Dataverse Choice columns are quick to create and are straightforward for Makers to incorporate into their app, however, they are very limited. A more flexible alternative is to host the data in a separate table and access that table using a Lookup column
Dataverse Choice or Reference Tables?
Before deciding which is the best option think about the functionality of your app. If the requirement is nothing more complex than a Dropdown list displaying a relatively small number of options, using a Choice column is fine. If your requirement is more complex, then seriously consider using a separate Dataverse table to hold the data instead
Below is a summary of what you can and can’t do with a Choice column. Use it to help decide at what point a Choice column becomes a constraint and use a Reference table instead
| Action | Choice Column | Reference Table |
|---|---|---|
|
Provide a simple list that can be easily incorporated into a Power App |
Yes |
Not as easy as a Choice column to create but straightforward to create a Lookup column instead to access a separate Dataverse table |
|
Provide a simple list that can be easily incorporated into a Power App |
Yes |
No. The list of data would need to be created in the table |
|
Make use of the many pre-created option lists in Dataverse and add directly into a Choice column |
Yes |
Not as quick as a Choice column but still easy to update directly in Dataverse or using Excel or a similar tool |
|
Quick to set up. Easy to update |
Yes |
Yes |
|
The selected item in the list can be used to filter another dataset |
Yes |
Yes |
|
The data list itself can be filtered before being presented on screen |
No. Because a Choice column is just a text list (with a secondary column containing a reference number) there is no associated data against which to filter |
Yes |
|
The list be sorted in Canvas Apps |
No. The data will have to be entered in Dataverse exactly how you want it displayed in an app |
Yes |
|
Can contain associated data rather than just a single column list |
No. You could associate data in a separate table with the data listed in the Choice column, but it would be more straight forward to use a Reference Table instead |
Yes |
|
Options can be updated directly from a Canvas App |
No. Access to Dataverse is required for this. Choices are primarily for data list that are not likely to change |
Yes |
|
Long lists can be grouped or cascaded to 2 or more Dropdowns |
No. As mentioned above, there is no associated data to provide the grouping. Use a reference table instead |
Yes |
If in doubt, remember, whilst it takes a little longer to setup a Lookup column to a reference table, there’s nothing you can do with a Choice column that you can’t do with a reference table and you can do a whole lot more besides!
Power Apps Reference: Sort a Dataverse Choice Column
Powerappsguide.com: How to filter Dataverse choice columns