Introduction

  • 5 minutes

This self-paced module will help you learn how to take advantage of Microsoft Dataverse table views to visualize data by using only the required columns, records, and applicable sorting.

Dataverse tables

Tables in a database system, such as Dataverse, provide definitions of the data that they contain. Tables belong to data models, and the applicable data model defines the relationships between the different tables in that data model. Dataverse includes a series of standard tables that are already available and have been designed to follow common business scenarios and best practices. Additionally, you can create tables for custom scenarios, and you can tailor both the system tables and the tables that you create to adapt to those scenarios.

To view the tables in a Dataverse environment, follow these steps:

  1. Sign in to Microsoft Power Apps portals.

  2. In the left pane, select Tables.

    Screenshot of Power Apps portals left navigation pane. Focus is on the expanded Dataverse option and Tables.

  3. In the list of tables, select a table to view its details or to customize. For example, you can select Account, which is a core table that the system provides during the provisioning of a new Dataverse database.

    Screenshot of the list of tables in Power Apps portals. Focus is on the Account table name.

The table details that are provided (and available to edit) include the Columns, Relationships, and Keys schema that are responsible for the definition of the data structure and position of this table in the database model. A presentation of some records is displayed as a default view of that Dataverse table data.

Screenshot of the Account table designer. Focus is on the Schema section that includes Columns, Relationships, and Keys. Focus is also on the list of records.

Dataverse table views

Based on the user who's accessing the data in the Dataverse tables, only a subset of columns and records might be shown. Dataverse table views determine which columns and data are displayed based on the user and/or applicable scenarios.

The three types of views are:

  • Personal - A Personal view is owned by an individual and is only visible to other users with whom it's shared.

  • System - System views are the standard views that Power Apps applications depend on. They're automatically created for system tables and custom tables. Only users with the system administrator or system customizer security roles can configure them, but makers can use these views in their applications. System views are:

    • Quick Find - Used to search records within a single table.

    • Advanced Find - Used for more complex queries and searches across multiple tables.

    • Associated - Used to display records from a related table within the current table's form (in a sub-grid).

    • Lookup - Used to select records from a related field.

  • Public - A Public view is accessible by all app users. It's useful for organization-wide scenarios.

To access views in the maker portal, go to Power Apps portals. Then, for a selected table, select Views.

Screenshot of the Account table designer. Focus is on the Views option.

Here, you can see the list of views that are available in this table. The list displays each view's Name, View type, Status, its Managed property, whether it's Customizable or not, and whether it's been Customized.

Screenshot of the list of views for the Account table. Focus is on the column headings of Name, View type, Status, Managed, and Customizable.

Views in Power Apps

Power Apps applications can use Dataverse tables' views. In a model-driven apps' main page, a dropdown next to the current view's name let's users select a different view.

Screenshot of a model-driven app. Focus is on the list of available views.

Users of model-driven apps can also create personal views by selecting Edit columns.

Screenshot of a model-driven app. Focus is on Edit columns.

Add any columns that you'd like added to your view by clicking Add columns and selecting the columns to add. Delete any columns you'd like deleted by selecting the three ellipses next to the column name and then Remove. When you're done changing columns, select Apply.

Screenshot of a model-driven app. Focus is on Add columns and Apply.

Click the views drop down (next to the current view's name), and select Save as new view. Name your view, give it a description, and save.

Screenshot of a model-driven app. Focus is Save as new view.

In canvas apps, a view selector is available to makers when they select a Dataverse table as a data source for a gallery.

Screenshot of the canvas app studio with a gallery component. Focus is on Data source and view settings with the list of available views.

Next steps

Now that you've learned the fundamentals of Dataverse table views, you'll learn how to create and edit views in Power Apps maker portal.