A beginner-friendly introduction to Power Platform and how Power Automate, Power BI, and other tools work together. 

Learning Power Automate 

Power Automate is often the easiest entry point into the Power Platform because it focuses on a simple idea: when something happens, what should happen next? Whether that's sending a notification, updating a record, routing an approval, or moving data between systems, Power Automate helps eliminate repetitive manual work. 

Recommended sessions 

• Where to Begin? Create Your First Flow for Blackbaud Status Alerts 
  Build your first Power Automate flow and learn the key concepts behind automation. 
• Power Platform: Data Integration & Automation App Workshop (3-Part Series) 
  Learn how to connect systems, automate processes, and build practical Power Platform solutions. 
  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 
• Power Up Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT®: Automation Strategies Tthat Level You Up 
  Hear from multiple customers who share successful automation projects and practical ideas you can adapt forto your own organization. 

Getting Started with Power BI 

Power BI is the Power Platform tool focused on reporting, dashboards, and interactive visuals. If your team spends time exporting data, combining spreadsheets, or recreating the same reports every month, Power BI can help turn that work into a more repeatable reporting experience. 

Recommended sessions 

• Power BI & Blackbaud: Dashboards that Matter 
  Learn what Power BI is and how organizations use it to answer important business questions. 
• Power BI Fundamentals: Understanding Data, Models, and Reports 
  Understand how data moves through Power BI from source data to finished reports. 
• Seamless Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® to Power BI: Ditch the Connector, Skip the Gateway 
  Learn one approach for bringing Raiser’s Edge NXT data into Power BI using Power Automate. 
• Power BI Best Practices for Blackbaud Raiser's Edge NXT® Reporting 
  Discover proven techniques for building more effective reports and dashboards. 

Keep Learning with the SKY Developer Community 

Ready for what's next? Continue your learning with tutorials, demos, and bbdevdays content on the SKY Developer YouTube channel. Then join the conversation in Blackbaud Community to ask questions, share ideas, and connect with your peers as you put your new skills into practice.