---
name: Add Dataverse
slug: add-dataverse-2
category: DevOps
description: Add Dataverse updates Power Apps mobile apps by creating or extending Dataverse tables, adding data sources, and applying an approved data model plan. Use it when a project needs schema changes or to reconcile an existing table plan with app metadata.
github: "https://github.com/microsoft/power-platform-skills/tree/main/plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-dataverse"
language: JavaScript
stars: 757
forks: 158
install: "npx degit https://github.com/microsoft/power-platform-skills/tree/main/plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-dataverse ~/.claude/skills/add-dataverse"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/add-dataverse
source_path: plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-dataverse/SKILL.md
collection_size: 25
category_size: 798
collection_url: "https://dirskills.com/collections/microsoft/power-platform-skills"
added: 2026-08-23T05:19:52.486Z
last_synced: 2026-08-23T05:19:52.486Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/add-dataverse-2"
---

# Add Dataverse

Add Dataverse updates Power Apps mobile apps by creating or extending Dataverse tables, adding data sources, and applying an approved data model plan. Use it when a project needs schema changes or to reconcile an existing table plan with app metadata.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/microsoft/power-platform-skills/tree/main/plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-dataverse ~/.claude/skills/add-dataverse
```

## README

**📋 Shared instructions: [shared-instructions.md](${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../shared/shared-instructions.md)** — read first.

# Add Dataverse

Two paths:

- **Existing tables only** — skip to Step 5 (just runs `npx power-apps add-data-source` per table)
- **New / extended tables** — full workflow with Web API mutations in dependency order

## Workflow

1. Verify project & auth → 2. Resolve plan/operation manifest → 3. Setup Dataverse Web API auth → 4. Validate manifest or reconcile live metadata → 5. Execute sequential metadata phases → 6. Add data sources → 6b. Publish fallback customizations → 6c. Verify tables → 6d. Write manifest → 7. Inspect generated files → 8. Type-check → 8.5. Offline profile reconciliation → 9. Summary

---

### Step 1 — Verify project & auth

Confirm Power Apps mobile app:

```bash
test -f power.config.json && test -f app.config.js
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/resolve-environment.js" "$(node -e \"console.log(require('./power.config.json').environmentId)\")"
```

Capture the **environment URL** (`https://orgXXX.crm.dynamics.com`), **environment ID**, and **tenant ID** from `resolve-environment.js` — needed for Step 3. If only the environment URL is available, pass that URL instead of the ID.

### Step 2 — Resolve plan

Look for `native-app-plan.md` in the project root:

