Using Dataverse as a Data Source in Power Apps – A Complete Guide

Dataverse is a secure, scalable, and relational database that integrates seamlessly with Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and other Microsoft services. It allows users to store and manage structured data efficiently, making it an ideal backend for Canvas Apps.

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📌 Key Benefits of Using Dataverse

• Security & Compliance: Data is encrypted and stored securely in Microsoft’s cloud.
• Relational Database Model: Tables (formerly called Entities) support relationships.
• Data Access Control: Role-based security ensures proper access control.
• Integration with Microsoft 365 & Dynamics 365: Native integration with Microsoft tools.
• Business Logic & Automation: Supports business rules, workflows, and Power Automate.

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🔹 Step 1: Prerequisites

Before using Dataverse, ensure:

• A Power Apps or Power Platform environment is available.
• You have a Dataverse license (included in premium Power Apps plans).
• The correct permissions (e.g., Environment Maker, Dataverse User) are assigned.

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🔹 Step 2: Create a Canvas App and Connect to Dataverse

1. Go to Power Apps → Power Apps.
2. Click “Create” → Choose “Canvas app from blank”.
3. Select the Tablet or Phone layout.
4. Click “Data” (left panel) → “Add data”.
5. Search for Dataverse and select it.
6. Choose an existing table or create a new one.
7. Click “Connect” to link Dataverse as the data source.

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🔹 Step 3: Create and Manage Tables in Dataverse

A. Creating a New Table

1. In Power Apps, go to Dataverse → Tables.
2. Click “New table” and provide:
   • Display Name: Name of the table.
   • Plural Name: Used in relationships.
   • Primary Column: A unique identifier for each record.
3. Click “Save”.

B. Adding Columns to a Table

1. Open your table and click “Add column”.
2. Enter:
   • Name: Column name (e.g., “Customer Name”).
   • Data Type: Choose from:
     • Text, Number, Date, Choice, Lookup, Boolean, Currency, etc.
   • Required?: Mark mandatory fields.
3. Click Save.

C. Creating Relationships Between Tables

1. Open the table and go to the Relationships tab.
2. Click “Add Relationship” → Choose:
   • One-to-Many: A record in Table A can relate to many in Table B.
   • Many-to-One: Many records in Table A relate to one in Table B.
   • Many-to-Many: Multiple records in both tables relate to each other.
3. Select the related table and save the relationship.

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🔹 Step 4: Display Data in a Gallery

1. In Power Apps, insert a Gallery (Insert → Gallery).
2. Set the Items property to: 'YourDataverseTable'
3. Power Apps automatically binds and displays the table data.
4. Customize the gallery using layout options.

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🔹 Step 5: Display Detailed Information in a Form

1. Insert an Edit Form (Insert → Forms → Edit).
2. Set its DataSource to: 'YourDataverseTable'
3. Set the Item property to: Gallery1.Selected
4. Click Edit Fields and select which fields to display.

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🔹 Step 6: Adding New Records

1. Insert a Button with the OnSelect property: NewForm(EditForm1)
2. Add another Button for submission: SubmitForm(EditForm1)
3. When clicked, this will add a new record to Dataverse.

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🔹 Step 7: Editing an Existing Record

1. Ensure the Edit Form is bound to: Gallery1.Selected
2. Insert an Edit Button with: EditForm(EditForm1)
3. After making changes, the user can click Submit.

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🔹 Step 8: Deleting Records

1. Insert a Delete Button with: Remove('YourDataverseTable', Gallery1.Selected)
2. This will remove the selected record.

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🔹 Step 9: Filtering & Searching Data

A. Search Functionality

1. Insert a Text Input (txtSearch).
2. Modify the Gallery’s Items property: Filter('YourDataverseTable', Title.Value & " " & Description.Value, txtSearch.Text)
3. This enables searching across multiple fields.

B. Filtering by Status or Category

1. Insert a Dropdown (drpFilter).
2. Set its Items property to: Distinct('YourDataverseTable', Status)
3. Update the Gallery’s Items property: Filter('YourDataverseTable', Status = drpFilter.Selected.Value)

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🔹 Step 10: Automating Workflows with Power Automate

1. In Power Apps, go to Power Automate → Create a flow.
2. Choose a trigger, e.g., “When a new record is created”.
3. Add actions like:
   • Send an email.
   • Update another table.
   • Notify users via Teams.
4. Save and test the flow.

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🔹 Best Practices

1. Use Delegation-Friendly Queries: Avoid Filter() on large datasets.
2. Leverage Security Roles: Control access to tables with Dataverse security roles.
3. Optimize Performance: Use collections to store frequently used data.
4. Use Patch Instead of SubmitForm for Faster Updates: Patch('YourDataverseTable', Defaults('YourDataverseTable'), {Title: txtTitle.Text, Status: drpStatus.Selected.Value})
5. Enable Auditing: Track changes using Dataverse audit logs.

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🔹 Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Data is not showing in Power Apps	Ensure the correct table is connected and check user permissions.
Delegation warnings appear	Use functions like StartsWith() instead of Filter().
Records are not updating	Use Patch() instead of SubmitForm().
Slow app performance	Use collections to cache data locally.

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🔹 Summary

Dataverse is a powerful, secure, and scalable backend for Power Apps, providing structured relational data storage, automation capabilities, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365. With this guide, you can easily connect Power Apps to Dataverse, display data, add/edit/delete records, and automate workflows using Power Automate.

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