Get Metadata for Dataverse Tables
Get Metadata for Dataverse Tables
- Dataverse metadata stores table structure, customizations, and localized labels
- Enables apps to adapt automatically to schema and language changes
- Prevents hard-coding of field names, labels, and business rules
- Retrieved at runtime using the getMetadata function
- Supports entities, columns, and relationships
getMetadata Function – How It Works
The getMetadata function is called from the generated Dataverse service file to retrieve metadata dynamically at runtime.
Function signature:
- Accepts GetEntityMetadataOptions
- Returns selected metadata only (not everything by default)
What You Can Request
-
Entity-level metadata
- Display name
- Privileges
- Customization settings
-
Column (attribute) metadata
- Logical names
- Data types
- Required fields
- User-localized display labels
-
Relationship metadata
- One-to-Many
- Many-to-One (lookup fields)
- Many-to-Many
Limitations
- Only properties defined in AttributeMetadata are available
- Picklist/choice options are not accessible because they belong to derived types
Key Benefits
- Supports multilingual applications
- Enables dynamic UI and validation logic
- Reduces maintenance when schema changes
- Ensures consistent behavior across environments
Best Practices
- Cache metadata at app start or per session
- Request only required columns instead of requesting everything
- Use defensive checks when accessing nested properties
- Rely on generated TypeScript types for safer and more reliable code