Dataverse Gets Smarter! Introducing Prompt Columns in Power Platform

Hello friends! 👋

If you're working with Microsoft Power Platform, especially Dataverse, here’s a cool update you should know about – a new column type called "Prompt" is now available (in preview as of writing this post).

This is one of those features that makes you go, “wow! Finally, this is here.” So in this article, I’ll walk you through:

• ✅ What is a Prompt column in Dataverse?
• 🎯 What’s the purpose or use case?
• ⚙️ How to create a Prompt column?
• 🧑‍💻 One real-time example (simple and relatable)

Let’s dive in!

🚀 What is a Prompt Column in Dataverse?

The Prompt column type is a new data type introduced in Microsoft Dataverse (preview) that lets you trigger AI-based prompts from within model-driven apps.

In simpler terms, it’s a column that holds a prompt template for Copilot-style AI responses.

📌 This new column allows Copilot (AI) to generate answers or outputs based on row data, using the prompt configured inside the column.

🤔 Why Use Prompt Columns?

The main purpose of Prompt columns is to bring generative AI capabilities closer to your business data.

Here are a few practical use cases:

• 📄 Auto-generate a product summary from product details
• 📧 Create customer response emails using ticket data
• 📊 Generate insights from case records
• 🧾 Draft invoice remarks using line items

Instead of building complex Power Automate flows or calling external APIs, you can just store the prompt directly in a column and use it via Copilot.

That’s right – AI becomes a native part of your Dataverse schema!

🛠️ How to Create a Prompt Column in Dataverse?

Let me walk you through the steps (assuming you're familiar with Power Apps Maker Portal):

🔹 Step 1. Go to Power Apps > Tables

Open Power Apps Maker Portal → Choose your environment → Click on Tables.

🔹 Step 2. Choose a Table or Create a New One

For example, you can pick a Case table or create your own “Customer Feedback” table.

🔹 Step 3. Add a New Column

Click “+ New Column” → Under Data Type, select Prompt (Preview).

🧠 Note: If you don’t see the Prompt column type, make sure AI Builder is enabled and you're in a supported region.

🔹 Step 4. Configure Prompt Template

Inside the column configuration, you’ll define an Add prompt. This template can include placeholders from other columns of the row.

For example

Summarize the customer issue based on the case title and description:

This template will be used by Copilot to generate responses dynamically.

🔹 Step 5. Save & Publish

Save your column and publish the table.

That’s it – your Prompt column is ready!

✅ Example: Generate Response Summary for a Case Record

Let’s say you have a Case table with the following columns:

• Title: "Unable to login"
• Description: "User reports login error on mobile app."

You create a Prompt column with this template:

When Copilot reads this, it will return something like:

" The customer issue involves an employee named Diana Prince who is experiencing a login error on the mobile app. The case is currently active, and the user has reported being unable to log in. The case is owned by Gowtham Rajamanickam and was created on May 21, 2025. The status of the case is active, indicating that the issue is still being addressed.

Boom! ✨ You’ve automated a contextual AI response without writing any code.

🧠 Things to Remember

• 🧪 Prompt columns are currently in preview
• 📍 You can refer to other columns using curly braces {columnname}
• 🧱 Works only in Model-Driven Apps
• 🧾 It’s read-only, used for AI input – not user-entered values

📚 Microsoft Docs Reference

If you want the full official reference, check this out: 🔗 Prompt columns (preview) – Microsoft Docs

👨‍💻 Final Thoughts

The Prompt column in Dataverse is a real game-changer 🔥 for developers and makers working with Power Platform and Copilot.

It bridges AI with structured data beautifully. And it fits right into the low-code/no-code vision Microsoft has been pushing for years.

Whether you're a Power Platform Pro or just getting started, I highly recommend exploring Prompt columns, especially if your apps could benefit from context-aware, dynamic AI generation.

Let me know in the comments if you've tried it already or have ideas to implement it in your solutions.