Selecting a Data Source for Your Canvas App: SharePoint Lists vs. Dataverse Tables

Why Use Dataverse Instead of SharePoint as a Data Source for Your Application?

Question

You want to create a new canvas app and think about what data source to use.

Your choice is between SharePoint lists and Dataverse tables for moderate size data.

Why should you use the Dataverse instead of SharePoint as a data source for your application? Please select all that apply.

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B. C. D. E.

Correct Answers: A, B and D

Power Apps have tight integration between SharePoint and the Dataverse.

You can create a canvas app directly from SharePoint.

It is also easy to create a canvas app from the Power Apps Studio using the Dataverse.

Each of the data sources has its benefits.

But users can enjoy more benefits that Dataverse provides for canvas apps than SharePoint.

Option A is correct because Dataverse's rich metadata helps the canvas app use the data types and relationships for setting the app's fields or using Dataverse's Choices directly in the app's controls.

Option B is correct because the Dataverse can scale easily to the large datasets that could create a problem for the SharePoint lists.

Option D is correct because you can use logic and data validation from the business rules that are the parts of the Dataverse.

All other options are incorrect.

For more information about a Dataverse data source for canvas apps, please visit the below URLs:

When it comes to choosing a data source for your canvas app, you need to consider several factors, including metadata, scalability, complexity, and business rules. Both SharePoint lists and Dataverse tables can be used as data sources, but there are some advantages of using Dataverse tables over SharePoint lists.

Here are the reasons why you should use Dataverse instead of SharePoint as a data source for your canvas app:

A. Metadata: Dataverse provides a rich set of metadata capabilities that allow you to define and enforce business rules, validation rules, and relationships between tables. It also enables you to create custom entities and fields, which gives you more control over your data. On the other hand, SharePoint lists have limited metadata capabilities, and it can be challenging to enforce complex business rules and relationships.

B. Scalability: Dataverse is a highly scalable platform that can handle large volumes of data and complex data models. It offers various deployment options, including cloud-based and on-premises, which makes it a great choice for organizations of all sizes. SharePoint lists, on the other hand, can become slow and cumbersome as the data grows.

C. Complexity: Dataverse offers a more robust and flexible data model compared to SharePoint lists. It allows you to define relationships between tables, implement business rules, and set up security policies easily. SharePoint lists, on the other hand, have limited capabilities when it comes to defining relationships and implementing business rules.

D. Business rules: Dataverse allows you to define complex business rules and validation rules easily, which makes it ideal for creating applications that require a high level of data governance. It also provides a built-in audit trail, which allows you to track changes to your data over time. SharePoint lists have limited capabilities when it comes to implementing complex business rules and validation rules.

Therefore, the correct answer is E. All of the above, as Dataverse provides advantages in terms of metadata, scalability, complexity, and business rules over SharePoint lists.