Choosing a Data Source for Power Apps and Power Automate

• Developers can choose from several types of data sources when creating line-of-business apps.
• Data sources can vary widely in usability and appropriateness for a particular application.
• As a line-of-business project grows in scope, it may require moving to a different data source.

Developers can use many types of data sources to create line-of-business apps with Power Platform tools such as Power Apps and Power Automate. Power Platform tools can also be used to modernize existing line-of-business processes running on older data sources.

However, data sources can offer vast differences in usability, security, performance, resiliency, capacity, and licensing. More advanced, enterprise-scale projects could require more robust data sources, which will likely increase costs, require migration, and push projects from so-called citizen developers to overloaded IT departments.

Comparing Data Sources

When evaluating data sources for use with Power Platform, customers have many factors to consider, including the following: