What is a Dataverse Plug-in?

A Dataverse plug-in is a piece of code or a custom assembly that you can integrate into your Dataverse environment to add custom business logic or automate specific tasks. These plug-ins are designed to respond to certain events or triggers within the Dataverse.

Imagine Dataverse plug-ins as magical helpers for your Dataverse. It’s a special piece of code that you can add to make Dataverse do cool things and save you time. These magical helpers come to life when certain events happen in your Dataverse, like when you change data, create new records, or delete old ones. There are two types of plug-ins: Automated and Instant.

  • Automated Plug-Ins: These work on a single table and trigger when a row is created, updated, or deleted.
  • Instant Plug-Ins: They can work on a single table or even across your whole system. If used on a table, they act on each row as it’s created, updated, or deleted. You can create these with Power Fx expressions. Note: Some functions may not be available; check the MS Learn page for details.

Why Should You Use Dataverse Plug-Ins?

Dataverse plug-ins are your secret weapon to customize and supercharge your Dataverse experience. They help you automate tasks, enforce rules, and do complex calculations automatically. For instance, you can use them to send notifications, update related records, or transform data without lifting a finger.

When to Unleash Dataverse Plug-Ins?

The magic happens when you want to replace those big, repetitive Dataverse tasks. Plug-ins shift the work from your local machine to the server, making apps, models, and flows run faster. They shine when your code is repetitive and neatly packed. For instance, say we are trying to pull back a response from an external connector or we are trying to autofill a row in a Dataverse table based on other fields in that row.

Above I described calculations and aggregations but there are so many possibilities. Below I’ve listed some other scenarios where plugins would be most helpful:

  • Calculations and aggregations

  • Security enhancement

  • Automated notification

  • Data integration

  • Auto population of fields

So, Dataverse plug-ins are your digital helpers, ready to perform tricks and make your Dataverse life easier and more efficient!

If you are new to the Power Platform or looking to expand your capacity in this exciting automation space, Compass365 can help.  Please reach out to Cathy Ashbaugh, cashbaugh@compass365.com to arrange for a complimentary consultation.

Compass365, a Microsoft Gold Partner, delivers SharePoint, Microsoft Teams and Power Platform solutions that help IT and Business leaders improve the way their organizations operate and how their employees work.