In the Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents), adopting standardized and descriptive naming conventions is crucial for maintaining well-organized, readable, and scalable solutions. With consistent naming conventions, collaboration among team members becomes more effective, and it reduces the chance of errors that arise from misinterpreted or ambiguous names.
This guide provides naming convention best practices across each of the Power Platform tools and addresses common practices such as CamelCase and PascalCase. It also discusses the importance of incorporating company names or project names as prefixes or suffixes, which can further help in larger organizations or enterprise solutions.
Best Practices for Naming Conventions
Before we dive into the individual Power Platform apps, here are some general best practices for naming conventions:
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Consistency: Always use the same naming pattern throughout the solution. This applies to controls, variables, actions, and all other components.
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Descriptive Names: Choose names that clearly describe the component's function, purpose, or contents. Avoid abbreviations unless they are widely understood.
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Avoid Special Characters: Avoid using spaces or special characters (like
#,$,&, etc.). Instead, use underscores (_) or camel case for readability. -
Keep Names Short but Clear: Long names are often harder to manage. Strive for concise names without losing clarity.
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CamelCase vs. PascalCase: Decide whether to use CamelCase or PascalCase for different components and stick to it consistently.
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CamelCase: The first letter is lowercase, and each subsequent word starts with an uppercase letter. Typically used for variables, parameters, or data elements (e.g.,
customerName,orderNumber). -
PascalCase: The first letter of every word is uppercase. It is generally used for classes, functions, or components (e.g.,
GetCustomerInfo,SendEmailNotification).
Note: For variables and data elements, CamelCase is recommended, while PascalCase is often used for functions, actions, or app names.
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1. Power Apps Naming Conventions
In Power Apps, naming components such as screens, controls, and variables is essential for organizing and managing your apps. Here’s a detailed approach:
Critical Components and Naming Guidelines:
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App Name: Use PascalCase for app names to signify that they are major components.
Example:CustomerSupportApp,InventoryManagementApp. -
Screen Names: Prefix screen names with
Screen_followed by the functionality or purpose of the screen.
Example:Screen_Home,Screen_Profile,Screen_Orders. -
Control Names: Prefix controls with descriptive identifiers. Use CamelCase for variable names.
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Text Inputs: Prefix with
txt(e.g.,txtFirstName). -
Buttons: Prefix with
btn(e.g.,btnSubmit). -
Labels: Prefix with
lbl(e.g.,lblErrorMessage). -
Dropdowns: Prefix with
dd(e.g.,ddCategory). -
Galleries: Prefix with
gal(e.g.,galProducts). -
Forms: Prefix with
frm(e.g.,frmEmployeeForm). -
Checkboxes: Prefix with
chk(e.g.,chkAcceptTerms).
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Variable Names: Use CamelCase for variable names and prefix them appropriately:
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General Variables: Prefix with
var(e.g.,varUserName,varProductList). -
Collections: Prefix with
col(e.g.,colEmployeeData). -
Records: Prefix with
rec(e.g.,recSelectedItem).
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Data Source Names: Name data sources using descriptive terms and use PascalCase.
Example:EmployeeDataSource,SalesOrderTable.
Should You Add a Company Name as Prefix or Suffix?
In larger organizations, using a company or project name as a prefix can help differentiate components. This is useful when working with multiple projects or departments.
Example: Contoso_InventoryApp, Contoso_EmployeeData.
2. Power Automate Naming Conventions
For Power Automate flows, naming conventions help keep workflows organized, especially when there are many triggers, actions, and conditions involved.
Critical Components and Naming Guidelines:
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Flow Names: Use descriptive names that clearly reflect the flow's action. Apply PascalCase to flow names.
Example:SendEmailOnApproval,SyncCustomerDataToCRM,CreateInvoiceAfterOrder. -
Trigger Variables: Use CamelCase and prefix these with
triggerto signify the source of the event.
Example:triggerNewItem,triggerApprovalStatus. -
Action Variables: Name actions descriptively based on the activity being performed.
Example:sendEmail_Approval,createRecord_Order. -
Condition Names: Prefix conditions with
condto indicate what the condition is checking.
Example:condCheckApprovalStatus,condIsAdmin. -
Loop Names: Use descriptive names for loops that clarify the data being processed.
Example:forEachCustomer,forEachOrder.
Should You Add a Company Name as Prefix or Suffix?
For clarity and differentiation, especially in multi-department or multi-tenant scenarios, adding the company name as a prefix or suffix is recommended.
Example: Contoso_Flow_SendEmail, Contoso_Flow_SyncData.
3. Power BI Naming Conventions
In Power BI, naming conventions for datasets, reports, tables, and columns are essential for maintaining a clean, understandable reporting environment.
Critical Components and Naming Guidelines:
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Report Names: Use PascalCase for reports and dashboards to indicate major components.
Example:SalesReport2025,CustomerEngagementDashboard. -
Dataset Names: Name datasets according to the data source or their purpose. Use PascalCase.
Example:SalesData,EmployeeRecords,MarketingCampaignData. -
Table Names: Use plural names for tables (e.g.,
SalesTransactions,EmployeeRecords) to indicate they contain multiple records. -
Column Names: Use singular names for columns.
Example:TransactionAmount,ProductCategory. -
Measure Names: Name measures based on the calculation and start with functional terms like
Total,Avg, orCount.
Example:TotalSales,AvgOrderValue,CountOrders. -
Data Source Prefixes: For clarity, add a prefix indicating the source of data.
Example:SQL_SalesData,Excel_EmployeeRecords.
Should You Add a Company Name as Prefix or Suffix?
For organizations with numerous reports or departments, including a company name or department prefix is helpful.
Example: Contoso_SalesReport, Contoso_CustomerDashboard.
4. Power Virtual Agents Naming Conventions
Power Virtual Agents enables users to create chatbots, and the naming conventions for topics, actions, and variables help organize the functionality of these bots.
Critical Components and Naming Guidelines:
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Bot Name: Use PascalCase for bot names that indicate their functionality.
Example:HRBot,SupportBot,OrderTrackingBot. -
Topic Names: Topic names should describe the user’s intent or subject matter.
Example:ProductInquiry,OrderStatusCheck,HRLeaveRequest. -
Variable Names: Use CamelCase for variables that represent data elements.
Example:customerName,orderStatus,supportTicketNumber. -
Action Names: Action names should describe the task the bot will perform.
Example:sendOrderConfirmation,checkInventoryStatus.
Should You Add a Company Name as Prefix or Suffix?
For bots serving different departments or businesses, adding a company or department name as a prefix helps avoid conflicts between similarly named bots.
Example: Contoso_HRBot, Contoso_OrderBot.
Conclusion
By applying consistent and descriptive naming conventions across the Power Platform tools—Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents—you can ensure that your solutions are structured, maintainable, and easy to understand. Proper naming also improves collaboration, troubleshooting, and long-term scalability.
Key takeaways include:
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CamelCase: Used for variables, data elements, and smaller components.
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PascalCase: Used for apps, functions, and large components.
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Use company or project names as prefixes or suffixes when working across multiple projects, teams, or environments to avoid confusion.
