The Common Data Service is one of the most convenient data sources when it comes to storing data for Power Platform applications. Not only is it possible to adapt and expand the data model directly through the Power Apps makers portal, but also Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement applications store their data within it.
People who know Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement probably also know Dynamics Workflows which can be used to automate things in the background. While Power Automate always had advantages over Dynamics Workflows in terms of connectivity to other systems, it did lack some functionalities in areas which are very CDS-specific which is why Dynamics Workflows are still commonly used.
But did you know that there is a rather new "Native Common Data Services Connector" which brings the capabilities of Power Automate already pretty close to the CDS-related capabilities of Dynamics Workflows while still going to be improved as time goes on?
If not, let me give you a brief overview of the different connectors and which to use in which scenario.
Probably the most obvious connector to use when accessing CDS instances where D365 is installed is the "Dynamics 365" Connector:
So, let's put our attention to the Common Data Service connector then... This connector already has more options than the Dynamics 365 connector and when you type "Common Data Service" in the search bar you can easily find it.
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Christoph Gschliesser
Product Manager
BE-terna GmbH
Innsbruck
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