Overview of Model Driven Apps & Dataverse

1. Model-Driven Apps & Dataverse

In Power Platform, Model-Driven Apps are a key component to create robust business applications with minimal code. Dataverse is the powerful data platform that provides secure and cloud-based storage for business data. Model-Driven Apps combined with Dataverse offer a powerful low-code/no-code environment to build enterprise-grade business applications.

2. Dataverse

Microsoft Dataverse is the core data platform for the Power Platform which is used to store and manage data used by business applications. It includes Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI.

3. Key Features of Dataverse

The important features of Dataverse are:

Structured Data Storage
Built-in Standard Tables
Data Types
Data Integration

Business data are stored in a structured data storage as tables like Accounts, Contacts, Activities to accelerate app development. It supports various data types like text, numbers, choices, lookups, etc.

Dataverse can connect to data easily from other Microsoft services like Dynamics 365, SharePoint or external sources via connectors and APIs.

4. Benefits

Centralized data storage
Role-based security
Rich metadata and business logic
Easy integration with Microsoft 365 and Azure services

5. Creating and Managing Tables & Relationships

In Dataverse, Tables store data that can have fields (columns), keys, and relationships with other tables.

Tables Creation:

Navigate to Power Apps > Dataverse > Tables
Click on + New Table
Provide details like name, primary column, and table settings

Adding Columns:

Choose from standard data types: Text, Number, Choice, Date/Time, Lookup, etc.
Add custom columns as per business requirements

Managing Relationships:

One-to-Many (1:N) – A record in Table A can be associated with many records in Table B
Many-to-One (N:1) – Many records in Table A relate to a single record in Table B
Many-to-Many (N:N) – Records in Table A can relate to many in Table B and vice versa

Setting Relationship Behavior:

To set relationship behaviour, configure cascading rules like Delete, Assign, Merge behaviors and enable lookups and quick views for related data.

6. Building Model-Driven Apps with Business Logic

Model-Driven Apps allow you to design applications based on the data model in Dataverse. The layout can be determined by the data structure and relationships.

Steps to Build a Model-Driven App:

Go to Power Apps > Create > Model-Driven App
Define App Name and Description
Use App Designer to:
- Add Tables and Forms
- Include Views, Charts, Dashboards, and Business Processes
- Organize using Site Map Designer

Adding Business Logic:

Business Rules: Add logic without writing code
Workflows and Power Automate Flows: Automate repetitive tasks
Business Process Flows: Guide users through standardized business steps
JavaScript and Plugins: For complex custom logic

7. Security Roles and Permissions

Security in Dataverse ensures data is only accessed by the right people by using a combination of users, teams, business units, and roles.

Security Concepts:

Security Roles: Define permissions on tables like Create, Read, Write, Delete, Append, etc.
Business Units: Organize users hierarchically and roles can be scoped accordingly
Teams: Allow collaboration and shared access to records
Field Security Profiles: Restrict access to specific fields

Assigning Security Roles:

Go to Power Platform Admin Center > Environments
Select the environment and navigate to Settings > Users + permissions > Security roles
Assign roles to users or teams as per their job responsibilities

Best Practices:

To achieve security, apply the principle of least privilege and use custom roles for precise control. Regularly audit and update role assignments.

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Overview of Model Driven Apps & Dataverse