The Microsoft Common Data Service (CDS) is a focal point for a business's data. Professional developers can write applications that interact with that data in CDS using the CDS SDK. And power users can take advantage of PowerApps, Flow, and PowerBI to create apps, design workflows, and perform deep analytics over that CDS data without writing any code.
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Microsoft Graph gives you access to rich data from Microsoft services. Once you bring that data to CDS, you can combine it with other business data that your business depends on. Then you can build rich applications and workflows with easy to use building blocks… whether you know how to write code or not.
The data model used by the sample is three entities:
- Fabrikam Drivers (FabrikamDrivers_)
- Fabrikam Employee (FabrikamEmployee_)
- Fabrikam Ride Share (FabrikamRideShare_)
The definition for the entities is contained in a package file: FabrikamCo-CDS-Resources.pkg
The package file can be imported into an environment using the Admin Center in the PowerApps portal:
- Open PowerApps portal
- Click on Settings > Admin center
- In the Admin center, click on the desired environment
- Click on Import resources and supply the package file
Once the data model has been loaded, then data is most easily reviewed and edited using the Excel Add-in.
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To access to the Common Data Service APIs from the Xamarin mobile apps, the AAD application needs permissions added for PowerApps Runtime Service and Windows Azure Service Management API.
The required permissions for the WorkRides app to work with the CDS APIs are:
- PowerApps Runtime Service
- Add all delegated permissions
- Windows Azure Service Management API
- Add all delegated permissions
Detailed information about application registration for an app that will interact with CDS can be found in Get started with the Common Data Service SDK - Application registration
The Xamarin app connects to the customer's Common Data Service environment to access data about employees and store driver and ride details data. From the Xamarin app, we used the CDS SDK to interact with CDS.
For details about how the Xamarin App called CDS, consult the separate readme document for the Mobile App.
Key documentation:
- Get started with the Common Data Service SDK
- Building apps with the Common Data Service
- Get started with the Common Data Service SDK via Azure Functions
PowerApps has deep support for leveraging CDS and the PowerApps portal is used to manage CDS environments. PowerApps apps use the CDS connector to leverage CDS entities as data sources.
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