Creates Dataverse tables, columns, and relationships for a Power Pages site based on a data model proposal. Use when the user wants to set up the data model, create database tables, or build the Dataverse schema for their site.
Scanned 5/27/2026
Install via CLI
openskills install microsoft/power-platform-skills---
name: setup-datamodel
description: >-
Creates Dataverse tables, columns, and relationships for a Power Pages site based on a data
model proposal. Use when the user wants to set up the data model, create database tables,
or build the Dataverse schema for their site.
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Bash, Grep, Glob, AskUserQuestion, Task, TaskCreate, TaskUpdate, TaskList, mcp__plugin_power-pages_microsoft-learn__microsoft_docs_search, mcp__plugin_power-pages_microsoft-learn__microsoft_code_sample_search, mcp__plugin_power-pages_microsoft-learn__microsoft_docs_fetch
model: opus
---
> **Plugin check**: Run `node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/check-version.js"` — if it outputs a message, show it to the user before proceeding.
# Set Up Dataverse Data Model
Guide the user through creating Dataverse tables, columns, and relationships for their Power Pages site. Follow a systematic approach: verify prerequisites, obtain a data model (via AI analysis or user-provided diagram), review and approve, then create all schema objects via OData API.
## Core Principles
- **Never create without approval**: Always present the full data model proposal and get explicit user confirmation before making any Dataverse changes.
- **Use TaskCreate/TaskUpdate**: Track all progress throughout all phases — create the todo list upfront with all phases before starting any work.
- **Resilient execution**: Refresh tokens proactively, check for existing tables before creating, and report failures without automated rollback.
**Initial request:** $ARGUMENTS
---
## Phase 1: Verify Prerequisites
**Goal**: Confirm PAC CLI authentication, acquire an Azure CLI token, and verify API access
**Actions**:
1. Create todo list with all 8 phases (see [Progress Tracking](#progress-tracking) table)
2. Follow the prerequisite steps in `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/dataverse-prerequisites.md` to verify PAC CLI auth, acquire an Azure CLI token, and confirm API access. Note the environment URL as `<envUrl>` for subsequent script calls.
**Output**: Verified PAC CLI auth, valid Azure CLI token, confirmed API access, `<envUrl>` noted
---
## Phase 2: Choose Data Model Source
**Goal**: Determine whether the user will upload an existing ER diagram or let AI analyze the site
**Actions**:
1. Ask the user how they want to define the data model using the `AskUserQuestion` tool:
**Question**: "How would you like to define the data model for your site?"
| Option | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| **Upload an existing ER diagram** | Provide an image (PNG/JPG) or Mermaid diagram of your existing data model |
| **Let the Data Model Architect figure it out** | The Data Model Architect will analyze your site's source code and propose a data model automatically |
2. Route to the appropriate path:
### Path A: Upload Existing ER Diagram
If the user chooses to upload an existing diagram:
1. Ask the user to provide their ER diagram. Supported formats:
- **Image file** (PNG, JPG) — Use the `Read` tool to view the image and extract tables, columns, relationships, and cardinalities from it
- **Mermaid syntax** — The user can paste Mermaid ER diagram text directly in chat
- **Text description** — A structured list of tables, columns, and relationships
2. Parse the diagram into the same structured format used by the data-model-architect agent:
- Publisher prefix (ask the user, or retrieve from the environment via `pac env who`)
- Table definitions: `logicalName`, `displayName`, `status` (new/modified/reused), `columns`, `relationships`
- Column definitions: `logicalName`, `displayName`, `type`, `required`
- Relationship definitions: type (1:N or M:N), referenced/referencing tables
3. Query existing Dataverse tables (same as Phase 3 would) to mark each table as `new`, `modified`, or `reused`.
4. Generate a Mermaid ER diagram from the parsed data (if the user provided an image or text) for visual confirmation.
5. Proceed directly to **Phase 4: Review Proposal** with the parsed data model.
### Path B: Let the Data Model Architect Figure It Out
If the user chooses to let the Data Model Architect figure it out, proceed to **Phase 3: Invoke Data Model Architect** (the existing automated flow).
