Add datasource
Quick answer
- 01What is it?
- 📋 Shared Instructions: shared-instructions.md - Cross-cutting concerns. It brings Microsoft's specific operating context into data and source management, so the agent is guided by a sharper source than a generic prompt.
- 02Inputs
- Context for data and source management: your goals, audience, constraints, and any source material the skill asks for.
- 03Output
- A ready-to-use result for data and source management: the analysis, copy, or recommendations the agent produces.
Add this skill
Install as a package
Installs this one skill package for your coding agent, including any supporting files that skill ships with — not every skill in the repository. Read the tutorial.
$ npx skills add microsoft/power-platform-skills --skill add-datasourceUse in Profound
Copy this file into a new Profound Skill. That's it, nothing else to install.
Copy and create in Profound📋 Shared Instructions: shared-instructions.md ($%7BPLUGIN_ROOT%7D/shared/shared-instructions.md) - Cross-cutting concerns.
Add Data Source
Router skill that understands the user's goal and connects them to the right data source -- without requiring them to know Power Platform terminology.
Workflow
Check Memory Bank
Check for memory-bank.md per shared-instructions.md ($%7BPLUGIN_ROOT%7D/shared/shared-instructions.md).
Understand the Goal
- If
$ARGUMENTSis provided or the caller already specified what's needed, use it directly and skip the question below. - Otherwise, ask the user what they want their app to do -- not which connector to use. Focus on the end goal. Example questions:
- "What kind of data does your app need to work with?"
- "What should your app be able to do? (e.g., search company info, manage tasks, send messages)"
- Based on their answer, recommend the best approach and explain why it's the right fit. The user shouldn't need to know the difference between Dataverse, SharePoint, or other connectors -- that's our job.
Route to the Right Skill
Map the user's goal to the appropriate skill:
| User's goal | Best approach | Invoke |
|---|---|---|
| Store and manage structured business data (custom tables, forms, CRUD) | Dataverse is the platform's native database | /add-dataverse |
| Track work items, bugs, builds, or pipelines | Azure DevOps connector | /add-azuredevops |
| Send or read Teams messages, post to channels | Teams connector | /add-teams |
| Read/write Excel spreadsheet data | Excel Online (Business) connector | /add-excel |
| Upload, download, or manage files | OneDrive for Business connector | /add-onedrive |
| Work with SharePoint lists or document libraries | SharePoint Online connector | /add-sharepoint |
| Send emails, read inbox, manage calendar events | Office 365 Outlook connector | /add-office365 |
| Invoke an AI agent or copilot built in Copilot Studio | Copilot Studio connector | /add-mcscopilot |
| Something else or not sure | Generic connector (we'll figure it out) | /add-connector |
Important routing rules:
- When the user wants to perform actions (send an email, post a message, create a file), use the specific connector for that action (e.g.,
/add-office365for sending email,/add-teamsfor posting messages).
- If the user wants multiple capabilities, invoke each skill in sequence.
When the User Isn't Sure
If the user describes a vague goal (e.g., "I need data for my app"), guide them:
- Ask what their app does and who uses it
- Ask what data they need to display or interact with
- Recommend the simplest approach that meets their needs
- Explain the recommendation in plain language (avoid jargon like "connector", "Dataverse", "tabular data source" unless the user uses those terms first)
Common questions
How do I install Add datasource in Cursor, Claude Code, or Codex?
Run npx skills add microsoft/power-platform-skills --skill add-datasource in the project where you want it, then ask your agent for the skill by name. The --skill flag installs only Add datasource, not every skill in the repository.
Where does Add datasource come from and what license is it under?
Add datasource comes from the microsoft/power-platform-skills repository on GitHub. That repository has 401 GitHub stars. The skill is published under the MIT license.
Prefer plain text? Read the Add datasource guide as markdown.