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Model Driven Apps vs Power Apps

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Posted on by Tal22

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I have been experimenting with Dataverse building a Model Driven app in a Dataverse solution. It seems like a very complicated environment wrought with booby traps, so to speak, for developers without IT and software engineering backgrounds, which I don't possess. I also noticed sharing a Model Driven app includes providing access to the entire design backend to users. This confused my users, not to mention them having the ability to wreck my objects in my solution, which is why I am extremely hesitant to use Model Driven apps. On the other hand, they seem comfortable to using Power Apps forms, which I built from SharePoint lists and Access forms I developed using Dataverse tables as the data sources. I guess by question is this: which is better user-friendly experience and faster choice for development and deployment, Model Driven Apps, Power Apps or Access?

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Microsoft Dataverse with Power Apps

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,369 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi @Tal22

Just to clarify, what you said isn't true and its just lack of knowledge.

You are not opening up your objects or backends to the users, nor the solutions. Locking this stuff down leverages Role based security that you configure. If you configure it wrong sure you can do anything, but the App itself, whether you build a Canvas App or Model driven its all the same.

There isn't a specific answer to your question because its hard to articulate since you do not have experience. Thats not a knock, but imagine you have never driven a car before and do not understand terms.

What's better my Volvo or my Porsche. They both drive, they both get me there, what is really the difference that a newbie cares about /shrug who knows.

Canvas Apps are great for building business focused apps that aren't required to be modeled based on the Data itself.

Model driven apps are great because they have loads of features like automatic form building (based on the data model), search and a zillion other low code things.

Funny enough some people prefer MDApps versus CApps, even when IMHO it made no sense.

Who will share you, who is the audience, what features do they need as it relates to the DATA, not the feature or function you app provides.

Its much easier to write apps that jack up the data using Canvas Apps, then it is Model Driven. Model drive are, in some ways, may seem harder if you do not understand all the low code capabilities in them etc, so it would seem like hey let me make this easy simple custom UI (Cavnas App) and im golden /shrug, personal preference in many cases.

If you like my answer, I would really appreciate if you please Mark it as Resolved, and give it a thumbs up, so it can help others

Cheers

Thank You
Michael Gernaey MCT | MCSE | MCP | Self-Contractor| Ex-Microsoft
https://gernaeysoftware.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelgernaey

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Tal22 259 on at

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I built a test Model app and have gotten the "something went wrong" or other error messages when trying to use the visualize tool and exporting. I did assign roles but that didn't work either. Users can still see and access the objects. Also, I cannot add columns to an existing table. I don't encounter these issues developing in Access. An Access DB can be distributed as encrypted front-end file that locks users out of seeing and accessing objects. Configuring is simple to do so. Access also can add columns (fields) to an existing table. From this perspective the best practice to create tables is to do so in Access and then export into Dataverse. However, I cannot find a way to export Access tables into a Dataverse solution. But I am not sure if doing so is necessary. In the meantime, there might be a licensing issue or a bug on my company's 365 account. All my users supposedly have a Power App license, but it is hard to decipher the myriad licensing levels. I am hoping my IT person can resolve this, but they do not know how Dataverse works.

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,369 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi @Tal22

unfortunately thats just all generic words, its just clear you dont know how to use it, which is fine, but it doesnt mean its the platforms fault.

I do wish you luck. I suggest you guys take some classes

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Tal22 259 on at

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Generic words? What language should I speak in? Tech laden, computerese jargon?

I did take a few classes. I get most of it. What I don't get is why I am unable to add a column to an existing table. I can easily do this in Excel, Access, SharePoint Lists and a few non-Microsoft cloud apps. Yes, I can add columns to a few of my tables, but I am unable to modify others. I find this extremely bizarre. That said, I guess I don't know the limitations and quarks of Dataverse. Quarks like not being able to modify some tables, while being able to modify others. Easily adding a column should not be a challenge. But I guess there is some backend, permissions / admin center function that I must learn to navigate. Which means, as the app developer, I have to give myself particular rights to modify tables that I created in the first place?

It is these types of inconsistencies that makes it frustrating to develop in Dataverse. And, can you admit, that it is incredibly clunky requiring 10-15 more clicks than SharePoint lists, or any other well-designed application, to navigate? Is this platform not extremely unintuitive and way to complex then is should be?

Dataverse, Model Driven apps, accessing and establishing security roles - pretzel logic for folks like me who don't have decades of experience with Azure, D365, O365, and more.

What I take exception to is those who say, "learn the platform". I easily learned Access precisely because the UI is logical, well organized and fairly easy to navigate. I previously built a cloud based, collaborative apps and database solutions using Kintone in less than a month precisely because it is a highly productive, low code, no code, intuitive WYSIWYG HpaPaaS designed for rapid development. And so, just precisely what do I need to learn to add a column to a table that I previously created and customized with added columns?

Unfortunately, my organization drank the MS cool aid and bought into the MS BS that this was a user-friendly platform for citizen developers. It is anything but. I work with Millennials and Gen Z, supposed digital natives who look at Dataverse and Power Apps proclaim, "WTF"?

This is what I am calling it now. A WTF experience.

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,369 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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@Tal22

Unfortunately, you drank the "I hate MS coolaide" and blame your lack of understanding.

So I wont waste my time explaining the easily understood reasons why you can in some or the other, because I am sure you drang some "education" coolaide too 🙂

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Tal22 259 on at

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I am not interested in anybody "easily" showing me why I can add columns in some tables and not others when this is not an issue with the other applications I mentioned? It is not like I packaged my tables and imported as a managed environment. In developmental stages, there should be no reason for these types of barriers. Is this technically a flaw with the platform? Technically, I suppose not. But is it a flaw in user design? Definitely!

According to a report published by AIIM two-thirds of the organizations using SharePoint says that the major cause of low adoption rate includes inadequate user training and complexity in using the platform. (Translate, busy people don't have weeks, if not months to learn the platform) With Dataverse and Power Apps being even more complicated, it is no wonder that there is very low user adoption. And so, one has to ask, giving the low adoption rate, is this platform a true productivity tool? No. It is not because it fails to meet the needs of users via good UI and UX. And this renders Power Platform, along with SharePoint, flawed technology.

As a dominant monopoly, Microsoft focuses on large organizations employing folks like you. Not small org's with folks like me. Despite their no code, low code claim, the twisted, complexity to navigate the platform shows there is little consideration for "Citizen Developers" by Microsoft.

I really wish you tech folks would understand this. Instead, you reward bad technology be being totally oblivious to the idea that that good tech should be easier to use.

Being user friendly is why Apple is so successful. They make intuitive technology with great user experience in mind. Could you imagine if Microsoft made a "smart" phone? I can't. Not with Microsoft's history of making simple complicated.

In the not-too-distant future, this will all be a moot point when AI renders developers and platforms like this obsolete. On that note, I'm betting Microsoft will make Co-Pilot another annoying product too complicated to use.

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