```bash
test -f native-app-plan.md
```

Before reading plan content, inspect `$ARGUMENTS` for the five fast-path
artifact flags in Step 2a. When all are present, only confirm
`native-app-plan.md` exists for hash validation; do not parse its Data Model
section or build operations/service lists from Markdown.

**If present and `<operation_manifest_mode> = fallback`:** read the
`## Data Model` section. Extract:
- The target reconciliation table (`reuse` / `extend` / `create` / `adapt` / `defer` decisions and evidence)
- The Mermaid ER diagram (informational)
- The "Creation Order" tier list
- Every table referenced by `## Screens`, identity resolution, related-entity fields, forms, dashboards, or shared hooks, including standard reused tables such as `systemuser`, `contact`, and `account`

Build `SERVICE_REQUIRED_TABLES` as the union of:
1. every non-deferred row in Target Reconciliation (`reuse`, `extend`, `create`, or `adapt`);
2. every table in Creation Order;
3. every table named by screen/hook data requirements.

**Hard rule:** `reuse` means "do not mutate schema"; it does **not** mean "skip generated service." If app code reads or writes a reused table, that table must be in `SERVICE_REQUIRED_TABLES`.

Carry forward any `adapt` (auto-renamed) and `defer` (out-of-scope this run) decisions with their recorded reasons, and apply the alias map to every name you use. A data-modelling conflict never halts this skill — it resolves to `adapt` or `defer` and is reported in Step 9.

**If absent:** check `$ARGUMENTS` for diagram hints (`*.png`, `*.jpg`, `*.jpeg` filename, `erDiagram` keyword, `||--o{` cardinality syntax). 

- **Diagram hint present** → Path A (Step 2.5).
- **No hint AND `$ARGUMENTS` describes what the app does** (the typical case) → silently take Path B (Step 2.6 — spawn architect). No prompt.
- **No hint AND `$ARGUMENTS` is empty / non-descriptive** → only then prompt with `AskUserQuestion`:

  > "How would you like to define the data model?
  > (a) I have an existing ER diagram to upload (PNG/JPG path, Mermaid syntax, or text description)
  > (b) Let the data-model-architect agent analyze and propose one (default)
  > (c) Cancel — I'll plan it elsewhere first"

  Default the answer to (b) so empty/cancel input auto-proceeds. The 99% case (user gave a description but no diagram) skips this prompt entirely.

#### Step 2a — Approved operation-manifest fast path

When `$ARGUMENTS` supplies all five paths below, record
`<operation_manifest_mode> = candidate`:

- `--schema-contract <working_dir>/.tmp/dataverse-schema-contract.json`
- `--approval-receipt <working_dir>/.tmp/mobile-plan-status.json`
- `--execution-reconciliation <working_dir>/.tmp/dataverse-execution-reconciliation.json`
- `--operation-manifest <working_dir>/.tmp/dataverse-operation-manifest.json`
- `--publish-checkpoint <working_dir>/.tmp/dataverse-publish-pending.json`

Do not reconstruct tables, columns, relationships, keys, payloads, tiers, or
service requirements from Markdown on this path. The gate-owned approval receipt binds
the exact structured contract content/hash, final plan hash, and final
screen/service dependency list; `native-app-plan.md` remains the human review
artifact.

An entirely absent fast-path handoff means
`<operation_manifest_mode> = fallback` and preserves the standalone workflow
below, beginning with Step 2 initialization. A partially supplied handoff, or
a supplied manifest/contract/reconciliation/checkpoint that is malformed, stale,
incomplete, or bound to different context/files, must fail closed: print the
exact validation errors and return control to the orchestrator. Never jump to
Step 4 without Step 2 initialization, partially trust a candidate, or mix its
operations with agent-derived operations.

### Step 2.5 — Path A: Parse user-provided diagram

Used when the user has an existing diagram from another tool (Visio, dbdiagram.io, screenshot, hand-drawn).

Accept three input formats:

| Format | How |
|---|---|
| **Image path** (`*.png` / `*.jpg` / `*.jpeg`) | Use `Read` on the file path. The vision-capable model extracts entities, columns, relationships. |
| **Mermaid syntax** | User pastes a `erDiagram` block in chat. Parse the entities, columns, and `\|\|--o{` cardinalities directly. |
| **Text description** | User types a structured description ("Account has many ServiceVisits; each ServiceVisit has many WorkItems and Photos"). Spawn `data-model-architect` agent in `parse-only` mode with the text as input. |

Whichever format, normalize into the same structure used by the planner agent:

```yaml
publisherPrefix: <from detected publisher prefix or user>
tables:
  - logicalName: contoso_servicevisit
    displayName: Service Visit
    status: new   # new | extend | reuse
    columns: [...]
    relationships: [...]
```

Then:
1. Query existing Dataverse (Step 4 logic) to mark each table as `new`, `modified`, or `reused`.
2. Generate a Mermaid ER diagram from the parsed structure for visual confirmation.
3. Present back to the user via `EnterPlanMode` for approval.
4. On `ExitPlanMode`, write the approved data model into `native-app-plan.md` `## Data Model` section (creating the file if it doesn't exist).
5. Continue to Step 3.

### Step 2.6 — Path B: Spawn architect agent

If the user picked Path B (or the user-provided diagram parse failed), spawn the `mobile-app:data-model-architect` agent via `Task` (the `mobile-app:` plugin-name prefix is required) with the user's high-level requirements as input. The agent returns `_dm_section.md`. Embed it in `native-app-plan.md`, present via `EnterPlanMode` for approval, then continue to Step 3.

If they need new tables and refuse both paths, recommend they run `/setup-datamodel` (alias of this skill) explicitly, or `native-app-planner` for a full app-level plan. STOP if neither.

### Step 3 — Setup Dataverse Web API auth

Required only if creating or extending tables. Skip to Step 5 for read-only `add-data-source`.

#### Step 3a — Environment consistency check

`npx power-apps` and `az` authenticate independently — they can point to different accounts. Verify `power.config.json` resolves and `az` can token for the target tenant before making any Dataverse API calls:

```bash
ENV_JSON=$(node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/resolve-environment.js" "$(node -e \"console.log(require('./power.config.json').environmentId)\")")
echo "$ENV_JSON"
az account show --query "{user: user.name, tenant: tenantId}" -o json
```

Compare the resolved environment URL with `<envUrl>` captured in Step 1. If they differ, **STOP** and warn:

> "⚠️ Environment mismatch detected:
> - resolver reports: `<resolved_env_url>`
> - This project targets: `<envUrl>`
>
> The Dataverse API token comes from `az`, which must target the same tenant as the selected environment. Run:
> ```bash
> az login --tenant <tenant-id>      # switch az to the right tenant
> ```
> Then re-run `/add-dataverse`."

**Do NOT proceed with table creation if environments don't match** — you'll create tables in the wrong org.

#### Step 3b — Acquire token

```bash
az account show --query "user.name" -o tsv
```

If empty, instruct `az login` and stop.

**Script invocation contract — read this once, all subsequent calls in this skill follow it:**

```bash
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> <METHOD> <apiPath> \
  [--body '<json>'] [--include-headers] \
  --tenant-id '<tenantId-from-resolve-environment>'
```

- Three positional args, in order: `<envUrl>`, `<METHOD>` (GET / POST / PATCH / DELETE), `<apiPath>` (everything after `/api/data/v9.2/`).
- **Body is a flag, not positional.** `--body '<json>'` — required for POST/PATCH, never for GET/DELETE. Forgetting `--body` and passing the JSON as a 4th positional arg returns a usage error.
- `--include-headers` adds response headers (needed for `OData-EntityId` after a record create).
- Output is JSON: `{ "status": <code>, "data": <body> }`. Token refresh on 401 and back-off on 429 are automatic — never wrap with manual retry.

**Pass the resolved tenant explicitly (HARD — saves discovery and survives fresh shells).** `resolve-environment.js` already returned `tenantId` in Step 1. Substitute that literal value into every `--tenant-id` argument; do not rely on an exported or shell-local variable because separate tool executions may use fresh shells.

If the tenant is unknown, omit `--tenant-id` — discovery still works, it is just slower.

Acquire a Dataverse access token and verify connectivity:

```bash
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> GET WhoAmI \
  --tenant-id '<tenantId-from-resolve-environment>'
```

The explicit tenant is also reused for token refresh after a 401 and takes
priority over shell environment variables and Azure account discovery.

`WhoAmI` is the Dataverse identity endpoint — capital W/A/I (case-sensitive). The response gives `UserId`, `BusinessUnitId`, `OrganizationId` but **does NOT include the publisher prefix**. To get the publisher prefix, query the solution's publisher (defaults to `Default`; pass a different solution name if the env uses a custom solution):

```bash
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/detect-publisher-prefix.js" <envUrl> [solutionName] \
  --tenant-id '<tenantId-from-resolve-environment>'
# solutionName defaults to "Default" if omitted
```

This runs the OData query:
`/api/data/v9.2/solutions?$select=uniquename&$expand=publisherid($select=customizationprefix)&$filter=uniquename eq '<solutionName>'`

Capture `customizationprefix` from the solution's publisher (typical value: `cr123` → schema names like `cr123_jobsite`). Also capture the solution `uniquename` — needed for the `--solution` flag on every Step 5 / 5b POST so artifacts land in our solution rather than landing wherever Dataverse defaults. Write both to `memory-bank.md` Power Platform context block.

Requires the user to hold **System Administrator** or **System Customizer** in this environment.

When `<operation_manifest_mode> = candidate`, validate the manifest now against
the resolved environment, tenant (when available), publisher, solution, current
plan bytes, structured-schema bytes, and fresh reconciliation bytes:

```bash
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/build-dataverse-operation-manifest.js" \
  --validate "<operation-manifest-path>" \
  --contract "<schema-contract-path>" \
  --approval-receipt "<approval-receipt-path>" \
  --reconciliation "<execution-reconciliation-path>" \
  --plan "<working_dir>/native-app-plan.md" \
  --environment-id "<environmentId>" \
  --env-url "<envUrl>" \
  --tenant-id "<tenantId>" \
  --publisher-prefix "<customizationprefix>" \
  --solution "<solution-uniquename>" \
  --publish-checkpoint "<publish-checkpoint-path>" \
  --require-executable
```

Validation deterministically rebuilds the expected manifest from the bound
structured schema, fresh reconciliation, plan, context, and pending-publish checkpoint, then
compares the complete decisions, services, aliases, phases, API paths, and
bodies. If validation fails, print every reported mismatch and fail closed to
the orchestrator. Do not execute or salvage individual operations and do not
switch a supplied candidate to the standalone fallback.

Validate with `--require-executable`. Step 8 already performed the one fresh
bounded reconciliation for every approved exact table and all of its
columns/relationships/keys, including the child/parent/M:N relationship
capability managed properties. Missing capability evidence fails closed. If
the manifest remains non-executable, report its
verification conflicts to the orchestrator. Do not add another read loop,
change an approved decision, or enter fallback mode. A non-executable
candidate authorizes no metadata write.

If validation with `--require-executable` succeeds, set
`<operation_manifest_mode> = valid` and continue directly to Step 5's manifest
execution branch. This is the fast-v2 path: it skips the repeated
agent-driven full reconciliation, not any safety check.

### Step 4 — Reconcile every planned table and column against the target

If `<operation_manifest_mode> = valid`, print:

> `✓ Approved operation manifest validated — complete fresh reconciliation and derived metadata coverage are bound to this environment.`

Use its `decisions` as the reconciliation matrix and skip the remainder of
Step 4/4a. Continue to Step 5. A valid manifest has no `unverified` items; its
explicit `reuse`, `adapt`, and `defer` rows remain visible in the final
summary.

**Print before starting:**
> "→ Reconciling every planned table and column against live target metadata before any write…"

Do not use the custom-table list as the source of truth, and do not issue one request per table. Fetch **every** plan entry (`Reuse`, `Extend`, or `Create`) — including standard and managed dependencies — in a **single** filtered query that also expands their columns:

```bash
node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> GET \
  "EntityDefinitions?\$select=MetadataId,LogicalName,SchemaName,IsCustomEntity,IsManaged,IsCustomizable,CanCreateAttributes,PrimaryIdAttribute,PrimaryNameAttribute&\$filter=LogicalName eq '<table1>' or LogicalName eq '<table2>'&\$expand=Attributes(\$select=MetadataId,LogicalName,AttributeType,AttributeTypeName,RequiredLevel,IsManaged,IsCustomizable,IsPrimaryId,IsPrimaryName,SourceType,SourceTypeMask)" \
  --tenant-id '<tenantId-from-resolve-environment>'
```

Build the `$filter` by OR-ing every planned logical name. This is the [documented way to query multiple table definitions at once](https://learn.microsoft.com/power-apps/developer/data-platform/query-schema-definitions#basic-retrievemetadatachanges-example), and it replaces 2N requests (one entity GET plus one attributes GET per table) with one. Keep the `$expand` `$select` list to base `AttributeMetadata` properties only — a single query [cannot cast to a derived column type](https://learn.microsoft.com/power-apps/developer/data-platform/query-schema-definitions#evaluate-other-options-to-retrieve-schema-definitions), so fetch `OptionSet` details separately for the rare column that needs them.

Read the results as follows:

- **A planned name present in `value[]`** — the table exists. Cache its expanded `Attributes` as that table's **attribute snapshot** for Steps 5a and 5b.
- **A planned name absent from `value[]`** — the table does not exist. This is the equivalent of a 404 in the matrix below.
- Interpret `IsCustomizable` and `CanCreateAttributes` as managed properties and read their `.Value` fields.

If the batched query itself fails (non-2xx), retry it once; if it fails again, split it into per-table queries so one unreadable name cannot hide the rest. Any name still unreadable after that is `unverified`: STOP before writes for that reconciliation scope. Authentication, permission, timeout, and malformed-response failures are not evidence that a name is free. If the URL would exceed a practical length with very many tables, split it into a few filtered queries — still far fewer than one request per table.

**Only if the plan contains alternate keys or M:N relationships**, add the matching expands so Steps 5b and 5d never need their own per-item probes. `EntityDefinitions` also supports expanding [`Keys`, `ManyToManyRelationships`, `ManyToOneRelationships`, and `OneToManyRelationships`](https://learn.microsoft.com/power-apps/developer/data-platform/query-schema-definitions#evaluate-other-options-to-retrieve-schema-definitions):

