Module 4: Design the Solution

The Blueprint

1. Design Your Data Structure

Where does data live?

Dataverse? SharePoint? SQL? Excel? Each has tradeoffs. Dataverse gives you relationships, security, and scale—but it's a commitment. SharePoint works for simpler lists and document-heavy scenarios. SQL when you need existing databases. See Model data for Power Platform solutions for the full decision tree.

• [ ] You know where data lives (or will live).
• [ ] You've thought about scale. How many rows? How often does it change? Who queries it?
• [ ] You've thought about relationships. Do you need lookups between entities? Many-to-many?

Main entities and tables

Sketch or list what you need to track. A service request? A customer? An invoice line? What fields does each have? What connects to what?

• [ ] You've sketched or listed the main entities/tables.
• [ ] You've listed key fields for each. (Don't need to be exhaustive—enough to build.)

Data security

Who can see what? Least privilege by default. Don't give everyone access to everything and plan to lock it down later—that almost never happens.

• [ ] You've thought about who can see what.
• [ ] You've thought about who can create, edit, delete. Different roles?

2. Choose the Right App Type

Power Apps gives you choices. Each fits different scenarios. Pick before you build.

App type	When to use it	Notes
Canvas app	Custom UI, mobile-first, point solution. Forms, simple CRUD, field work.	Flexible. You design every screen. Good when the UI needs to look a specific way.
Model-driven app	Dataverse-based. Views, forms, and security are built in. Data model drives the UI.	Less design work. Good when the data structure is the main thing. Requires Dataverse.
Power Pages	External users. Public or partner-facing. Customer portals.	Different auth and hosting model. For when your users aren't in your tenant.

Rule of thumb: Consider a model-driven app unless your users have a specific need for a canvas app. Model-driven gets you up and running faster because the UI follows the data. Canvas gives you full control when you need it.

• [ ] You've decided which app type fits. See Determine which type of app to make.

Where does logic live?

In the app? In a flow? In Dataverse (business rules, calculated columns)? This affects maintainability and where you'll debug when things break.

• [ ] You've decided where logic lives. See App logic placement.

3. Security by Design

Don't bolt security on at the end. Think about it now.

• [ ] Access model is defined. Who can see, create, edit, delete? Role-based? Group-based?
• [ ] Data boundaries are clear. What data does this touch? PII? Financial? Regulated? Your admin will ask. Know the answer.
• [ ] You've thought about connectors and DLP. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies group connectors into Business, Non-Business, and Blocked. Business and Non-Business can't mix in the same app or flow. Will your solution need connectors from different groups? That's a policy conversation with your Admin Lead.

Next Step

With your design in place, move to Module 5: Ready to Build (and Process Maps). That's the final checklist—and how to use Process Maps if you have them.