dataverse

name	dataverse
description	Use when: building or debugging Dataverse CRUD in a Power Apps Code App, registering tables with initDataSources or registerTable, calling callUnboundAction, or using whoAmI and Dataverse-backed environment variables.

Dataverse Guide

Prerequisite: load the connections skill for the shared auth and wrapper rules.

power.config.json

For the helper in dev files/codeapp.js, Dataverse CRUD depends on databaseReferences.default.cds.dataSources.

{
  "databaseReferences": {
    "default.cds": {
      "dataSources": {
        "accounts": {
          "entitySetName": "accounts",
          "logicalName": "account",
          "isHidden": false
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

• entitySetName is the plural OData collection name.
• logicalName is the singular logical name.
• Every Dataverse table used by the app must be present here.
• Schemas are often stored in the agent folder, if they are not check .power\schemas folder. If required and missing use pac code add-data-source -a dataverse -t <tableName> to generate the schema in .power\schemas folder.
• if schema found copy it to agent folder and edit the .power/schemas/ folder.
• Do not add unbound actions like WhoAmI or GrantAccess to dataSources.

The helper does not require a separate Dataverse connectionReferences entry for CRUD or callUnboundAction.

Table Registration

The helper supports both initDataSources(...) and registerTable(...).

Use initDataSources(...) before the first Dataverse call when you know the full table set up front.

import { initDataSources } from './codeapp.js';

function dsEntry(sPrimaryKey) {
  return { tableId: '', version: '', primaryKey: sPrimaryKey, dataSourceType: 'Dataverse', apis: {} };
}

initDataSources({
  accounts: dsEntry('accountid'),
  contacts: dsEntry('contactid')
});

Use registerTable(tableName, primaryKey) only when you need to add a table at runtime. It resets the cached client.

CRUD Surface

codeapp.js exports:

• createItem(tableName, primaryKey, record)
• getItem(tableName, primaryKey, id, select)
• listItems(tableName, primaryKey, options)
• updateItem(tableName, primaryKey, id, changedFields)
• deleteItem(tableName, primaryKey, id)

Notes:

• listItems(...) returns { entities: [...] }.
• select and orderBy accept arrays or comma-separated strings.
• whoAmI() reads the Power Apps context with getContext(); it does not call a Dataverse action.

Unbound Actions

callUnboundAction(tableName, primaryKey, actionName, params) uses callActionAsync(...) under the hood.

• It requires at least one real Dataverse table to be registered so the helper can resolve the environment.
• Do not add action names to power.config.json.
• Standard Dataverse actions still need correct complex parameter payloads such as @odata.type annotations.

Environment Variables

getEnvironmentVariable(schemaName) is part of the same helper file.

• Add environmentvariabledefinitions and environmentvariablevalues to databaseReferences.default.cds.dataSources.
• Include those tables in initDataSources(...) or register them before the first read.

Relationship Tips

• Write lookups with '<navProperty>@odata.bind': '/<entitySet>(<guid>)'.
• Read lookup IDs with the _<name>_value pattern.

Common Failures

• DataSourceNotFound: the table is missing from power.config.json, initDataSources(...), or runtime registration.
• Invalid property 'xyz': the column name is wrong.
• Entity 'xyz' does not exist: the entity set name is wrong.
• Single-record retrieve can fail for some tables such as entities; use listItems(...) with a filter instead.