```text
&$expand=Attributes($select=...),Keys($select=SchemaName,KeyAttributes,EntityKeyIndexStatus),ManyToManyRelationships($select=SchemaName)
```

Do not add these expands when the plan has no keys or M:N relationships — they enlarge the response for no benefit, and standard tables carry many of both.

#### Step 4a — Targeted derived-metadata barrier

The base attribute snapshot is sufficient for ordinary columns, but it cannot
prove that a same-named lookup, choice, Boolean, or computed column has the same
semantics. Before classifying any such existing column as compatible:

1. Write the planned derived-column contract to
   `<working_dir>/.tmp/derived-metadata-expected.json`. Each row contains:
   `table`, `logicalName`, `kind`, `type`, `sourceType`, plus:
   - `lookupTarget` for lookups;
   - exact integer/label `options` for Choice, MultiSelect Choice, and Boolean;
   - exact `sourceTypeMask` and serialized `formulaDefinition` for an explicitly
     approved, maker-created computed dependency.
2. Build one `BATCH-METADATA` GET operation list for the affected existing
   tables only. Reuse one process/token and query:
   - `ManyToOneRelationships` once per child table containing planned lookups;
   - the applicable derived attribute collections
     (`PicklistAttributeMetadata`, `MultiSelectPicklistAttributeMetadata`,
     `BooleanAttributeMetadata`) once per table/type, expanding `OptionSet`;
   - the applicable typed attribute collection once per table/type for any
     explicitly reused computed column, selecting
     `LogicalName,SourceType,SourceTypeMask,FormulaDefinition`.

   Do not issue one process per column and do not scan every customizable table.
   The exact planned names from Step 4 are the scope.
   Write the operation array to
   `<working_dir>/.tmp/derived-metadata-operations.json`, then run:

   ```bash
   node "${CLAUDE_SKILL_DIR}/../../scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> \
     BATCH-METADATA derived-reconciliation \
     --operations "$(cat <working_dir>/.tmp/derived-metadata-operations.json)" \
     --tenant-id '<tenantId-from-resolve-environment>'
   ```

   Do not pass `--continue-on-error`; the first unreadable required metadata
   collection must stop the barrier.
3. Any non-2xx response, missing result slot, malformed option metadata, absent
   lookup target, or unavailable `FormulaDefinition` makes that scope
   `unverified`. **STOP before writes.** Authentication, throttling, permission,
   and parse failures are never compatibility evidence.
4. Normalize the live results into
   `<working_dir>/.tmp/derived-metadata-live.json`. Each row uses:
   `table`, `logicalName`, `type`, `sourceType`, `sourceTypeMask`,
   `lookupTargets`, `options: [{ value, label }]`, and `formulaDefinition`.
   Lookup target arrays must contain exactly the approved target. Choice
   mappings must be non-empty with unique integer values and non-empty labels;
   Boolean mappings must contain exactly values 0 and 1. Then run:

   ```bash
   node "${PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/validate-derived-metadata.js" \
     --expected "<working_dir>/.tmp/derived-metadata-