Creating model-driven apps is an essential skill for anyone planning to take the PL-100 Microsoft Power Platform App Maker exam. These types of apps deliver a responsive and role-based user interface specifically designed for complex business scenarios. A strong understanding of how to create model-driven apps can provide an effective solution to complex data relationships by creating context-based dashboards, forms, views, and other components.
1. Overview of Model-Driven Apps
Model-driven apps primarily rely on the data model or the structure of the data stored to derive its design, configuration, and the way it interacts with the users. It leverages the Power Apps services to tailor these applications based on business needs. The powerful capabilities of these app types include dealing with complex scenarios, automating business processes, measuring performance, and more.
2. Steps to Create Model-Driven Apps
Creating a model-driven application involves several stages:
- Identifying Business Needs and Processes
The first step is to identify the business needs the app is going to serve. This includes recognizing and defining the business processes, roles, and tasks that the app needs to facilitate.
- Creating and Configuring the Data Model
The data model of a model-driven app is composed of the entities, fields, relationships, and business rules. Entities are a kind of a structure that models and manages business data.
//Example of creating a new account entity
var account = new Account{ Name="A. Datum Corporation", Address1_StateOrProvince="WA"};
service.Create(account);
- Creating App Components
Once the data model is in place, the next step is the creation of app components like dashboards, views, forms, and charts. Dashboards provide a consolidated view of business data, forms are used to insert and update records, while views filter the records for a better view.
- Configuring Business Process Flows
For model-driven apps, business process flows guide users through different stages of a business process in the app.
- Publishing the App
Once all components and process flows are configured, publish the application to make it available to users.
3. Advantages of Model-Driven Apps
- Scalability: Model-driven apps allows you to handle large amounts of data and complex relationships between data objects.
- Security: These apps come with robust security mechanisms in place, making sure your data is safe and can only be accessed by authorized users.
- Automation: With the integration of Power Automate, you can automate business processes within your model-driven app.
- Enhanced User Experience: Model-driven apps provide a role-based user interface, bringing clarity and focus to tasks users need to perform.
4. Conclusion
The ability to create model-driven apps using Power Platform brings a whole new level of customization and control over your business applications. By understanding your business needs, using the powerful tools provided by the Power Platform, you can create robust and intelligent applications that tackle complex business scenarios and processes. It’s a crucial skill for any candidate preparing for the PL-100 Microsoft Power Platform App Maker exam.
Practice Test
Model-driven apps are built using a visual designer with no coding required.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Model-driven apps are created using a visual editor and do not require any coding. They enable developers to design app forms, dashboards, and views using a drag and drop interface.
A canvas app provides a more minimalistic and customizable experience compared to a model-driven app.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Canvas apps are created from scratch and provide more flexibility in UI design compared to model-driven apps, which depend on the underlying data model and processes.
Common Data Service is not necessary for building model-driven apps.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: The Common Data Service is a critical component for building model-driven apps. It provides secure and cloud-based storage for your app’s data.
Model-driven apps only support cloud deployment.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Model-driven apps are designed for cloud deployment. They use Microsoft Dataverse, which is a cloud-based solution, to store and manage data.
In a model-driven app, business rules and process flows are integral parts.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Business rules and process flows form an integral part of a model-driven app. They help in automating processes and enforcing business policies in the app.
Model-driven apps do not support integration with other systems.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: Model-driven apps can integrate with other systems using web APIs, data connectors, and more.
Model-driven apps are mobile-friendly.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Model-driven apps are designed to be mobile-friendly. They can easily adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.
A model-driven app can only have one form per entity.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: An entity in a model-driven app can have multiple forms. These can be designed to present different views of the same data.
You cannot export and import data in a model-driven app.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: A model-driven app supports both import and export of data. You can import data from various sources and export data to Excel for further analysis.
Changes in a model-driven app are only applied after publishing.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: Changes in a model-driven app do not take effect immediately. They are applied only after the app is published.
Interview Questions
What are model-driven apps in Microsoft Power Platform?
Model-driven apps in Microsoft Power Platform are apps that are essentially data-driven and design is based on the components you add to the app and how you customize them. This type of app is more component-focused rather than a canvas-focused one.
What is the primary benefit of using model-driven apps?
The primary benefit of using model-driven apps is that they allow developers to configure and design their apps on a high level, such as defining what data the application will use, and the platform automatically generates many UI components to support the specified data.
In terms of the Common Data Service, what data can you leverage when building a model-driven app?
You can leverage data that is in standard and custom entities, including data that spans multiple entities in the Common Data Service when building a model-driven app.
Can you customize the user interface of a model-driven app?
Yes, you can customize the layout of forms, views, charts, and other components of a model-driven app in Microsoft Power Platform.
How does Microsoft Power Platform determine the layout of UI components for a model-driven app?
Microsoft Power Platform uses metadata from the Common Data Service, such as entity definitions and relationships, to automatically generate the layout of UI components for model-driven apps.
What are some of the components you can add to a model-driven app?
You can add forms, views, charts, dashboards, and business processes to a model-driven app.
What’s the purpose of using business rules in a model-driven app?
Business rules provide a way to apply business logic at the platform level, instead of the application level, which ensures the logic is always executed regardless of how an end user interacts with data.
Can you create a model-driven app without writing code?
Yes, Microsoft Power Platform has a no-code or low-code approach, so you can create model-driven apps without writing code.
Is it possible to use model-driven forms in a canvas app?
Yes, it is possible. Model-driven form patterns such as Main, Quick Create, and Quick View can be utilized to design unified interfaces and this form can be used in canvas apps.
What does a site map do in a model-driven app?
A site map defines the navigation for the app. It defines areas, groups, and subareas for entities to be displayed in the app.
What is the role of the “App Designer” in creating a model-driven app?
App Designer is a visual interface tailored for app creators to quickly build model-driven apps. It helps to simplify the creation of model-driven application experiences with WYSIWYG design surfaces.
Can you trace the execution of business processes in a model-driven app?
Yes, by using the business process flow feature, you can guide users through a business process and trace its execution.
Can end-users access model-driven apps on mobile devices?
Yes, model-driven apps can be accessed via a mobile app that provides the ability to access data even when there is no network connection.
How do you test a model-driven app?
You can test a model-driven app directly in the Power Apps platform. During the design process, you can click on the “Play” button to preview your application.
Can you export a model-driven app?
Yes, you can export a model-driven app as a package from the Power Platform Admin Center, which can then be imported into another environment.
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