- A
Create a SharePoint list for external contractors to submit data, and use Power Automate to send emails.
Why wrong: SharePoint does not provide the same level of encryption control as Dataverse with CMEK.
- B
Enable customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse, and create a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication for external contractors.
CMEK meets encryption requirements, and Power Pages with External ID allows secure external access.
- C
Use Power Apps portals with Microsoft Entra ID B2B collaboration for external contractors, and leave encryption as default.
Why wrong: Default encryption may not meet the encryption at rest requirement; customer-managed key is preferred.
- D
Implement a Power Automate flow to collect data via Microsoft Forms, and store results in Dataverse with default encryption.
Why wrong: Microsoft Forms does not provide the same level of security and encryption control.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to enable customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse and create a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication. This solution directly meets the security mandate by using CMEK to encrypt sensitive data at rest with a key your enterprise controls, rather than relying on Dataverse’s default encryption, which uses Microsoft-managed keys. For external contractors without Microsoft Entra ID accounts, Power Pages with Entra External ID allows them to authenticate via social or email-based identities, enabling secure form submissions without requiring internal directory accounts. On the PL-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of data security and external access patterns—a common trap is choosing Azure AD B2C (now Entra External ID) for internal users or default encryption for compliance. Remember the pairing: CMEK for at-rest encryption control, Power Pages for external identity access. A helpful mnemonic is “CMEK locks the data, Pages opens the door.”
PL-900 Practice Question: Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform
This PL-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the business value of microsoft power platform. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
You are the Power Platform administrator for a large enterprise with multiple departments. The HR department uses a Power Apps canvas app to manage employee onboarding. The app is connected to Dataverse and includes a flow that sends a welcome email via Power Automate. Recently, the IT security team mandated that all Power Platform solutions must use Microsoft Entra ID for authentication and that sensitive data (e.g., social security numbers) must be encrypted at rest. The HR app currently uses Dataverse's default encryption. Additionally, the HR team wants to extend the app to external contractors who do not have Microsoft Entra ID accounts. They need to be able to submit their personal information through a secure web form. You need to design a solution that meets security requirements and allows external access. What should you do?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse, and create a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication for external contractors.
Option B is correct because it addresses both security requirements: customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse ensures sensitive data like social security numbers is encrypted at rest with a key controlled by the enterprise, meeting the IT security mandate. Additionally, creating a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication allows external contractors without Microsoft Entra ID accounts to authenticate via social or email-based identities, enabling secure submission of personal information through a web form while maintaining compliance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Create a SharePoint list for external contractors to submit data, and use Power Automate to send emails.
Why it's wrong here
SharePoint does not provide the same level of encryption control as Dataverse with CMEK.
- ✓
Enable customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse, and create a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication for external contractors.
Why this is correct
CMEK meets encryption requirements, and Power Pages with External ID allows secure external access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Power Apps portals with Microsoft Entra ID B2B collaboration for external contractors, and leave encryption as default.
Why it's wrong here
Default encryption may not meet the encryption at rest requirement; customer-managed key is preferred.
- ✗
Implement a Power Automate flow to collect data via Microsoft Forms, and store results in Dataverse with default encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Forms does not provide the same level of security and encryption control.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse Microsoft Entra ID B2B collaboration (which requires guest accounts in the tenant) with Microsoft Entra External ID (which supports external identities without requiring Microsoft Entra ID accounts), leading them to select Option C instead of the correct Power Pages solution.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse uses Azure Key Vault to store and manage the encryption key, allowing the enterprise to rotate, disable, or audit key usage independently of Microsoft, which is critical for compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. Power Pages with Microsoft Entra External ID (formerly Azure AD B2C) supports identity providers such as Google, Facebook, or email one-time passcodes, enabling external users to authenticate without a Microsoft Entra ID account, while the site can be configured with HTTPS and data loss prevention policies to secure sensitive data submission.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PL-900 question test?
Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform — This question tests Describe the business value of Microsoft Power Platform — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse, and create a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication for external contractors. — Option B is correct because it addresses both security requirements: customer-managed encryption key (CMEK) for Dataverse ensures sensitive data like social security numbers is encrypted at rest with a key controlled by the enterprise, meeting the IT security mandate. Additionally, creating a Power Pages site with Microsoft Entra External ID authentication allows external contractors without Microsoft Entra ID accounts to authenticate via social or email-based identities, enabling secure submission of personal information through a web form while maintaining compliance.
What should I do if I get this PL-900 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PL-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PL-900 exam.
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