XrmToolBox is a powerful Windows-based application that provides a collection of tools for managing, customizing, and extending Microsoft Dataverse and the Power Platform ecosystem—including Power Pages (formerly Power Apps Portals).
While Power Pages doesn’t have a dedicated tool within XrmToolBox, many plugins are immensely helpful when working with Power Pages due to their deep integration with Dataverse, Web Roles, Web Pages, Entity Forms, and Permissions.
What is XrmToolBox?
XrmToolBox is a free, open-source utility that connects to Microsoft Dataverse environments using your credentials or connection strings. It provides a GUI for performing repetitive, complex, or hidden tasks that are either difficult or unavailable in the Power Platform admin centers.
Why Use XrmToolBox for Power Pages?
- Simplify management of Web Pages, Web Roles, Web Files, and Web Templates
- View and edit Entity Forms, Entity Lists, and their metadata
- Quickly apply bulk updates to portal components
- Analyze security roles, table permissions, and access control settings
- Perform data export/import for backup or migration purposes
Best XrmToolBox Tools for Power Pages Users
1. Portal Records Mover
- Use: Export/import portal records such as Web Pages, Web Files, Web Links, etc.
- Purpose: Easily migrate portal configuration between environments.
- How: Select the records to move > Export to XML > Import into the target environment.
2. FetchXML Builder
- Use: Create and test complex FetchXML queries.
- Purpose: For Entity Lists, Liquid templates, or Web Templates requiring advanced filtering.
- Bonus: Generates sample REST API queries to use in JavaScript.
3. Portal Code Editor
- Use: Edit Web Templates, Web Files, Content Snippets, and JavaScript or CSS directly.
- Purpose: Edit portal source code quickly, outside the Design Studio.
- Feature: Includes syntax highlighting and search.
4. Security Role Browser
- Use: Visualize Web Roles, table permissions, and access rights.
- Purpose: Debug access control and visibility issues in the portal.
5. Attribute Manager
- Use: Manage Dataverse column settings quickly.
- Purpose: Show/hide columns in forms or lists used in portals, rename logical names, etc.
6. Bulk Data Updater
- Use: Make bulk updates to Dataverse records such as Web Pages or Entity Forms.
- Purpose: Great for mass changes (e.g., update all page titles, disable caching, etc.)
7. Metadata Browser
- Use: Explore entity metadata, column types, relationships.
- Purpose: Helps you understand data structure and configure permissions for use in the portal.
How to Connect to Your Power Pages Environment in XrmToolBox
- Open XrmToolBox.
- Click Connect > Choose Dataverse connection.
- Sign in to your environment (or use a connection string).
- Once connected, open your desired tool from the Tool Library.
⚠ Note: You must have sufficient privileges (System Administrator or equivalent) to view and modify portal data via XrmToolBox.
Use Cases with Power Pages
| Task | XrmToolBox Tool |
|---|---|
| Backup Web Pages before redesign | Portal Records Mover |
| Customize Liquid templates quickly | Portal Code Editor |
| Debug user access issues | Security Role Browser |
| Generate FetchXML for Liquid/REST | FetchXML Builder |
| Update Content Snippets in bulk | Bulk Data Updater |
Tips for Using XrmToolBox Efficiently
- Always backup data before making changes.
- Use filters and views to avoid mass editing unintended records.
- Regularly check for tool updates inside XrmToolBox for new features and bug fixes.
- When working on portal migrations, use Portal Records Mover along with Solutions for ALM.
What XrmToolBox Cannot Do (Yet)
- It doesn’t replace the Power Pages Design Studio UI.
- Doesn’t preview portal pages visually.
- Not ideal for non-technical users or content editors.
- Doesn’t manage site settings like SSL or custom domains.
Real Example
You’re redesigning the homepage layout and want to:
- Backup the existing Web Page
- Update Web Template code
- Fix broken links in Web Files You can do all of this using:
- Portal Records Mover
- Portal Code Editor
- Bulk Data Updater