Repeat information in tables or link related tables for app development?

[TechWannaBe23]

Coming from an Access Database background, we could link related tables and then use all associated tables to create forms, reports, etc. However, in the Dataverse, I need to repeat the information in multiple tables to make it available for use in forms and views.

For example....

In Access, I had 1 Assignment Table with the work assignment information.  Associated with this, I had a system access table and an audit table.  The Assignment information was only in the Assignment table.

In the Dataverse, I have 1 Assignment Table with an associated system access table and an audit table.  However, the assignment information is mapped and duplicated in the system access table and the audit table, so the assignment information is present on the system access form and the audit form.  

Did I create more work for myself or is this the correct set up for the Dataverse?

[Kristian_Cole]

Morning,

So thankfully you don't need to duplicate fields in each table. Just have a lookup to each table under 1:N relationships etc. There is a great component called forms in the power powerapps toolbox you can drag onto other forms. 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/model-driven-apps/form-component-control

You can edit another table on the form you are working on, like an iframe. There are a few caveats with main form ordering but it is doable.

[Stevieed · Accepted solution]

Yes aside from "forms", you can also have below 2 options:

1, create a quick view form for the table that you want to show to user in the context of other table, just drag the field you want to show, save the quick view form, and then create a quick view from in the related tables, which will then show up the fields of the parent table

2, create a powerfx formula column, provide a formula "tableA.fieldA", so it bring over data from related field. Note as of today, currency field is not supported, other fields works fine.

[Fubar · Accepted solution]

As the others have indicated

Linkage between the Parent and Child record is via a Lookup field on the child record (lookup is the Fkey)

For a Model Driven App,

• You can display the child records on the parent record by using adding a Subgrid on the parent tables Form
• If desired, you can add an out of the box component to make the records in the subgrid editable inline
• When a child record is open, if you need to view data from the parent you can create a Quick View form (defined on the parent Table, and added on to the child Tables form) that is linked to the Lookup field on the Child record. You can also do an edit by using the Form Component Control. (both can also be achieved by implementing an embedded Canvas App or via a Web Resource - but more work is involved to achieve it)

Similar can be achieved if doing a stand alone Canvas App (which is probably closer to an Access form than a Model Driven App).