**Output**: Data model source chosen and, for Path A, parsed data model ready for review
---
## Phase 3: Invoke Data Model Architect
**Goal**: Spawn the data-model-architect agent to autonomously analyze the site and propose a data model
**Actions**:
1. Use the `Task` tool to spawn the `data-model-architect` agent. This agent autonomously:
- Analyzes the site's source code to infer data requirements
- Queries existing Dataverse tables via OData GET requests
- Identifies reuse opportunities (reuse, extend, or create new)
- Proposes a complete data model with an ER diagram
2. Spawn the agent:
```
Task tool:
subagent_type: general-purpose
prompt: |
You are the data-model-architect agent. Follow the instructions in
the agent definition file at:
${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/agents/data-model-architect.md
Analyze the current project and Dataverse environment, then propose
a complete data model. Return:
1. Publisher prefix
2. Table definitions (logicalName, displayName, status, columns, relationships)
3. Mermaid ER diagram
```
3. Wait for the agent to return its structured proposal before proceeding.
**Output**: Structured data model proposal from the agent (publisher prefix, table definitions, ER diagram)
---
## Phase 4: Review Proposal
**Goal**: Present the data model proposal to the user and get explicit approval before creating anything
**Actions**:
### 4.1 Present Proposal
Present the data model proposal directly to the user as a formatted message, including:
- Publisher prefix
- All proposed tables with columns (logical names + display names)
- Relationship descriptions
- Mermaid ER diagram
- Which tables are new vs. modified vs. reused
### 4.2 Get User Approval
Use `AskUserQuestion` to get approval:
| Question | Header | Options |
|----------|--------|---------|
| Does this data model look correct? | Data Model Proposal | Approve and create tables (Recommended), Request changes, Cancel |
- **If "Approve and create tables (Recommended)"**: Proceed to Phase 5
- **If "Request changes"**: Ask what they want changed, modify the proposal, and re-present for approval
- **If "Cancel"**: Stop the skill
Only proceed to creation after explicit user approval.
**Output**: User-approved data model proposal
---
## Phase 5: Pre-Creation Checks
**Goal**: Refresh the token, verify what already exists in Dataverse, and build the creation plan to avoid duplicates
**Actions**:
### 5.1 Refresh Token
Re-acquire the auth token (tokens expire after ~60 minutes):
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/verify-dataverse-access.js" <envUrl>
```
### 5.2 Query Existing Tables
For each table in the approved proposal marked as `new`, check whether it already exists:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> GET "api/data/v9.2/EntityDefinitions(LogicalName='<table_logical_name>')"
```
- **If 404**: Table does not exist, proceed to create it
- **If 200**: Table already exists — skip creation, warn the user
For tables marked as `modified`, verify the table exists (it should) and check which columns are missing.
### 5.3 Build Creation Plan
From the pre-creation checks, build a list of:
- Tables to create (new tables that don't exist yet)
- Columns to add (new columns on existing/modified tables)
- Relationships to create
- Tables/columns to skip (already exist)
Inform the user of any skipped items.
**Output**: Finalized creation plan with tables, columns, and relationships to create or skip
---
## Phase 6: Create Tables & Columns
**Goal**: Create each approved table and its columns using the Dataverse OData Web API
**Actions**:
Refer to `references/odata-api-patterns.md` for full JSON body templates.
### 6.1 Create Tables
For each new table, POST to the EntityDefinitions endpoint:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> POST "api/data/v9.2/EntityDefinitions" --body '<JSON body from references/odata-api-patterns.md>'
```
Use the deep-insert pattern to create the table and its columns in a single POST request. See `references/odata-api-patterns.md` for the complete JSON structure.
### 6.2 Add Columns to Existing Tables
For tables marked as `modified`, add new columns one at a time:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> POST "api/data/v9.2/EntityDefinitions(LogicalName='<table>')/Attributes" --body '<column JSON from references/odata-api-patterns.md>'
```
### 6.3 Track Progress
Track each creation attempt and its result (success/failure/skipped). Do NOT attempt automated rollback on failure — report failures and continue with remaining items.
### 6.4 Refresh Token if Needed
If creating many tables, the `dataverse-request.js` script handles 401 token refresh automatically. No manual refresh is needed between batches.
**Output**: All approved tables and columns created (or failures reported)
---
## Phase 7: Create Relationships
**Goal**: Create all relationships between the newly created and existing tables
**Actions**:
### 7.1 One-to-Many Relationships
Create lookup columns that establish 1:N relationships:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> POST "api/data/v9.2/RelationshipDefinitions" --body '<relationship JSON from references/odata-api-patterns.md>'
```
### 7.2 Many-to-Many Relationships
Create M:N relationships (intersect tables are created automatically):
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> POST "api/data/v9.2/RelationshipDefinitions" --body '<M:N relationship JSON from references/odata-api-patterns.md>'
```
### 7.3 Track Relationship Creation
Track each relationship creation attempt. Report failures without rolling back.
