Subgrids Done Right
Subgrids show related records directly on a form. Here's how to add them, choose the right relationship, filter the records, enable inline editing, and set up a New button that pre-fills the parent lookup.
· 7 min read
All articles
36 articles published
Your First Approval Flow
A step-by-step guide to building approval flows in Power Automate, including connector provisioning, approval types, custom email content, and handling the response — plus the errors that block most first-time setups.
· 9 min read
Blanks and Nulls in Power Apps: Why Your Formulas Keep Breaking
Blank values in Power Apps cause unexpected errors, wrong comparisons, and broken lookups. Here's how to check for them, handle them safely, and stop your formulas from silently failing.
· 6 min read
Cascading Dropdowns in Canvas Apps (Yes, It's Harder Than It Should Be)
A parent dropdown for Country, a child dropdown for City that only shows cities in the selected country. Here's the pattern, the delegation-safe version, and the reset behavior that catches everyone.
· 7 min read
Calling Power Automate from a Canvas App (And Getting Data Back)
Calling a flow from a canvas app is straightforward once you get the trigger right. Here's how to set up inputs, return data to the app, and fix the issues that come up when the two don't talk to each other.
· 8 min read
Set vs UpdateContext vs Collect — Power Apps Variables Explained
Power Apps has three ways to store data in memory: global variables, context variables, and collections. Here's when to use each one and the mistakes that trip up beginners.
· 7 min read
Lookup Columns in Power Apps: Create, Display, and Patch Without the Guesswork
Lookups are how Dataverse tables relate to each other, and they're the column type that causes the most confusion in Power Apps. Here's how to set them up and work with them in canvas apps.
· 8 min read
Power Automate Formatting Cheat Sheet
formatDateTime, convertTimeZone, formatNumber — these expressions handle 90% of formatting needs in Power Automate. Here's the syntax, common format strings, and fixes for the errors that come up.
· 9 min read
Field Visibility with Business Rules
Business rules are the fastest way to control field visibility and editability on model-driven forms without writing code. Here's how to set them up and avoid the common traps.
· 7 min read
How to Send Emails with Attachments in Power Automate (Without 0KB Files)
Getting email attachments right in Power Automate is trickier than it looks. Here's how to attach files from SharePoint, Dataverse, and other sources without ending up with empty 0KB files.
· 8 min read
Get the Current User in Power Apps
The User() function gets you started, but most real scenarios need more. Here's how to get the current user's details from Dataverse, including Business Unit, Team membership, and security role.
· 6 min read
Patching Records in Canvas Apps: Creates, Updates, and the Errors You'll Get
The Patch function is how you create and update records in canvas apps. Here's the syntax for every column type, including lookups and choices, plus fixes for the errors you'll definitely hit.
· 9 min read
Connecting D365 to Everything Else
A practitioner's guide to every integration option Dataverse offers — Webhooks, Service Bus, Virtual Tables, Dual-Write, Power Automate, Custom APIs, Web API, and the .NET SDK. When to use each, when to avoid them, and how to pick the right one.
· 15 min read
D365 Data Migration: What the Docs Skip
After 50+ implementations, here's what actually works for migrating data into Dataverse — the tools, the phases, the gotchas with lookups and deduplication, and the mistakes I still see teams make.
· 13 min read
Power Platform Licensing: What I Wish Someone Told Me on Day One
Licensing isn't a procurement problem — it's an architecture decision. Here's the mental model every solution architect needs before starting a Power Platform project, with real scenarios and a pre-project checklist.
· 11 min read
JavaScript in Model-Driven Apps: Patterns That Actually Matter
A senior D365 developer's guide to JavaScript in model-driven apps — form events, Xrm.WebApi, field manipulation, async OnSave, debugging, and the patterns you'll actually use in production.
· 14 min read
Writing Dataverse Plugins in C#: What the SDK Docs Leave Out
When Power Automate isn't fast enough and business rules aren't powerful enough, you write a plugin. Here's how to build, debug, and deploy server-side logic in Dataverse — with real code and real opinions.
