Unified activity feed
Emails, phone calls, appointments, tasks, and notes display in one chronological feed.
Case Studies / Canvas App Timeline Component
Canvas App Timeline Component
for Dataverse Activities
A reusable Canvas App component was built to bring a model-driven-style activity timeline into Canvas Apps, helping makers display emails, calls, appointments, notes, and tasks in one Dataverse-connected feed.
The problem behind the work
Model-driven apps include a native timeline for record-related activities, but Canvas Apps do not. Teams needing a timeline experience had to choose a less flexible app type or build inconsistent custom views from scratch.
The goal was to create a drop-in component that could display Dataverse activity history in a familiar, chronological interface.
No native Canvas timeline
Canvas Apps lacked a built-in component for chronological activity history.
Activity data fragmented
Emails, calls, appointments, notes, and tasks sit across multiple Dataverse activity tables.
Repeated custom builds
Teams repeatedly rebuilt timeline-like interfaces for each Canvas App.
Developer complexity
Makers needed to understand the Dataverse activity model just to display basic history.
What was delivered
A reusable Canvas component was built to replicate the familiar timeline pattern while connecting directly to standard Dataverse activity tables.
Activity type filtering
Users can filter the timeline by activity type to focus on relevant interactions.
Inline activity creation
Tasks, notes, and calls can be logged from within the component.
Regarding record linking
Activities connect to parent records through the standard Dataverse regarding relationship.
Reusable component packaging
The component can be imported, configured, and reused across multiple Canvas Apps.
Dataverse-native design
The component uses standard activity tables and security patterns rather than a custom data model.
What changed
Reusable community asset
Developers can use the component instead of rebuilding timeline screens repeatedly.
Faster Canvas delivery
Activity history can be added to Canvas Apps with less custom work.
Consistent user experience
Canvas users get a familiar interaction pattern for record history.
Platform gap addressed
The component fills a practical limitation in Canvas App projects.
Dataverse alignment
The approach works with existing activity records and security.
Lower maintenance
A packaged component is easier to maintain than scattered bespoke screens.
Platform components
Power Apps (Canvas)
Power Fx
Dataverse- Dataverse Activity Tables
- Canvas Components
Building Canvas Apps that need more than the basics?
If your team keeps rebuilding the same pieces, tell us what you are making and we will explain how we would approach it.