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How to: Interact with Dataverse tables using server logic

In this guide, you'll set up a webpage and custom web template that will use the server logic to read, write, update, and delete records from the contact table.

Step 1: Create a server logic

  1. Sign into Power Pages.

  2. Select site + Edit.

  3. Navigate to the Set up workspace, then select Server logic (preview).

  4. Select +New server logic.

  5. Enter name for the server logic. This name is used in API as resource identifier while constructing the server logic API.

    Example: dataverse-crud-operations

  6. Select +Add roles to assign appropriate web role.

  7. Select 3 dots (…) next to name and select Edit code.

  8. Select Open Visual Studio Code to author the custom logic. You'll find pre-defined methods and scripts in the file.

  9. Define server logic method to read, edit, create, delete the contact records.

    Read: Add below script inside get method

    const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
if (!Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"]) {
    return Server.Connector.Dataverse.RetrieveMultipleRecords(entitySetName);
} else {
    const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"]; // Context reference
    return Server.Connector.Dataverse.RetrieveRecord(entitySetName, id);
}

    Create: Add below script in post method

    const data = Server.Context.Body;
const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
return Server.Connector.Dataverse.CreateRecord(entitySetName, data);

    Update: Add below script in put method

    const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"];
const data = Server.Context.Body;
return Server.Connector.Dataverse.UpdateRecord("accounts", id, data);

    Delete: Add inside del method

    const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"];
const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
Server.Logger.Log("Entity Set name:" + entitySetName);
return Server.Connector.Dataverse.DeleteRecord(entitySetName, id);

  10. Save the file.

  11. Here's the complete server logic code that can be pasted

    function get() {
 try {
     Server.Logger.Log("GET called"); // Logger reference
     const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
     const additionParameters = Server.Context.QueryParameters['additionalParameters'];
     if (!Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"]) {
         const response = Server.Connector.Dataverse.RetrieveMultipleRecords(entitySetName,additionParameters);
         return response;
     }
     else{            
         const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"]; // Context reference
         const response = Server.Connector.Dataverse.RetrieveRecord(entitySetName, id,additionParameters);
         return response;
     }        
 } catch (err) {
     Server.Logger.Error("GET failed: " + err.message);
     return JSON.stringify({ status: "error", method: "GET", message: err.message });
 }
 }
 function post() {
 try {
     Server.Logger.Log("POST called");
     const data = Server.Context.Body;
     const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
      return Server.Connector.Dataverse.CreateRecord(entitySetName, data);
  } catch (err) {
     Server.Logger.Error("POST failed: " + err.message);
     return JSON.stringify({ status: "error", method: "POST", message: err.message });
 }
 } 
 function put() {
 try {
     Server.Logger.Log("PUT called");
     const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"];
     const data = Server.Context.Body;
     const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
     return Server.Connector.Dataverse.UpdateRecord(entitySetName, id, data);
  } catch (err) {
     Server.Logger.Error("PUT failed: " + err.message);
     return JSON.stringify({ status: "error", method: "PUT", message: err.message });
 }
 }   
 function del() {
 try {
     // "delete" keyword should not be used in script file.
     Server.Logger.Log("DEL called");
     const id = Server.Context.QueryParameters["id"];
       const entitySetName = Server.Context.QueryParameters["entitySetName"];
     return Server.Connector.Dataverse.DeleteRecord(entitySetName, id);
  } catch (err) {
     Server.Logger.Error("Deletion failed: " + err.message);
     return JSON.stringify({ status: "error", method: "DEL", message: err.message });
 }
 }

Step 2: Create Webpage

  1. Launch the Power Pages design studio.

  2. In the Pages workspace, select + Page.

  3. In the Add a page dialog, enter Server logic in the Name box and select Start from blank layout.

  4. Select Add.

  5. Select the Edit Code option in the upper right-hand corner.

  6. Select Open Visual Studio Code.

  7. Copy the following sample code snippet and paste it in between the <div></div> tags of the page section.

    <style>
#processingMsg {
    padding: 6px 12px; background: #eee; border-radius: 4px;
    position: fixed; top: 10px; left: 50%; transform: translateX(-50%);
    display: none; z-index: 9999; text-align: center; font-weight: bold;
}
table { border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; }
th, td { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 6px; text-align: left; }
button { cursor: pointer; border: 1px solid #aaa; padding: 4px 8px; border-radius: 4px; background: #fff; font-size: 14px; margin-right: 2px; }
button.add { color: green; }
button.save { color: green; }
button.cancel { color: orange; }
button.delete { color: red; }
input { width: 95%; box-sizing: border-box; }
td.actions { white-space: nowrap; }
</style>