· 14 min read
Dynamics 365 Solution Design: Stop Putting Everything in One Solution
How you structure your Dynamics 365 solutions determines how painful your deployments will be. Here's a layered approach that actually scales.
· 9 min read
ALM for Power Platform: Pipelines, Branches, and Avoiding the Export Trap
Application Lifecycle Management on Power Platform has come a long way. Here's how to set up a real CI/CD pipeline using Azure DevOps and the Power Platform Build Tools, and where the sharp edges still are.
· 12 min read
Power Platform Questions I See Every Week (And Their Real Answers)
A collection of the most common Power Platform developer questions — from delegation errors to Dataverse throttling — with answers that go beyond the official docs.
· 11 min read
Canvas App Delegation: Why Your Gallery Only Shows 500 Records
The yellow triangle isn't just a warning — it means your app is silently returning incomplete data. Here's the complete guide to delegation limits, which functions are safe, and five workarounds ranked by reliability.
· 10 min read
Dataverse Web API and OData: The Queries I Actually Use
Move past basic list queries. This guide covers filter gotchas, nested expand, FetchXML via HTTP, pagination, and calling the Web API from Power Automate — with real examples throughout.
· 12 min read
5 Plugin Errors You'll Hit in Dataverse (and What's Actually Wrong)
Exact error messages, root causes, and fixes for the five Dataverse plugin errors you will hit sooner or later. Save yourself the 2am debugging session.
· 7 min read
Low Code Isn't a Shortcut. It's a Different Trade-Off.
The debate around low-code platforms usually generates more heat than light. Here's a grounded take on when Power Platform is genuinely the right tool — and when it isn't.
· 7 min read
Adding Custom Buttons to the Command Bar in Model-Driven Apps
Step-by-step guide to adding a custom command bar button to a Dataverse table in a model-driven app — using the modern Command Designer, no XML editing required.
· 9 min read
Power Automate Error Handling That Actually Works
Run After, scopes, and terminate actions are not enough. Here's the error handling architecture I use in every production flow after learning it the hard way.
· 10 min read
The Dataverse Security Model Explained Without the Microsoft Jargon
Business units, security roles, teams, field-level security, and record sharing — how they interact, where the sharp edges are, and how to design a security model that doesn't break your users.
· 13 min read
Dataverse Auditing: How to Enable It, Query It, and Stop It From Eating Your Storage
A practical guide to Dataverse auditing: enabling it at every level, querying audit logs, managing retention policies, and keeping storage under control.
· 6 min read
Dataverse or SharePoint Connector? Why It Matters More Than You Think
Trigger filters, FetchXML vs OData, pagination, throttling, and lookup handling — a practical comparison of the two connectors developers mix up most.
· 6 min read
Bulk Delete Records in Dataverse: The Right Way
Five ways to bulk delete records in Dataverse, when to use each one, and why your Power Automate loop is the wrong answer for anything over a few hundred rows.
· 6 min read
Environment Variables in Power Platform — Simpler Than You Think
How to create, configure, and use environment variables across Power Apps, Power Automate, and plugins — plus the deployment strategy that keeps things clean.
· 6 min read
Parse JSON in Power Automate Without Losing Your Mind
The Parse JSON action confuses everyone. Here's the no-nonsense guide to schemas, nested properties, null handling, and when to skip it entirely.
· 6 min read
Business Rules or Power Automate?
Both can validate data, set field values, and show or hide form elements. But they work very differently under the hood. Here's a clear guide to when to use each one.
· 7 min read
Calculated vs Rollup: Stop Picking Wrong
Calculated columns evaluate formulas in real time. Rollup columns aggregate child records on a schedule. Here's when to use each — and when to skip both.
· 5 min read
Filtering Lookups That Actually Work
A practical guide to filtering lookup fields in model-driven apps using addPreSearch, addCustomFilter, and the no-code Related Records Filtering option.
· 6 min read
Canvas vs Model-Driven Apps: The Decision Nobody Explains Clearly
Every Power Apps project starts with this question. Here's a framework for making the right call — and the cases where the answer is both.
· 8 min read