model-driven-apps

Skill: Model-Driven Apps

When to Use

Trigger when building, configuring, reviewing, or troubleshooting Model-Driven Apps — including forms, views, business rules, app modules, site maps, command bar customizations, custom pages, and generative pages.

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When to Use Model-Driven Apps vs Alternatives

Scenario	Best Choice	Why
Standard Dataverse CRUD + business process	Model-Driven App	Built-in forms, views, business rules, BPF
Custom pixel-perfect UI	Code App	Full React/TypeScript control
Mobile field work, offline, camera	Canvas App	Power Apps mobile, offline support
Complex dashboards / analytics	Power BI embedded in MDA	Better charting, slicers
High-volume data admin (bulk edit)	Model-Driven App	Grid editing, bulk update, advanced find
Citizen developer / quick UI	Canvas App	No TypeScript needed

Key MDA strengths: Forms, views, charts, dashboards with zero custom code. Business rules on client and server. Role-based form switching, audit trail, duplicate detection, merge records. Offline mobile via Dynamics 365 mobile app.

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App Module (Site Map) Structure

App Module
├── Navigation Groups
│   ├── Group: "Operations" → Subareas (entities)
│   └── Group: "Configuration" → Settings, Users
├── Dashboards
└── Security Roles (who can access this app)

Create App Module via Web API

POST /api/data/v9.2/appmodules
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "Contoso Projects",
  "uniquename": "contoso_ProjectsApp",
  "description": "Project management app",
  "clienttype": 4,
  "isdefault": false
}

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⚠️ REQUIRED: Load Sub-Files Before Implementation

SKILL.md is a summary only — it is NOT sufficient for implementation.

The detailed content (complete payloads, XML templates, working examples, edge-case handling) lives in sub-files in the same directory as this SKILL.md. Before writing any code, you MUST use read_file on the sub-files relevant to your task:

• Forms — form types, Quick View, role-based switching, lookup/choice columns, embedded Canvas Apps, form performance
• Views — view types, Quick Find, subgrids, Power Apps grid control, deprecated Editable Grid, view performance
• Sitemap — sitemap XML schema, Area/Group/SubArea structure, single Area layout (left-nav vs bottom tabs), Titles format, IntroducedVersion requirement, dashboard navigation
• Business Rules — scope options (Entity/AllForms/SpecificForm), supported actions, when NOT to use
• Command Bar — Command Designer (no-code), modern JavaScript commands, Power Fx commands, lookup parameter naming for form pre-population
• Custom Pages — Custom Pages vs embedded Canvas Apps, creating, navigating to, passing parameters
• Generative Pages (Genux) — React 17 + Fluent UI V9 single-file components, DataAPI, RuntimeTypes, PAC CLI workflow, localization, sample templates