<div id="processingMsg">Processing...</div>
<div id="dataTable"></div>

<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.6.0.min.js"></script>
<script>
$(function() {
    // --- safeAjax wrapper ---
    (function(webapi, $) {
        function safeAjax(ajaxOptions) {
            var dfd = $.Deferred();
            shell.getTokenDeferred().done(function(token) {
                ajaxOptions.headers = ajaxOptions.headers || {};
                ajaxOptions.headers["__RequestVerificationToken"] = token;
                $.ajax(ajaxOptions)
                    .done((data, ts, jq) => validateLoginSession(data, ts, jq, dfd.resolve))
                    .fail(dfd.reject);
            }).fail(() => dfd.rejectWith(this, arguments));
            return dfd.promise();
        }
        webapi.safeAjax = safeAjax;
    })(window.webapi = window.webapi || {}, jQuery);

    // --- notification banner ---
    const notify = (function() {
        const $m = $('#processingMsg'); let s = 0, t;
        return {
            show: (msg = 'Processing...') => { $m.text(msg); if (!s) clearTimeout(t), $m.show(); s++; },
            hide: () => { s = Math.max(0, s - 1); if (!s) clearTimeout(t), t = setTimeout(() => $m.hide(), 300); }
        };
    })();

    function ajaxCall(msg, opts) {
        notify.show(msg);
        return webapi.safeAjax(opts)
            .fail(r => alert(r.responseJSON?.error?.message || 'Server logic not available'))
            .always(notify.hide);
    }

    // --- Table config ---
    const cols = [
        { name: 'firstname', label: 'First Name' },
        { name: 'lastname', label: 'Last Name' },
        { name: 'emailaddress1', label: 'Email' },
        { name: 'telephone1', label: 'Telephone' }
    ];
    let data = [];

    function render() {
        const html = `<table>
            <thead>
                <tr>
                    ${cols.map(c => `<th>${c.label}</th>`).join('')}
                    <th>Actions <button class="add">➕</button></th>
                </tr>
            </thead>
            <tbody>
                ${data.map(r => `<tr data-id="${r.id}" data-name="${r.fullname}">
                    ${cols.map(c => `<td data-attribute="${c.name}" data-value="${r[c.name] || ''}">${r[c.name] || ''}</td>`).join('')}
                    <td class="actions">
                        <button class="delete">🗑️</button>
                    </td>
                </tr>`).join('')}
            </tbody>
        </table>`;
        $('#dataTable').html(html);
    }

    function addRecord(r) { data.unshift(r); render(); }
    function removeRecord(id) { data = data.filter(r => r.id !== id); render(); }
    function updateRecord(id, attr, val) { const r = data.find(r => r.id === id); if (r) { r[attr] = val; render(); } }

    // --- Events ---
    $('#dataTable').on('dblclick', 'tr', function() {
        const $tr = $(this);
        if ($tr.hasClass('editing')) return; // prevent double edit
        $tr.addClass('editing');
        $tr.data('original', $tr.find('td[data-attribute]').map(function() { return $(this).text(); }).get());
        $tr.find('td[data-attribute]').each(function() {
            const $td = $(this);
            const oldVal = $td.text();
            $td.html(`<input type="text" value="${oldVal}" data-attr="${$td.data('attribute')}" />`);
        });
        const $actions = $tr.find('td.actions');
        $actions.append('<button class="save">✅</button><button class="cancel">❌</button>');
    });

