Summary

This article explains how to analyze file storage usage within the Microsoft Power Platform, identifying tables, files, or users responsible for high storage consumption, and suggests ways to manage and optimize storage utilization.


Introduction

Within the Microsoft Power Platform, file storage primarily holds attachments and files associated with Dataverse tables, such as notes, attachments, or email records. Identifying the source of excessive storage usage is essential for efficient management and optimization.

Steps to Analyze File Storage Usage:

Step 1: Access the Power Platform Admin Center

  • Navigate to: https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com
  • Sign in with your administrative credentials.

Step 2: View Storage Usage by Environment

  • Click on Resources from the left-side menu.
  • Select Capacity.
  • Click on the Dataverse tab.
  • Select the environment experiencing storage issues.

Step 3: Identify Tables Consuming File Storage

  • Within the selected environment, click on Storage capacity.
  • Scroll down to Top Tables by Storage Usage.
  • Sort the table by the File Usage (MB) column to identify the largest contributors to file storage usage.

Common tables that often consume significant file storage include:

  • Annotation (Notes) – Typically stores general file attachments.
  • ActivityMimeAttachment – Stores email attachments.
  • Custom Tables – Any custom entities that allow file uploads.

Step 4: Further Analysis Using Power Apps

To pinpoint specific records or users contributing to high storage usage:

  • Go to https://make.powerapps.com.
  • Select your environment.
  • Navigate to Tables and choose the relevant table (e.g., Notes).
  • Use filters or sorting options based on attachment size or creation date to identify records that consume significant storage.

Recommendations for Reducing File Storage Usage:

  • Delete unnecessary attachments: Regularly remove old, redundant, or unnecessary files.
  • Archive files externally: Use Power Automate flows to move attachments to external storage locations like SharePoint or Azure Blob storage.
  • Restrict file uploads: Implement file size or file-type restrictions to proactively manage storage usage.

Proactive Monitoring with Power BI

Consider exporting storage data periodically from the Power Platform Admin Center and use Microsoft Power BI to build reports and dashboards. This provides ongoing insights into storage trends, facilitating proactive storage management.


This approach ensures effective monitoring, analysis, and management of file storage within your Microsoft Power Platform environments.