**Output**: All approved relationships created (or failures reported)
---
## Phase 8: Publish & Verify
**Goal**: Publish all customizations, verify tables exist, write the manifest, and present a summary
**Actions**:
### 8.1 Publish Customizations
Publish all customizations so the new tables and columns become available:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> POST "api/data/v9.2/PublishXml" --body '{"ParameterXml":"<importexportxml><entities><entity>cr123_project</entity><entity>cr123_task</entity></entities></importexportxml>"}'
```
See `references/odata-api-patterns.md` for the full PublishXml pattern.
### 8.2 Verify Tables Exist
For each created table, run a verification query:
```
node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/dataverse-request.js" <envUrl> GET "api/data/v9.2/EntityDefinitions(LogicalName='<table>')?$select=LogicalName,DisplayName"
```
### 8.3 Write Manifest
After successful verification, write `.datamodel-manifest.json` to the project root. This file records which tables and columns were verified to exist, and is used by the validation hook.
```json
{
"environmentUrl": "https://org12345.crm.dynamics.com",
"tables": [
{
"logicalName": "cr123_project",
"displayName": "Project",
"status": "new",
"columns": [
{ "logicalName": "cr123_name", "type": "String" },
{ "logicalName": "cr123_description", "type": "Memo" }
]
}
]
}
```
Use the `Write` tool to create this file at `<PROJECT_ROOT>/.datamodel-manifest.json`. Only include tables and columns that were confirmed to exist in Step 8.2. See `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/datamodel-manifest-schema.md` for the full schema specification.
### 8.4 Record Skill Usage
> Reference: `${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/references/skill-tracking-reference.md`
Follow the skill tracking instructions in the reference to record this skill's usage. Use `--skillName "SetupDatamodel"`.
### 8.5 Present Summary
Present a summary to the user:
| Table | Status | Columns | Relationships |
|-------|--------|---------|---------------|
| `cr123_project` (Project) | Created | 5 columns | 2 relationships |
| `contact` (Contact) | Reused | 1 column added | — |
| `cr123_task` (Task) | Created | 4 columns | 1 relationship |
Include:
- Total tables created/modified/reused/failed
- Total columns created/skipped/failed
- Total relationships created/failed
- Any errors encountered with details
- Location of the manifest file (`.datamodel-manifest.json`)
### 8.6 Suggest Next Steps
After the summary, suggest:
- Review created tables in the Power Pages maker portal
- Populate tables with sample data for testing: `/add-sample-data`
- Integrate tables with your site's frontend via Web API: `/integrate-webapi`
- If the site is not yet built: `/create-site`
- If the site is ready to deploy: `/deploy-site`
**Output**: Published customizations, verified tables, manifest written, summary presented
---
## Important Notes
### Throughout All Phases
- **Use TaskCreate/TaskUpdate** to track progress at every phase
- **Ask for user confirmation** at key decision points (see list below)
- **Token refresh is automatic** — the `dataverse-request.js` script handles 401 token refresh and 429/5xx retry internally
- **Report failures without rollback** — track each creation attempt and continue with remaining items on failure
### Key Decision Points (Wait for User)
1. After Phase 2: Data model source chosen (upload vs. AI)
2. After Phase 4: Approve data model proposal before any creation
3. After Phase 5: Acknowledge any skipped items before proceeding
4. After Phase 8: Review summary and choose next steps
### Progress Tracking
Before starting Phase 1, create a task list with all phases using `TaskCreate`:
| Task subject | activeForm | Description |
|-------------|------------|-------------|
| Verify prerequisites | Verifying prerequisites | Confirm PAC CLI auth, acquire Azure CLI token, verify API access |
| Choose data model source | Choosing data model source | Ask user to upload ER diagram or let AI analyze the site |
| Invoke data model architect | Invoking data model architect | Spawn agent to analyze site and propose data model |
| Review and approve proposal | Reviewing proposal | Present data model proposal to user, get explicit approval |
| Pre-creation checks | Running pre-creation checks | Refresh token, query existing tables, build creation plan |
| Create tables and columns | Creating tables and columns | POST to OData API to create tables and columns |
| Create relationships | Creating relationships | POST to OData API to create 1:N and M:N relationships |
| Publish and verify | Publishing and verifying | Publish customizations, verify tables, write manifest, present summary |
Mark each task `in_progress` when starting it and `completed` when done via `TaskUpdate`. This gives the user visibility into progress and keeps the workflow deterministic.
---
**Begin with Phase 1: Verify Prerequisites**
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