    $('#dataTable').on('click', '.save', function() {
        const $tr = $(this).closest('tr');
        const id = $tr.data('id');
        const updates = {};
        $tr.find('input').each(function() {
            updates[$(this).data('attr')] = $(this).val();
        });
        ajaxCall('Updating...', {
            type: 'PUT',
            url: `/_api/serverlogics/dataverse-crud-operations?entitySetName=contacts&id=${id}`,
            contentType: 'application/json',
            data: JSON.stringify(updates),
            success: () => { Object.assign(data.find(r => r.id === id), updates); render(); }
        });
    });

    $('#dataTable').on('click', '.cancel', function() {
        const $tr = $(this).closest('tr');
        const original = $tr.data('original');
        $tr.find('td[data-attribute]').each(function(i) {
            $(this).text(original[i]);
        });
        $tr.removeClass('editing');
        $tr.find('button.save, button.cancel').remove();
    });

    $('#dataTable').on('click', '.delete', function() {
        const $tr = $(this).closest('tr');
        if (confirm('Delete "' + $tr.data('name') + '"?')) {
            ajaxCall('Deleting...', {
                type: 'DELETE',
                url: `/_api/serverlogics/dataverse-crud-operations?entitySetName=contacts&id=${$tr.data('id')}`,
                contentType: 'application/json',
                success: () => removeRecord($tr.data('id'))
            });
        }
    });

    $('#dataTable').on('click', '.add', function() {
        const r = { firstname: 'Alton', lastname: 'Stott' + Math.floor(Math.random() * 900 + 100), emailaddress1: 'Alton.Stott@contoso.com', telephone1: '555-123-4567' };
        ajaxCall('Adding...', {
            type: 'POST',
            url: '/_api/serverlogics/dataverse-crud-operations?entitySetName=contacts',
            contentType: 'application/json',
            data: JSON.stringify(r),
            success: (res, s, xhr) => { r.id = xhr.getResponseHeader('entityid'); r.fullname = r.firstname + ' ' + r.lastname; addRecord(r); }
        });
    });

    ajaxCall('Loading...', {
        type: 'GET',
        url: '/_api/serverlogics/dataverse-crud-operations?entitySetName=contacts&additionalParameters=$select=fullname,firstname,lastname,emailaddress1,telephone1',
        contentType: 'application/json'
    }).done(res => {
        try {
            const p = JSON.parse(res.data); const b = JSON.parse(p.Body);
            data = (b.value || []).map(r => ({ ...r, id: r.contactid, fullname: r.fullname }));
            render();
        } catch (e) { console.error(e); }
    });
});
</script>

Step 3: Configure permissions

Create a web role

If you currently don't have a web role with permissions to the table you're accessing through the server logic or require different context of accessing the data, the following steps show you how to create a new web role and assign table permissions.

  1. Start the Portal Management app.
  2. On the left pane, in the Security section, select Web Roles.
  3. Select New.
  4. In the Name box, enter Server logic User (or any name that best reflects the role of the user accessing this functionality).
  5. In the Website list, select your website record.
  6. Select Save.

Create table permissions

  1. Launch the Power Pages design studio.
  2. Select the Security workspace.
  3. Under the Protect section, select Table permissions.
  4. Select New permission.
  5. In the Name box, enter Contact Table Permission.
  6. In the Table Name list, select Contact (contact).
  7. In the Access Type list, select Global.
  8. Select Read, Write, Create, and Delete privileges.
  9. Select + Add roles and select the web role you selected or created earlier.
  10. Select Save & Close.

Add contacts to the web role

  1. Start the Portal Management app.
  2. On the left pane, in the Security section, select Contacts.
  3. Select a contact that you want to use in this example for the server logic.

    Note

    This contact is the user account used in this example for testing the server logic. Be sure to select the correct contact in your portal.

  4. Select Related > Web Roles.
  5. Select Add Existing Web Role.
  6. Select the Server logic user role, created earlier.
  7. Select Add.
  8. Select Save & Close.

Step 4: Use the server logic to read, view, edit, create, and delete

To test the Web API functionality:

  1. Select Preview, and then choose Desktop.
  2. Sign in to your site with the user account that has been assigned the Server logic user role you created earlier.
  3. Go to the Server logic webpage created earlier.

Server logic overview
Author server logic
Server objects

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