Microsoft Dataverse consultant, UKMicrosoft Dataverse designed properly the first time, so your apps stay fast, secure and easy to change.
Data models, security roles, business units, auditing and capacity planning from a PL-200 certified specialist who will also tell you when SharePoint lists are enough. Written fixed price before any work starts.
Why the data model matters
Most Power Apps problems start in the data layer.
Slow screens, people seeing records they should not, flows that break when a column is renamed: these usually trace back to a data model that was never designed.
Microsoft Dataverse is the database behind Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio and Dynamics 365. It is far more capable than a SharePoint list, but that capability only pays off when the tables, relationships and security are planned before the first screen is built.
We design Dataverse models for UK organisations of roughly 20 to 500 staff: replacing spreadsheets and Access databases, supporting model-driven apps for case and asset management, and giving Copilot Studio agents structured data to work with. The same consultant who designs your model builds the apps on top of it, so nothing is lost in a handover.
Everything lives in your tenant inside a managed solution, with a data dictionary and security matrix you can hand to your own IT team.
Microsoft Dataverse development
What a Dataverse engagement covers.
Delivered as part of an app build, or as a standalone design and review.
Data modelling
Tables, columns, relationships and choices designed around how your organisation works, not around the spreadsheet you are replacing. Naming conventions, keys and lookups that will still make sense in three years.
Security roles
Role-based access at table and record level: who can create, read, update or delete, and whether that applies to their own records, their team's or the whole organisation. Column security for sensitive fields.
Business units and teams
A business unit structure that mirrors real reporting lines or regions where you need data separation, and owner teams or Microsoft Entra group teams so access follows group membership.
Auditing
Audit history switched on for the tables and columns that matter, with a retention period agreed up front so the audit log stays useful without consuming capacity you do not need to pay for.
Capacity planning
An estimate of database, file and log storage for your expected volumes, with a plan for attachments and archiving so you do not hit capacity limits a year after go-live.
Solutions and ALM
Everything built inside managed solutions with publisher prefixes, moved between development, test and production environments, so changes are controlled and you own the result.
Dataverse security roles and business units, explained simply
Dataverse security works in layers. Security roles say what someone can do with each table and at what depth: only their own records, their business unit's, or everything. Business units group users and records, typically by region, division or legal entity. Teams let you grant access to a group at once, and can be linked to Microsoft Entra groups so access follows membership automatically.
The common mistake is copying the System Administrator role and trimming it, or building a business unit for every department. We keep the structure as flat as your data separation needs allow, document every role in a security matrix and test each one with a real user account before go-live.
A note on Dataverse capacity
Dataverse storage is split into database, file and log capacity, pooled across the tenant. At the time of writing (October 2026), tenants receive a base allowance with additional database capacity accruing for some eligible licences, and extra capacity can be bought as an add-on.
Microsoft changes these allowances and prices, so check the capacity report in the Power Platform admin centre and current Microsoft pricing before you plan. The biggest drivers are usually attachments, audit logs and unused trial or development environments, all of which we design for.
Honest fit check
When not to use Dataverse.
Dataverse is not always the answer, and premium licences are a real cost. We will say so when a simpler option does the job.
A good fit when
- Your data has several related tables, such as customers, sites, jobs and visits
- Different people must see different records, with an audit trail
- You expect tens of thousands of rows or more
- You want a model-driven app, Power Pages site or Dynamics 365 alongside
- Users already hold, or can justify, premium Power Apps licences
Probably not the right tool when
- A single list with a few hundred rows and one team using it
- Nobody can justify premium licences for every user of the app
- The data needs heavy analytical querying, where a data warehouse fits better
- You need a public, high-traffic transactional database for a custom website
- The system already lives well in a line-of-business product that has its own API
Pricing
Ways to start with Microsoft Dataverse.
Review an existing environment with a Health Check, or replace a spreadsheet with a Dataverse-backed app. Not sure about licences and capacity? Start with the Licensing Review.
Power Platform Health Check
An audit of your environments, flows and apps with a ranked list of risks and quick wins.
from£1,450
5 working days
- Environment, DLP policy and security role review
- Inventory of apps and flows, including ownerless and failing ones
- Connector and data exposure risks
- Prioritised action plan and a 60-minute walkthrough
Spreadsheet-to-App
Replace a business-critical spreadsheet with a secure Power App, approvals and reporting.
from£6,500
3 to 6 weeks
- Data model in Dataverse or SharePoint
- Canvas or model-driven app with role-based access
- Power Automate approvals and notifications
- Handover, documentation and 30-day warranty
Licensing Review
A plain-English review of what you pay Microsoft for Power Platform and what you actually need.
from£395
3 working days
- Review of current Power Apps, Power Automate and Copilot Studio licences
- Per-app vs per-user vs pay-as-you-go comparison for your usage
- Premium connector and Dataverse capacity check
- Written recommendation with estimated annual saving or cost
All prices exclude VAT. Final fixed price confirmed in writing after a free scoping call.
The fee for a Licensing Review, Health Check or Automation Sprint is credited in full against a build that follows within 60 days.
Moving data in from Access, Excel or SharePoint? See data migration to Dataverse. Building the app layer? See Power Apps development.
How it works
From first call to a documented data model.
This week
Free 20-minute call
You explain the problem. You get an honest view on whether Power Platform fits and a rough budget range.
Within 3 working days
Scope and fixed price
A one-page scope with deliverables, licensing implications, timeline and a fixed price in GBP.
Usually 1 to 6 weeks
Build in weekly sprints
Working software every week, demoed live in your tenant. You steer as it takes shape.
Go-live
Handover and warranty
Managed solution, documentation and a recorded walkthrough, plus a 30-day defect warranty.
FAQ
Microsoft Dataverse questions
What is Microsoft Dataverse?
Microsoft Dataverse is the managed relational database behind Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio and Dynamics 365. It stores data in tables with relationships, and adds role-based security, auditing, business rules and an API, all managed by Microsoft inside your Power Platform environment.
Should I use Dataverse or SharePoint lists?
Use SharePoint lists for simple trackers with modest volumes, few relationships and no premium licences. Choose Microsoft Dataverse when you need related tables, record-level security, proper auditing or large volumes, and can justify premium licensing. We recommend whichever fits your case, including SharePoint when it is enough.
Is Dataverse included in my Microsoft 365 licence?
Full Dataverse is not included in standard Microsoft 365 plans. Users of apps built on it generally need a premium Power Apps licence, either per user, per app or pay-as-you-go. Dataverse for Teams is a lighter version included with some plans but has limits. Check current Microsoft pricing, as the terms change; our Licensing Review sets out the options.
How much Dataverse storage do we get?
At the time of writing (October 2026), tenants receive a base allowance of database, file and log capacity, with extra database capacity added for some eligible licences, and further capacity can be bought. Microsoft changes these allowances, so check the capacity page in the Power Platform admin centre and current Microsoft documentation. We estimate your likely usage before you commit.
How long does a Dataverse data model take to design?
A focused model for one business process, with security roles and auditing, usually takes a few days of design within a larger app build. A model spanning several departments with business units and migration from existing systems typically takes two to four weeks. We give a written fixed price after a scoping call.
Related
Often paired with Microsoft Dataverse
Not sure whether you need Dataverse at all?
A free 20-minute call with the consultant who would design it. You get a straight answer on Dataverse or SharePoint, the licences involved and a rough budget.