Microsoft Dataverse: Table Designs w/ Copilot

/ Charles

The ask, create new Dataverse tables for an upcoming initiative. There are several existing tables that could be used for this initiative, but the project requirements necessitated new tables be created. Because this is an upcoming initiative, business stakeholders aren’t ready to build the solution UI, even though Microsoft Copilot could create everything for them:

Figure 1 - Microsoft Copilot for Power Apps.
Figure 1 – Microsoft Copilot for Power Apps.

Nonetheless, Copilot can still help create these Dataverse tables. From the left-hand navigation of the Power Apps portal, select Tables, then select Create new tables from the New table drop-down options:

Figure 2 - Microsoft Dataverse options to Create new tables.
Figure 2 – Microsoft Dataverse options to Create new tables.

This opens a new Dataverse screen with four ways to create the new data tables: Start with Copilot, Import a SharePoint list, Import an Excel file or .CSV, or Start from blank. Choose the first option as Copilot is going to handle today’s prep work:

Figure 3 - Microsoft Dataverse option selection to create tables.
Figure 3 – Microsoft Dataverse option selection to create tables.

Now, because Copilot is as AI assistant, it needs to be instructed on what is needed. It doesn’t know the project requirements yet, so be as detailed as possible. In the prompt text box, tell Copilot the project scenario and explain what data needs to be captured:

Figure 4 - Microsoft Copilot empty prompt for Dataverse tables.
Figure 4 – Microsoft Copilot empty prompt for Dataverse tables.
Figure 5 - Microsoft Copilot example prompt for Dataverse tables.
Figure 5 – Microsoft Copilot project prompt for Dataverse tables.

Quick pause. Before generating the new tables, open and review the configuration settings. Should Copilot take the prompt and create a single table, or create multiple tables as needed? How big should these tables be? If multiple tables are created, should Copilot include the relationships between each of them? Don’t forget to review and adjust these settings before selecting Generate:

Figure 6 - Microsoft Copilot default configuration settings.
Figure 6 – Microsoft Copilot default configuration settings.
Figure 7 - Microsoft Copilot sample configuration settings.
Figure 7 – Microsoft Copilot project configuration settings.

Depending on the prompt complexity, Copilot may need to create several tables with a bunch of columns. Provisioning could take a few seconds, or it could take a few minutes as it builds everything in the background:

Figure 8 - Microsoft Copilot generating message.
Figure 8 – Microsoft Copilot generating message.

Now, for this project’s prompt, Copilot decided that three tables were necessary: Sentiment, Survey, and Respondent. Each table addresses a requirement of the original prompt, and the table relationships were created. And as a bonus, the conversation is listed along the right-hand side of the screen. If needed, Copilot could be prompted to make additional changes to the data table suggestions:

Figure 9 - Microsoft Copilot with provisioned tables.
Figure 9 – Microsoft Copilot with suggested data tables.

Important to note, the data tables are still mutable. Copilot can still be asked to make further changes. Or, as the prompter, changes can be manually implemented. Select the ellipsis ( … ) and review the available options:

Figure 10 - Microsoft Copilot options for new tables.
Figure 10 – Microsoft Copilot options for new tables.

If the tables should be renamed for any reason, open its Properties and make tweaks as required:

Figure 11 - Microsoft Dataverse table Properties option.
Figure 11 – Microsoft Dataverse table Properties option.

Even if the Properties are fine as-is, don’t forget to select View data and confirm the table columns. Add additional columns if Copilot missed any because again, Copilot is not the final result. Always trust, but verify the AI responses:

Figure 12 - Microsoft Dataverse table #1 View data option.
Figure 12 – Microsoft Dataverse table #1 View data option.

Then trust, but verify the other suggested data tables:

Figure 13 - Microsoft Dataverse table #2 View data option.
Figure 13 – Microsoft Dataverse table #2 View data option.
Figure 14 - Microsoft Dataverse table #3 View data option.
Figure 14 – Microsoft Dataverse table #3 View data option.

After verifying everything, to the right of the top-menu bar, select Save and exit, which will commit any and all tweaks, finalizing the new Dataverse data tables:

Figure 15 - Microsoft Dataverse top-navigation options.
Figure 15 – Microsoft Dataverse top-navigation options.

Lastly, confirm the selection because work is complete for now:

Figure 16 - Microsoft Dataverse confirmation prompt.
Figure 16 – Microsoft Dataverse confirmation prompt.

And voila, the Custom tables are provisioned, ready for use, as with any other Dataverse data table:

Figure 17 - Microsoft Dataverse list of Custom tables.
Figure 17 – Microsoft Dataverse list of Custom tables.

Conclusion:
Microsoft Copilot can provide assistance in many areas. In the Power Apps portal, it can create apps and data tables from scratch, making things easy for low-code devs. Though, sometimes business stakeholders aren’t ready build their project UIs. Even so, from the Microsoft Dataverse table screen, low-code devs can still leverage Copilot to create their project data tables. Copilot is here to help.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones that we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

Barack Obama

#BlackLivesMatter

Leave a comment