Power Apps
When should I use Dataverse instead of SharePoint for Power Apps?
Quick answer
Move to Dataverse when any of these turn true: related tables instead of flat rows, managers who must see only their team’s records, audit trails, reusable business rules, managed deployment across Dev/Test/Production, or shared data with Dynamics 365. Stay on SharePoint while the app is one team, a few thousand rows, simple permissions, and a single purpose — migrating later is normal and healthy.
Key takeaways
- Dataverse triggers: relationships, row security, audit, ALM, D365.
- SharePoint wins on speed for flat, single-team tools.
- Graduate deliberately; record the criteria up front.
Detailed Explanation
Move to Dataverse when any of these turn true: related tables instead of flat rows, managers who must see only their team’s records, audit trails, reusable business rules, managed deployment across Dev/Test/Production, or shared data with Dynamics 365. Stay on SharePoint while the app is one team, a few thousand rows, simple permissions, and a single purpose — migrating later is normal and healthy.
How it works
Score the app on five triggers: relational depth, security granularity, audit need, ALM need, and integration surface. Two or more strong triggers justify Dataverse; zero or one means SharePoint with a revisit date.
Limitations and considerations
Dataverse adds licensing, capacity, and ALM overhead that small tools should not pay. Do not pre-build enterprise data models for departmental prototypes.
For broader context, see the Power Apps Code Hub — it collects the guides around this topic.
When to use it
Start SharePoint for speed, graduate on triggers — and record the graduation criteria in the app’s readme so the decision is reviewable.
Practical example
An asset tracker starts on a SharePoint list, then moves to Dataverse when finance demands per-region visibility rules, audit history, and a managed release pipeline.