Exploring the capabilities of Copilot within Microsoft Dynamics and Power Platform unlocks exciting possibilities for enhancing business application development. A key element of this innovation lies in constructing intricate data models that span multiple tables. The ‘Create New Tables’ feature in Power Apps, now enhanced to include existing tables, transforms the process by allowing users to seamlessly create and visualize data models through an intuitive Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) view.
In my previous blog, “Visualizing Data Models with Copilot in an ERD View,” I explained how the visualization of data models in an ERD view was previously limited to new tables. With this enhanced functionality, you can now incorporate existing tables into the ERD view, making data modeling more dynamic, versatile, and efficient.
Prerequisites:
- Power Apps: Access to Microsoft Dataverse with permissions to create apps and tables.
- Copilot: Copilot must be activated within your environment and tenant.
Here’s how to set up the existing tables in ERD view:
Step 1: Log in to the Microsoft Dataverse Preview
- Visit Microsoft Dataverse Preview and sign in with your credentials.
- Click Create new tables feature.
Step 2: Add Existing Tables to the ERD View
- A new Existing Table button is now available, allowing you to select existing Dataverse tables for inclusion in the ERD view.
Step 3: Visualize Relationships
- Once existing tables are added, the ERD view automatically displays relationships between them.
Step 4: View Table Properties
- You can view data, columns, and ownership details of existing tables, but editing these properties is not supported.
Step 5: Create New Relationships
- You can create 1: N relationships between existing table and newly created table, extending the functionality of their data models.
Step 6: Generate Versatile Applications
- After enhancing the ERD view, you can choose to create selected tables in a Canvas app or a Model-driven app, streamlining app development and ensuring greater flexibility.
Conclusion
The enhanced integration of Copilot with the ERD view simplifies database design by automating table creation, mapping relationships, and enabling seamless visualization. This boosts productivity, ensures accuracy, and streamlines the development of scalable business applications.
