In today’s increasingly data-reliant world, it’s more important than ever before for businesses to have access to reliable data storage and management solutions. Enter Microsoft Dataverse: a powerful cloud-based database platform that allows companies to securely store and manage their data.
However, Dataverse is not simply a souped-up database. It’s also built to integrate with Microsoft Power Platform, enabling users to create custom applications and workflows to access and use that data in a way that’s efficient, cost-effective, and user-friendly.
What Is Microsoft Power Platform?
Microsoft Power Platform is a suite of low-code tools that allow businesses and developers to quickly build apps, websites, automated processes, and virtual agents & bots.
Together, Dataverse and Power Platform offer companies a wide range of capabilities for managing data, boosting productivity and efficiency, gaining valuable insights, and creating innovative business solutions.
Microsoft Power Platform currently consists of five main components:
- Power BI: A powerful analytics platform that enables organizations to analyze large data sets and gain useful insights.
- Power Apps: An app-building tool that lets users create custom applications without code using an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface.
- Power Automate: A drag-and-drop workflow generator that allows businesses to quickly create and manage automated processes, saving time and improving efficiency.
- Power Virtual Agents: An AI-based chatbot development platform that helps businesses create virtual agents to interact with customers and provide support.
- Power Pages: A visual web page-building tool that allows developers to quickly and easily create high-quality, responsive websites without coding.
What Versions of Microsoft Dataverse Are There?
Microsoft Common Data Service (CDS) was rebranded as Microsoft Dataverse in late 2020. The platform is available in Microsoft 365 in two editions:
- Dataverse for Teams, which is a free version of Dataverse that provides a subset of the full features, and with a limited capacity.
- Dataverse, Microsoft’s full, premium version of Dataverse intended for developers and more advanced data processing tasks.
What Is Dataverse for Teams?
Dataverse for Teams is a limited edition of Dataverse that provides businesses with basic data storage and management capabilities. It includes support for custom applications, bots, and workflows within Microsoft Teams.
You don’t need to purchase any additional licenses to use Dataverse for Teams; it’s included in all Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Each team is allocated 2GB of storage space, which can store up to one million rows of data.
Team members have access to the data to build no-code apps, websites, and workflow automations. However, apps are only accessible via the Teams app, and there is no API access for advanced development.
How Does the Microsoft Dataverse Work?
The underlying structure of the Dataverse platform is a relational database, which stores data in tables with columns and rows.
Data is securely stored in Azure (Microsoft’s cloud computing platform), with access granted via role-based permissions, so different users can access and interact with the data in different ways.
You can import data into Dataverse from a wide range of sources (including Excel, CSV files, Dynamics 365, and SQL databases) and then use Power Platform tools to build custom applications using this data.
The Dataverse is set up with standard tables for common business data types (such as accounts, contacts, and tasks), and it’s also possible to customize the data structure to suit the needs of your organization.
You can store pretty much any type of data in Dataverse, and it’s intended to be a single repository for all of your business data, rather than relying on multiple disparate data sources. This flexible architecture, together with the powerful tools available, makes Dataverse a powerful and versatile platform for data management.
What Are the Benefits of the Dataverse?
By consolidating all of your business data into a single database, Dataverse makes it easier to view and manage your information. This also simplifies the process of creating custom applications and automations, as everything you need is in one place.
If your organization is subject to compliance regulations or needs to manage customer data securely, Dataverse offers a central, secure location for all of your data, with robust access controls and the ability to apply company-wide data protection policies.
The other main benefit of Dataverse is the fact that it integrates seamlessly with the whole Microsoft ecosystem. This means you can easily pull in data from other sources, such as Dynamics 365 and SharePoint, and use the Power Platform tools to build custom applications quickly and easily without the need for hiring developers.
Other notable benefits include:
- Easy setup and management
- Advanced analytics and data visualization capabilities
- Robust security features
- Unlimited scalability and extensibility
The combination of storage, access controls, and integration with powerful no-code development tools makes Dataverse an incredibly powerful platform for data management — one that offers huge potential value to any business. And the fact that the Teams version is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions means it’s definitely worth exploring if you’re already a subscriber.
Is Microsoft Dataverse Secure?
Security is always a concern when it comes to data management, and Microsoft takes this very seriously.
Dataverse is built on Azure, which offers some of the most advanced security features available in cloud computing, including encryption at rest and in transit, as well as role-based access control.
The granular access control of Dataverse also means it’s possible to share data from a single column with a specific group of users, rather than needing to give them full access to the entire table or database.
There’s also hierarchy-based access control, which makes it easy to set up separate environments for different users and groups. For example, you can either restrict data within individual business units to their respective managers or allow them access to data across the entire organization, depending on your requirements.
Interested in Finding Out More About Dataverse for Your Organization?
Overall, Microsoft Dataverse is a secure and reliable platform for managing and utilizing business data, offering the scalability and flexibility needed to meet the demands of any organization.
For personalized advice and guidance on how your business can use Dataverse, get in touch with our team of experts at Softlanding. We’re a Microsoft Solutions partner offering managed IT services and IT consulting, and we specialize in helping businesses transform their operations with cloud-based solutions.
Contact us today to find out how our team can help you harness the power of Microsoft Dataverse and Power Platform.
Written By:
softlanding
Softlanding is a long-established IT services provider of transformation, professional services and managed IT services that helps organizations boost innovation and drive business value. We are a multi-award-winning Microsoft Gold Partner with 13 Gold Competencies and we use our experience and expertise to be a trusted advisor to our clients. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, we have staff and offices in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary to serve clients across Canada.
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