Prompt Columns in Dataverse
Introduction In this blog, I’m going to share about a new capability in the Power Platform: The Prompt Column (Preview) in Dataverse. This feature brings the power of generative AI directly into your data tables, allowing makers to create AI-driven text outputs based on other columns within the same record. Traditionally, if you wanted to generate summaries, categorize records, or draft responses, you’d rely on Power Automate flows, plugins, or external AI connectors. That meant extra steps, more configurations. With the Prompt Column, you can embed intelligence directly in your data model. You define a prompt a natural language instruction and the system dynamically generate text output based on the values in other columns of the record. Problem Statement One of the challenges in most business apps is context generation. Data often exists in isolation descriptions, titles, and notes are stored separately, and users must interpret meaning manually. This disconnect means that insights are locked behind manual work or external processes, slowing down decision-making and reducing the real-time value of your data. Solution The Prompt Column (Preview) helps bridge this gap by letting you define AI prompts directly within Dataverse. Using natural language, you can instruct the system to generate text based on other columns — no flow, plugin, or external integration required. For example, you can create a prompt like: “Summarize the case title and description in 3 bullet points.” and the column will automatically produce an AI-generated summary whenever the record is viewed or refreshed. This makes your data tables smarter and your forms more informative — enabling use cases such as: Steps to Create and Test a Prompt Column in Dataverse Define the PromptWrite your natural language instruction Add Input ColumnsSelect which columns should be used as input (like Title, Description, Priority, etc.) You can always filter the attributes as well so have more precise data according to your needs. Save and Add to FormAdd the prompt column to a form in your model-driven app so you can visualize the output. Test the OutputOpen or create a record, populate your input fields, and let the prompt generate text automatically. You can always play with the available models and see which suits best. Refine or IterateAdjust your prompt for tone, detail, or format. For example, you can make it formal, concise, or bullet-style depending on your use case. So that’s pretty much about it , for now the prompt column feature only gives you text as the default data type. You can further play around with the feature and always try new things eg: I tried generating a Json format with some attributes in my table which could be used in power automate flows or further processing Conclusion: As this feature matures, it’s likely to evolve beyond record-level prompts, potentially opening doors to contextual AI summaries across relationships and tables. For now, it’s a great opportunity to experiment, learn, and rethink how you make your data tell its own story. Thank you Aslin, for your valuable inputs to this blog!
Generative Pages in Model-Driven Apps
Introduction In this blog, I’m going to share details regarding a newly introduced feature for model-driven apps called Generative Pages. This feature lets developers design functional, modern pages for model-driven apps simply by describing their requirements in plain language. Here’s a hands-on look at this feature using Microsoft’s latest updates and a walkthrough based on real experience. Public preview: May 16, 2025 (rollout phased through 2025 Wave 1 update) General availability: Not yet available (planned for March 2026) Problem Statement Traditionally, creating new custom pages in model-driven apps was time-consuming. Designers and developers had to manually think about the design, add each control/container, configure Dataverse sources, and fine-tune layouts, often requiring coding expertise and hours of iteration. This complexity created a barrier for business users and slowed the delivery of modern, dynamic business apps. The challenge is clear: how do we reduce the complexity of creating custom pages manually, investing a lot of time for design and development? Solution: Generative Pages in Model Driven Apps editor Microsoft has introduced Generative pages, a feature in Power Apps platform within the model-driven app editor. Generative Pages offer an AI-powered approach that leverages Copilot for page creation. Instead of manual configuration, users can describe their requirements in natural, everyday language. The App Agent for Generative Pages interprets these instructions, references relevant Dataverse tables, and produces a clean UI complete with filters, dashboards, forms, and fully integrated code. Key benefits of this new feature include: How to use Generative Pages? Updated code preview: Cleaner design. Updated code preview: Popup for “New Event” button. Updated code preview: Dashboard view added. After finalizing the page generation, you can save and publish and can edit it anytime in future if needed. Considerations and Limitations As this is an early preview, a few boundaries to keep in mind: Conclusion Generative Pages in Power Apps represent a dramatic leap forward in enterprise app building. With the power of natural language, AI-driven layouts, and direct ties to Microsoft Dataverse, business users and developers can deliver tailored solutions quite faster and focus on other tasks. As this feature matures, expect even more flexibility, data options, and co-authoring capabilities. If you are working in the D365 or Power Platform space, now’s the perfect time to try Generative Pages and master the ability to create low-code, AI-powered business app in no time. Thank you, Darish for your inputs to this blog.
