Improved Email Data Validation in Power Apps

“Garbage in, garbage out.” That’s the challenge many developers face when dealing with low-quality data entering their Dynamics 365 or Power Apps systems. In a recent video by Brian Knight of Pragmatic Works, he walks users through a new feature—currently in preview—that allows for more advanced email data validation within model-driven apps. This process helps prevent invalid or junk email addresses from entering your Dataverse, enhancing data integrity before it's ever stored.

Why Email Validation Matters

Basic email validation in Power Apps checks for obvious formatting errors, but that’s not enough in many real-world scenarios. Brian highlights how this new feature takes validation further by identifying throwaway or spam email domains that traditional validation would miss. This reduces junk data, enhances communication capabilities, and improves the overall reliability of your system.

How to Enable Smart Email Validation

To get started, there are three major steps to enable this feature:

1. Enable at the Environment Level

1. Go to make.powerapps.com.
2. Click the gear icon on the top-right and open the Admin Center.
3. Select the appropriate environment from the list.
4. Navigate to Settings → Product → Features.
5. Scroll down and turn on Data Validation.
6. Click Save.

Note: At the time of this recording, the feature is still in preview, so some changes or limitations may occur later.

2. Enable at the App Level

1. Find and open the solution containing your model-driven app.
2. Edit the model-driven application.
3. Click the Settings button within the app editor.
4. Go to Upcoming Features.
5. Toggle on Smart Email Validation and optionally enable the new look and feel of the app UI.
6. Click Save and Republish the app.

3. Configure the Email Column Correctly

For validation to work correctly, ensure the email column is explicitly typed as an Email field—not just plain text:

• When adding a new column, choose Email under the data type settings.
• This flags the field so the system can recognize and validate it appropriately.

Demonstration: How It Works

In the demo, Brian types in various bogus email addresses. If a fake or improperly formatted email like “junk@spam” is entered, the system immediately flags it. It even checks for valid domain existence. For example, typing in a domain that doesn't exist results in a warning, while entering legitimate ones allows submission. Although the system can't verify if a person exists at the email, it does help prevent:

• Misspelled domains
• Known throwaway or temporary emails
• Fake or malformed addresses

Recap: Key Steps to Enable Email Validation

1. Turn on Data Validation at the environment level.
2. Enable Smart Email Validation in your model-driven app settings.
3. Ensure email fields are explicitly marked as email-type columns.

This new feature is part of a broader push to improve data quality in the Power Platform. Brian emphasizes the importance of keeping bad data out from the start, rather than dealing with it later downstream in analytics or workflows.

Don't forget to check out the Pragmatic Works' on-demand learning platform for more insightful content and training sessions on Power Apps and other Microsoft applications. Be sure to subscribe to the Pragmatic Works YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on the latest tips and tricks.