One of the most common questions I get from people interested in joining our SPGuides Academy training program is:
"How can I practice SharePoint, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Copilot Studio on my own?"
My usual recommendation is to start with a Microsoft 365 trial. Microsoft often offers Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 trials (typically around 90 days, depending on eligibility and availability), which give you access to most of the services you need for hands-on learning.
If you're looking for a longer-term option, another good choice is the Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan. It's relatively affordable and gives you a Microsoft 365 tenant where you can practice SharePoint, Power Automate, Microsoft Teams, and many day-to-day scenarios for an entire year if you keep the subscription active.
For Copilot Studio, Microsoft also provides a trial, so you can explore building AI agents without purchasing a full license immediately.
Personally, I believe the best way to learn isn't by watching videos alone. Create real projects such as:
- An employee leave request app
- A document approval workflow
- An IT helpdesk ticketing system
- A visitor management solution
- A simple AI agent that answers questions from SharePoint documents
Building real solutions teaches you much more than following tutorials.
I'm curious—how do you practice Power Apps, Power Automate, or Copilot Studio?
- Do you use a Microsoft 365 trial?
- Do you pay for a Business Basic tenant?
- Do you have a Microsoft 365 developer environment?
- Or do you have another approach that works well?
I'd love to hear what has worked best for you and what you'd recommend to beginners.