Frequently Asked Questions

📅 Event Basics

Q: When and where is the hackathon?
A: Saturday, October 10, 2026, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at the Microsoft Calgary Office (8th Floor), 110 9 Ave SW, Calgary, AB. Doors open at 9:00 AM and the build starts at 10:00 AM.

Q: How much does it cost to participate?
A: There is a $5 community contribution. It goes to charity, and organizers keep none of it. Lunch is provided.

Q: What should I bring?
A: Bring your laptop, charger, and curiosity. We provide lunch, mentors, and a collaborative workspace. Participants must bring their own laptops and chargers.

👥 Teams & Registration

Q: Do I need to have a team to register?
A: No. RSVP on Meetup as an individual and we will match you with teammates. Free agents are welcome.

Q: What's the ideal team size?
A: Teams have 2 to 3 members. Organizers may approve exceptions based on who registers.

Q: How many people can participate?
A: Spots depend on the room. RSVP on Meetup early so organizers can plan seating and lunch. Final teams are confirmed at the start of the event.

Q: Can I participate remotely?
A: No. This is an in-person event. You can also join as a spectator for the demos, judging, and closing (about 1:45 to 4:00 PM).

💻 Technical Requirements

Q: What technical skills do I need?
A: Power Platform is designed to be accessible! Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced developer, there's a place for you. We'll have mentors available to help throughout the event.

Q: Do I need my own Power Platform license?
A: Not always. Organizers can help with a prepared environment if you need one. You may use your own work or school environment only if you have permission to use it for a community event.

Q: What if I've never used Power Platform before?
A: Perfect. Mentors are in the room all day, and prepared challenge prompts give you a starting point.

🏆 Competition & Judging

Q: How will projects be judged?
A: Each judge scores every team on four criteria using whole numbers from 1 to 5. Each score turns into points, for a maximum of 100. Every score level has a written description, so judges score what the demo shows, not opinions.

  • Functionality (30%) - Do the core features the team listed work live? Score x 6 points.
  • Effective Use of Power Platform (35%) - How many parts work together, and do they fit the problem? Score x 7 points.
  • Design and User Experience (25%) - Did the team plan before building (how they chose the idea, a sketch or mock-up, screens that match it) and is the result easy to use? Score x 5 points.
  • Presentation Quality (10%) - Did the team cover the problem, a live demo, the parts used, and what they learned? Score x 2 points.

The two highest average totals are the winning teams. Ties go to the higher Effective Use points, then the higher Functionality points. Download the Participant Handout (PDF) to see the full rubric.

Q: What are the prizes?
A: There are two individual Power Platform Community Conference 2026 (PPCC26) conference passes, provided by Microsoft. Travel and accommodation are not included. Judges choose the two people from those who could attend. Runners-up receive Lego Clippy mascots.

Q: How long do we have to present?
A: Demos run from 2:00 to 3:15 PM. With 5 or fewer teams, each slot is 15 minutes (10 minutes demo, 5 minutes questions). With 6 or 7 teams, each slot is 10 minutes (7 minutes demo, 3 minutes questions). With 8 to 10 teams, each slot is 7 minutes (5 minutes demo, 2 minutes questions). You do not need slides.

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Complete Rules & Guidelines

🎯 Eligibility & Participation

  • Open to all skill levels and backgrounds. Beginners are welcome.
  • Participants must be registered and present in person.
  • Teams have 2 to 3 members. Organizers may approve exceptions.
  • Solo participants are matched with others during team formation.
  • Participants bring their own laptop and charger.
  • If you use a work or school environment, you must have permission to use it for a community hackathon.
  • All team members should contribute to the project.

⏰ Timeline & Format

  • 9:00 AM: Doors open and check-in
  • 9:30 to 9:55 AM: Welcome, rules, and challenge briefing
  • 10:00 AM: Build time starts
  • 12:30 PM: Lunch (provided). You may keep building.
  • 1:45 to 2:00 PM: Stop feature work, hand in your team summary, set up your demo
  • 2:00 to 3:15 PM: Team demos
  • 3:15 to 3:40 PM: Judging and networking
  • 3:40 to 4:00 PM: Awards, photos, and closing

🔧 Technical Guidelines

  • Platform Requirement: Power Platform must be a main part of the solution.
  • Tools: Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, Power Pages, Copilot Studio, Dataverse, SharePoint, and AI Builder.
  • Build Window: Do the main build work during the hackathon build time.
  • Help Is Allowed: Documentation, examples, search, Microsoft Learn, and AI tools are all fine. Tell the judges what you used.
  • Existing Work: You may not enter a complete solution built before the event. Reusable snippets and patterns are fine if you can explain what you built during the event.
  • Data Sources: Use sample data, SharePoint lists, Dataverse, or public APIs.
  • Goal: Build a minimum viable product (MVP): a simple version that works.
  • Plan First: Spend the first 30 minutes choosing your idea and sketching screens. Show your sketch in your demo.
  • Team Summary: Hand in a short summary by 1:45 PM: your problem, how you chose it, your plan, up to 3 core features, and the Power Platform parts you used. Judges score your demo against it.

🤝 Code of Conduct

  • Respect: Treat all participants, organizers, sponsors, and mentors with respect
  • Collaboration: Help others when possible and be open to receiving help
  • Fair Play: Follow all rules and compete with integrity
  • Inclusivity: Welcome participants of all backgrounds and skill levels
  • Learning: Prioritize learning and growth over winning at all costs
  • Safe Space: Harassment, discrimination, and intimidation are not allowed. Organizers may remove anyone who creates an unsafe or hostile environment.

📺 Community & Promotion

This event brings together Calgary's growing Power Platform community to build real solutions that could help local businesses. A photographer may capture the demos and closing. Event highlights will be shared afterward to acknowledge community achievements.

Our goals are to foster learning, encourage collaboration, showcase Power Platform capabilities, and have fun!

📝 Intellectual Property & Licensing

Teams retain ownership of their original code and ideas. Solutions may be featured in event highlights and promotional materials. Open source components must be properly attributed, and teams are encouraged to continue developing their solutions after the event. Organizers reserve the right to showcase solutions for community education purposes.

⚠️ Disqualification Criteria

Teams may be disqualified for:

  • Entering a complete solution built before the event
  • Violating the code of conduct
  • Misrepresenting what the solution does or how it was built
  • Not using Power Platform as a main part of the solution

📞 Questions & Support

Still have questions? We're here to help!

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