How to configure the Feature Release Setup in Power-Apps (preview)
Title: Feature Release Setup (preview)IntroductionIn Power Apps, configuring release channels is crucial for balancing stability with access to new features. Release channels allow app makers to choose update cadences that best fit their organization’s needs, whether they want regular, incremental updates or less frequent, more stable releases. The right configuration can ensure that new features and improvements are introduced thoughtfully, minimizing disruption.Description Power Apps offers a variety of release channels that cater to different needs:• Monthly Channel: Updates are delivered every week, typically the fastest way to access new features and updates.• Semi-Annual Channel: Updates are pushed less frequently, making it suitable for production environments needing higher stability. Each environment, app, and user can be assigned a release channel to control when and how updates are received. This granularity helps organizations manage updates across different departments or roles, tailoring the release strategy based on users’ requirements. Why Choose a Release Channel? Choosing the correct release channel depends on factors like testing requirements, user roles, and how critical app stability is to business operations. For example, development or test environments might use the Monthly channel to stay on top of the latest updates, while production environments might prefer the Semi-Annual channel to ensure that updates are well-tested before deployment. Default and Custom Settings•New apps and environments default to the Monthly Channel.• Custom release channel configurations override the default settings, giving admins greater control over when updates occur. How to Configure Release Channels? Configuring a release channel involves specifying settings at different levels (environment, app, or user levelThe release channel for model-driven apps can be changed in two primary ways:• Environment channel• App channel In addition, the release channel can be overridden with either of these options: •` User channel override• Browser session channel override Channel Release Order of OperationsThe following order determines which setting controls the release channel: 1. URL Override: Takes highest priority.2. User Channel Override: Applies if set.3. App Release Channel: if set to a specific value like Monthly or Semi-annual, rather than auto).4. Environment Release Channel: if set to a specific value like Monthly or Semi-annual, rather than Auto.5. Default to Auto: Applies when both app and environment release channels are set to Auto. Step-by-Step Guide: Configuring the Release Channel1. Set the Environment-Level Channel:o In Power Platform Admin Center, navigate to Environments.o Select the target environment.o In the settings ➔ Behavior, choose the desired release channel (Monthly or Semi-Annual). 2.App-Level Configuration:o Open https://make.powerapps.com.o Under Solutions open an existing solution containing a model-driven app.o Open the app in the app designer.o For app-level control, makers can go to the specific app settings in Power Apps.o Under General Settings, there is an option to set the release channel.o This ensures that the app follows a different update cadence than the environment default, if required. 3. User-Level Channel Changes:o Individual users can modify their release channel settings by navigating to Settings in the Power Apps maker portal.o This setting is beneficial for testing new features without impacting the entire environment or app. 4. Session-Level Adjustments (Browser-based):o Users can modify the release channel for a single session by appending the ?channel=desiredchannel parameter in the URL (for example, ?channel=Monthly).o This is useful for testing purposes without altering the overall settings. 5. Applying Changeso Any change made to the release channel requires users to refresh their browser to take effect immediately.o For larger environments, it’s advised to test updates in a dedicated environment before rolling out changes across all users. ConclusionConfiguring release channels in Power Apps provides essential flexibility, allowing organizations to tailor update schedules based on stability and feature needs. This flexibility can help mitigate the risks associated with frequent updates while ensuring that users have access to the latest tools. By carefully managing release channels, organizations can enhance productivity and maintain control over their app’s user experience. Thank you, Subhash for your valuable inputs to this blog.
