Changes

Virtual Entities is a feature in the Power Platform which makes it possible to display data from other systems in our Model-Driven Apps without having the data stored in the Common Data Service.  

Virtual Entities is a feature in the Power Platform which makes it possible to display data from other systems in our Model-Driven Apps without having the data stored in the Common Data Service.  

The concept of Virtual Entities consists of a virtual entity, a data source and a data provider. Either you can use one of the two built-in data providers (an OData v4 provider or an Azure Cosmos DB provider), or you can develop a Custom Data Provider if your data source requires that.  

The concept of Virtual Entities consists of a Virtual Entity, a Data Source and a Data Provider. Either you can use one of the two built-in data providers (an OData v4 provider or an Azure Cosmos DB provider), or you can develop a Custom Data Provider if your source requires that.  

== History ==

== History ==

TBD When was it released etc.  

The July 2017 update for Dynamics 365 (online) introduced Virtual Entities. The upcoming Release Waves after that did not bring any news whithin this area, but during a session at eXtreme 365 Matt Barbour said "Virtual Entities are not dead". In the 2020 Release Wave 1 plan it was presented that Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations entities will be available in the Common Data Service as Virtual Entities. In July 2020 at Microsoft Inspire Vitural Entities was on the map again when it was included in Charles Lamanna's session [https://myinspire.microsoft.com/sessions/a780eafa-dc4f-44fc-a460-6d6effee28ec Build agile business processes with the Power Platform – Focus on CDS, Power Apps, Power Automate + RPA] and it was included in the Roadmap for Key Capabilities for 2020/2021.  

== You might also be interested in ==

== You might also be interested in ==

== Microsoft Docs ==

== Microsoft Docs ==

[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/developer/common-data-service/virtual-entities/get-started-ve Get started with Virtual Entities]

[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/developer/common-data-service/virtual-entities/get-started-ve Get started with Virtual Entities]

== Community Content ==  

== Community Content ==  

[https://mikefactorial.com/2020/08/15/direct-query-sql-virtual-entities/ Direct Query SQL Virtual Entities] Article and Custom Data Provider by Michael Ochs

 

[https://mikefactorial.com/2020/08/15/direct-query-sql-virtual-entities/ Direct Query SQL Virtual Entities] Article describing his SQL Virtual Entity Data Provider, by Michael Ochs

 

[https://carinaclaesson.com/2020/01/19/virtual-entities-a-forgotten-feature-which-is-still-alive/ Virtual Entities - Series of 4 Articles Posts] Articles and Customer Data Provider by Carina Claesson

[https://carinaclaesson.com/2020/01/19/virtual-entities-a-forgotten-feature-which-is-still-alive/ Virtual Entities - Series of 4 Articles] by Carina Claesson

[https://dynamicsninja.blog/2018/09/30/virtual-entities-part-1-odata-v4/ Virtual Entities - Series of 3 Articles] by Ivan Ficko

[https://dynamicsninja.blog/2018/09/30/virtual-entities-part-1-odata-v4/ Virtual Entities - Series of 3 Articles] by Ivan Ficko

[https://jlattimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/creating-custom-virtual-entity-data.html Blog Post and Customer data Provider] by Jason Lattimer

[https://jlattimer.blogspot.com/2017/12/creating-custom-virtual-entity-data.html Creating a Custom Virtual Entity Data Provider] by Jason Lattimer

[http://blog.yagasoft.com/2019/03/virtual-entities-work-arounds Virtual Entities work-arounds] by Alex Shlega

[http://blog.yagasoft.com/2019/03/virtual-entities-work-arounds Virtual Entities work-arounds] by Ahmed Elsawalhy

[https://www.itaintboring.com/dynamics-crm/dynamics-365-working-with-the-virtual-entities/ Dynamics 365 working with the Virtual Entities] by Alex Shlega

[https://www.itaintboring.com/dynamics-crm/dynamics-365-working-with-the-virtual-entities/ Dynamics 365 working with the Virtual Entities] by Alex Shlega