8.1 Creating a Canvas App Using Data
Key Takeaways
- Copilot app creation turns a natural-language description into proposed Dataverse tables and then a generated responsive app, and it requires a Dataverse database in the environment
- Starting from data (Dataverse, SharePoint, Excel, or SQL) generates the classic three-screen app: BrowseScreen (gallery), DetailScreen (display form), and EditScreen (edit form)
- The tablet vs. phone layout choice is made at creation and cannot be converted later; size and orientation can still be adjusted under Settings > Display
- Saving writes a maker-only draft; only Publish makes a version live for users, and restoring an older version creates a new version on top of history
- Sharing an app grants Can use or Can edit rights to the app only — users still need separate permissions on the underlying data, such as a Dataverse security role
Every canvas app journey begins at make.powerapps.com, and AB-410 expects you to recognize all four ways to create an app — and when each one is the right answer on the exam.
The Four Starting Paths
| Starting option | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Copilot (describe your app) | Natural-language description → proposed Dataverse tables → generated responsive app | Net-new business data with no existing table |
| Start from data | Three-screen app generated from an existing table | You already have Dataverse, SharePoint, Excel, or SQL data |
| Blank app | Empty canvas, tablet or phone layout | Full design control |
| Template | Pre-built app wired to sample data | Learning patterns or common scenarios |
Copilot: Describe the App in Natural Language
From the Home page you type a prompt such as "an app to track equipment checkouts for my field team". Copilot interprets the description and proposes one or more Microsoft Dataverse tables: a table name, suggested columns with data types, and even sample rows. You can accept the schema, refine it conversationally ("add a Due Date column"), or ask for additional tables. When you confirm, Copilot creates the tables in Dataverse and generates a working, responsive app on top of them.
Exam traps worth remembering:
- If the environment has no Dataverse database, the maker is prompted to create one first — Copilot app creation requires Dataverse as its data store.
- Copilot builds the starting point. You still refine screens, formulas, and branding in Power Apps Studio.
- The generated app is responsive by default, unlike a blank tablet app running with Scale to fit enabled.
Start from Data: The Classic Three-Screen App
Choosing Start with data and pointing at a table in Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL Server, or Excel generates the classic three-screen app:
- BrowseScreen1 — a gallery listing records, with a search box, sort toggle, refresh icon, and a + icon to create records.
- DetailScreen1 — a display form showing the selected record read-only.
- EditScreen1 — an edit form for creating or editing the record via
SubmitForm.
With Excel, the workbook must be formatted as a table and stored in a cloud location such as OneDrive for Business or SharePoint. SQL connections can use SQL authentication or Microsoft Entra authentication.
Blank Apps: Tablet vs. Phone
A blank app asks you to pick a layout: tablet (landscape, 16:9 at 1366 × 768 by default) or phone (portrait). The choice is made at creation and cannot be converted later — a frequent exam point. After creation you can still adjust size, orientation, and display behavior under Settings > Display, but the fundamental layout family stays fixed. Templates (budget tracker, help desk, and similar) generate complete apps wired to sample data; they are excellent for learning patterns but rarely the fastest path for a production requirement.
Connections vs. Connection References
A connection is an authenticated instance of a connector — for example, your sign-in to SharePoint. A connection reference is a solution-aware pointer to a connection. Inside a solution (the unit of application lifecycle management, or ALM, in the Power Platform), apps and flows reference data through connection references, so when the solution is imported into another environment, the references are remapped to connections that exist there — without editing the app.
| Concept | Scope | Exam relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Per user, per connector | Created the first time you use a connector |
| Connection reference | Solution component | Required for healthy ALM; remapped on solution import |
When you add a data source outside a solution, the app binds straight to a connection. Inside a solution, Power Apps creates connection references automatically.
Save, Publish, and Restore Versions
- Save writes a draft that only makers see. Add a version note so the history stays readable.
- Publish makes the saved version live for app users. End users never see unpublished drafts.
- Versions are listed on the app's Details page in make.powerapps.com. Restore a previous version to roll back; restoring creates a new version rather than deleting history, so you can always move forward again afterward.
Sharing an App — and Its Data
Share from the app list or from Studio. You can grant:
- User (Can use) — run the app.
- Co-owner (Can edit) — also modify and republish it.
You can share with individuals, Microsoft Entra security groups, or the entire organization.
The single most tested sharing fact: sharing the app does not grant permissions to the underlying data. A user who can open the app but lacks rights to the SharePoint list or Dataverse table sees errors or empty galleries. For Dataverse, assign a security role with the right table privileges; for SharePoint, grant list or site permissions; for SQL, provision database access. Sharing the app and securing the data are always two separate steps.
Exam-Trap Callouts
- Drafts are maker-only until you Publish — saving is not publishing.
- Restoring a version does not delete newer versions; it stacks a new version on top.
- Phone layout cannot be converted to tablet layout after the app is created.
- Adding someone as a co-owner still does not give them data permissions they lack.
A maker shares a canvas app with a colleague and grants the User permission. The colleague opens the app, but every gallery is empty and banner errors mention missing privileges. The app works fine for the maker. What should the maker do first?
Which canvas app creation path lets a maker type a sentence describing the app, review proposed Dataverse tables with suggested columns and sample rows, and then have a responsive app generated automatically?