Title: Restoring Deleted Table Records in Microsoft Power Platform (preview)
Introduction In the dynamic environment of Power Platform, managing and manipulating data is an essential part of building business applications. Accidental deletions of records, however, can happen to anyone. Microsoft Power Platform’s recovery options provide a safety net, allowing users to restore deleted table records quickly and efficiently. This guide will walk you through the steps and key considerations for restoring deleted records in Power Platform. What Happens When a Record is Deleted? When records are deleted in Power Platform, they are not immediately removed from the system. Instead, they’re retained in a “soft delete” state, remaining recoverable for a certain period. This approach helps prevent data loss due to accidental deletions, as records can be restored without complex recovery methods or external backups. When Can Records Be Restored? Deleted records can be restored within 30 days of deletion. After this period, records are permanently deleted and are no longer recoverable. It’s important to act promptly if you need to restore a record to avoid permanent data loss. Turning On the Recycle Bin FeatureTo enable the Recycle Bin in your Dataverse environment, here’s what you need to do: 1. Sign in to the Power Platform admin center as an administrator (you’ll need the Dynamics 365 admin or Microsoft Power Platform admin role).2. Go to Environments: From the admin center, select Environments and open the environment where you want to enable the Recycle Bin.3. Access Feature Settings: Head to Settings > Product > Features. 4. Enable Recycle Bin: Scroll down to find the Recycle Bin setting and switch it On.5. Set the Retention Period: Choose how long you’d like deleted records to be available for recovery—up to 30 days. This setup gives you peace of mind, knowing you can retrieve records if needed, for up to 30 days after deletion.Step-by-Step Guide to Restoring Deleted Table RecordsFollow these steps to restore deleted records in Power Platform. Step 1: Go to the Power Platform Admin Center1. Open your browser and go to the Power Platform Admin Center.2. Sign in with your administrative credentials to access the environment where the deleted record was stored. Step 2: Navigate to the Environment Settings1. In the Admin Center, select Environments from the left menu.2. Choose the specific environment where the table and its records are located. Step 3: Access Deleted Records1. Go to Environments: From the admin center, select Environments and open the environment where you want to enable the Recycle Bin.2. Access Feature Settings: Head to Settings > Product > Features. Step 4: Restore the Record1. In the Deleted Rows section, find the specific record you wish to restore.2. Select the record, and then choose the Restore option. This action will reinstate the record to its original table.Important Considerations When Restoring Records1. Data Dependencies: Some records may be linked to other tables or workflows. Ensure that the restored records don’t disrupt any existing processes or create duplicates in related tables.2. Storage Capacity: Restoring large volumes of deleted records could impact storage capacity. Regularly monitor your environment’s capacity usage to prevent potential issues.3. Security and Permissions: Only users with the appropriate permissions can restore deleted records. Make sure your permissions align with your environment’s security policies. ConclusionThe ability to restore deleted records in Power Platform is a valuable feature, enabling organizations to protect and recover critical data with ease. By following these steps and keeping a few considerations in mind, administrators can manage data restoration effectively, minimizing downtime and maintaining data integrity. Whether it’s due to accidental deletion or troubleshooting needs, this feature provides a reliable solution for your data recovery needs. Thank you, Subhash Mahato for your valuable inputs to this blog!
