What is Dataverse?

In our new blog series, ‘Discover the building blocks of Power Apps’, we cover every component of Power Apps one by one. In this blog, we take a close look at Dataverse. Find out what Dataverse is, what you can do with it and how it works together with other components within Power Apps.

Discover the building blocks of Power Apps: Dataverse

Microsoft Dataverse is part of the Microsoft Power Platform. Dataverse was previously known as Common Data Service (CDS). Dataverse is used to store and manage data used by Power Platform solutions and Microsoft Dynamics 365 applications. It works with tables in which data is stored, similar to an Excel spreadsheet. Still, Dataverse differs from Excel. A Dataverse table is meant for large-scale data management in business applications, whereas an Excel table is suited to small-scale data analysis and presentation.

Dataverse is all about ease of use. Many components are standardized by Microsoft, so users don't need any specialist knowledge. Users can also easily create new tables in Dataverse themselves. All tables have rows and columns, and each column stores a specific type of data.

To manage access and identities, Dataverse uses Microsoft Entra ID. This ensures users can only reach the data they are allowed to see and use.

What can you do with Dataverse?

Dataverse is more than a place to store data. There are several ways to get started with the tables in Dataverse:

• Complex data models: Different types of relationships can be defined between related Dataverse tables. This makes it possible, for example, to link a transaction to a customer.
• Forms and views: Build custom forms on top of Dataverse tables to personalize data entry. That way, only the data you really need gets entered.
• Business rules: Make fields within a form dependent on each other. This lets you show or hide a field based on the value in another field.
• Calculated columns: Automatically calculate values in a column based on other columns. For example, you can calculate profit in a new column based on revenue and costs.

For SURF, for instance, we developed a model-driven Power Apps application with Dataverse as its database. All data for this application is entered and edited through Dataverse forms. Read all about the SURF case here.

Role within Power Apps

Dataverse serves as the central database where all the data of your Power Apps is stored and managed. This makes it easy to use consistent, reliable data across all your applications. Whether you are building canvas apps, model-driven apps or a Power Pages site, Dataverse ensures seamless integration of your data.

How does Dataverse work with the Power Platform?

Dataverse also works seamlessly with other components of the Microsoft Power Platform, such as Power Automate, Power Apps, Power BI and Power Pages. These integrations let you combine the different tools to arrive at the ideal solution for your needs. Here are some examples of how Dataverse works together with the components of the Power Platform:

• Power Automate: With Power Automate you can automate workflows and business processes using data in Dataverse. Power Automate can create, edit and delete Dataverse rows. You can also trigger a Power Automate flow when certain actions are performed in a Dataverse table. For example, when a new customer is added to a Dataverse table, Power Automate can automatically send a welcome email and create a task for the sales team to contact the new customer.
• Power Apps: By using Dataverse as the backend for your Power Apps, you can easily build applications that use structured and secure data. For example, you can develop a canvas app for your sales team in which they can view and update customer information stored in Dataverse. This way, they always have access to up-to-date data, wherever they are.
• Power BI: Power BI lets you create interactive reports and dashboards that provide real-time insights based on data in Dataverse. For example, you can build a dashboard showing sales performance by region, with data coming directly from Dataverse. This allows you to analyze trends, identify opportunities and make quick decisions based on current information.
• Power Pages: With Power Pages you can build dynamic websites that use data from Dataverse. Imagine you want to set up a customer portal where customers can view their order history and place new orders. By integrating Dataverse, you can make sure all data on the portal is current and accurate, and that customers have easy access to the information they need.

Limitations of Dataverse

Besides all these great features, Dataverse also has a few limitations. For example, there is a limit to the number of tables and columns within an organization. You won't reach this limit quickly, but it is worth considering before you get started with Dataverse.

In addition, using Dataverse comes with costs. To use Dataverse you need a Power Apps Premium, Power Apps per App or Power Apps Pay-as-you-go license, for which you pay per user.

Conclusion

Microsoft Dataverse is a powerful part of the Microsoft Power Platform. With Dataverse, organizations can build complex data models, implement business rules, and create dynamic forms and views. This makes it possible to personalize data entry and optimize business processes. On top of that, secure storage in the Microsoft Cloud ensures that only authorized users have access to the data, providing a high level of security.

Curious what Dataverse and the rest of the Power Platform can do for the processes within your organization? Then schedule a meeting using the button below.

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