Simplifying Data Sorting, Searching and Filtering with Smart Grids (preview)
Now that Smart Grids are in public preview via model-driven apps views, users can rapidly locate, filter, and sort their data using natural language instead of complex advanced filters. By using AI, the functionality streamlines data administration and enhances user experience by turning grid views into a smooth interface for immediate responses, locating records and starting actions on your data. In Power Apps model-driven apps (including Dynamics 365 apps), you may now ask queries about data using natural language when utilizing the main grid view. Requesting “Task with high priority with pending follow-up after the specified date,” for instance, will limit your screen to just see those pertinent cases. The following features are supported:• Filtering of record• Sorting• Text search The following capabilities aren’t supported:• Query aggregation• Query grouping• Adding columns Things to Think AboutCheck the generated filter tags after running a query to make sure your natural language query’s filter criteria were successfully interpreted. If any portion of your query is absent from the filter tags, that condition did not filter the results.In the event that Copilot fails to yield the intended results, think about changing your query by:• Using the names of the data columns as they appear in the grid header• Using commas or periods to separate several conditions• A text search will be conducted using search strings that contain two words or fewer (prior functionality).• Use more than two terms when conducting a Copilot search. Put the search string in single or double quotations to do a text search for more than two words. In conclusion, the introduction of Smart Grids in public preview for model-driven apps marks a significant advancement in how users interact with and manage their data. By leveraging natural language queries, users can now filter, sort, and search through grid data with ease, eliminating the need for complex manual filtering. This functionality enhances the user experience, making it more intuitive and efficient, especially for those who need to quickly locate and take action on records. Please take note that this is a preview feature that will be enhanced with every weekly update. Thank you, Arvind Khadye for your valuable inputs to this blog!
Efficient Data Management using New Enhanced Grid Features in Power Apps
The 2024 Wave 2 release includes a noteworthy update in the form of new grid features in Power Apps. What is it all about?These improvements are meant to make it easier for users to view and use data. Users will find it easier to manage massive datasets with the new grid’s better data filtering, sorting, and inline editing features. These features improve user productivity by enabling speedy information retrieval and updating, while also streamlining and simplifying data management. Businesses that primarily rely on data-driven decision-making and require effective tools to manage their data may especially benefit from this update. Model-driven applications now have new grid features that make it easier for users to view and interact with data. You may easily accomplish various jobs with the capabilities, such as grouping and aggregating data, rearranging columns, and setting column width. What are it’s features?Numerous functional and aesthetic enhancements to the Power Apps grid control enhance users’ out of the box experience. Grouping and aggregationUsers of the Power Apps grid control have the option to organize data according to a particular column. Users can choose to extend (and re-collapse) groups, although they are collapsed by default. Regardless of whether the grid is set to be editable or read-only, this feature is accessible. Users can also combine one or more of the grid’s numerical columns. Users have the option to view the average, minimum, maximum, or sum of the numbers in each column. This aggregate value will also be shown for each group if grouping has been used. When an entity is set up to use the pipeline view or the read-only grid component by default, these features are activated. You must enable this behavior for other instances that require manual configuration by utilizing the Enable grouping and Enable aggregation options. Column headers allow users to aggregate and combine columns. Only column types that support these operations have options. Simple column rearrangingThe ability of users to rearrange columns directly within the grid is determined by the Allow column reordering property. This includes using the Move left and Move right actions from column header dropdown menus, as well as the ability to drag and drop column heads.Redesigned list mode styleThe Power Apps grid control’s list mode has been modified to conform to Fluent styling, with adjustments made to the font size and weight to denote the relative importance of each field in the list.List mode sorting is supportedUsers notice a new header row with a sort icon at the top of the list when using the Power Apps grid control in list mode. By clicking on this button, the user can select the sort direction and column from a menu. If column sorting is not supported by the grid, this option is suppressed.Command bar for nested gridWhen a row in the nested grid is chosen in the Power Apps grid control with configured nested grids, the correct command bar is now displayed.Column width can be set to a specific valueNow, using the column settings, you may adjust the column width to a certain pixel value. This makes it possible to set column width with just the keyboard.The ability to scroll endlessly while selecting every record On all contemporary grids, the option to choose all records will be present by default. This option will select up to 1000 records when used with infinite scroll. Conclusion:So now users will have more privilege while working with columns and data in grids and views. Now, you can adjust the column widths, aggregate the data, group the data, and more. A feature that greatly simplifies working with fields for average users. Thank you, Arvind Khadye for your valuable inputs to this blog.