Add memo/multiline column type support (#155)

## Summary

Adds support for `"memo"` (or `"multiline"`) column type, enabling
creation of multiline text columns on Dataverse tables. Users can
specify `"memo"` as a column type in `client.tables.create()` and
`client.tables.add_columns()`.

## Changes

**`src/PowerPlatform/Dataverse/data/_odata.py`**
- Add `"memo"` / `"multiline"` handling in `_attribute_payload()`,
generating `MemoAttributeMetadata` with `MaxLength: 4000`, `Format:
Text`, `ImeMode: Auto`

**`src/PowerPlatform/Dataverse/operations/tables.py`**
- Document `"memo"` / `"multiline"` in `create()` docstring

**`examples/advanced/walkthrough.py`**
- Add `"new_Notes": "memo"` column to walkthrough table
- Include memo field in record creation with multiline content
- Read back and display memo field in Section 4
- Update memo with new multiline content in Section 5

**`tests/unit/data/test_odata_internal.py`**
- `test_memo_type()` — validates MemoAttributeMetadata payload
- `test_multiline_alias()` — validates `"multiline"` produces identical
result

**`tests/unit/test_tables_operations.py`**
- `test_add_columns_memo()` — validates memo type through
`add_columns()`

**`README.md`** / **SKILL docs**
- List `"memo"` in supported column types

## Testing

- 620 unit tests passing
- E2E memo walkthrough verified against live Dataverse (10 assertions):
  multiline create/read/update, empty string, None, special characters,
  long text (4000 chars), memo not mistaken for picklist label,
  triple-quoted strings, clearing memo to None

---------

Co-authored-by: Abel Milash <abelmilash@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Author: 3 people

.claude/skills/dataverse-sdk-use/SKILL.md

@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ table_info = client.tables.create(
 #### Supported Column Types
 Types on the same line map to the same exact format under the hood
 - `"string"` or `"text"` - Single line of text
+- `"memo"` or `"multiline"` - Multiple lines of text (4000 character default)
 - `"int"` or `"integer"` - Whole number
 - `"decimal"` or `"money"` - Decimal number
 - `"float"` or `"double"` - Floating point number

README.md

@@ -409,6 +409,7 @@ for page in client.records.get(
 # Create a custom table, including the customization prefix value in the schema names for the table and columns.
 table_info = client.tables.create("new_Product", {
     "new_Code": "string",
+    "new_Description": "memo",
     "new_Price": "decimal",
     "new_Active": "bool"
 })
@@ -679,7 +680,7 @@ For optimal performance in production environments:
 ### Limitations
 
 - SQL queries are **read-only** and support a limited subset of SQL syntax
-- Create Table supports a limited number of column types (string, int, decimal, bool, datetime, picklist)
+- Create Table supports the following column types: string, memo, int, decimal, float, bool, datetime, file, and picklist (Enum subclass)
 - File uploads are limited by Dataverse file size restrictions (default 128MB per file)
 
 ## Contributing

examples/advanced/walkthrough.py

@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ def _run_walkthrough(client):
             "new_Quantity": "int",
             "new_Amount": "decimal",
             "new_Completed": "bool",
+            "new_Notes": "memo",
             "new_Priority": Priority,
         }
         table_info = backoff(lambda: client.tables.create(table_name, columns))
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ def _run_walkthrough(client):
         "new_Quantity": 5,
         "new_Amount": 1250.50,
         "new_Completed": False,
+        "new_Notes": "This is a multiline memo field.\nIt supports longer text content.",
         "new_Priority": Priority.MEDIUM,
     }
     id1 = backoff(lambda: client.records.create(table_name, single_record))
@@ -192,6 +194,7 @@ def _run_walkthrough(client):
                 "new_quantity": record.get("new_quantity"),
                 "new_amount": record.get("new_amount"),
                 "new_completed": record.get("new_completed"),
+                "new_notes": record.get("new_notes"),
                 "new_priority": record.get("new_priority"),
                 "new_priority@FormattedValue": record.get("new_priority@OData.Community.Display.V1.FormattedValue"),
             },
@@ -218,9 +221,19 @@ def _run_walkthrough(client):
 
     # Single update
     log_call(f"client.records.update('{table_name}', '{id1}', {{...}})")
-    backoff(lambda: client.records.update(table_name, id1, {"new_Quantity": 100}))
+    backoff(
+        lambda: client.records.update(
+            table_name,
+            id1,
+            {
+                "new_Quantity": 100,
+                "new_Notes": "Updated memo field.\nNow with revised content across multiple lines.",
+            },
+        )
+    )
     updated = backoff(lambda: client.records.get(table_name, id1))
     print(f"[OK] Updated single record new_Quantity: {updated.get('new_quantity')}")
+    print(f"  new_Notes: {repr(updated.get('new_notes'))}")
 
     # Multiple update (broadcast same change)
     log_call(f"client.records.update('{table_name}', [{len(ids)} IDs], {{...}})")
@@ -493,14 +506,14 @@ def _run_walkthrough(client):
     print("12. Column Management")
     print("=" * 80)
 
-    log_call(f"client.tables.add_columns('{table_name}', {{'new_Notes': 'string'}})")
-    created_cols = backoff(lambda: client.tables.add_columns(table_name, {"new_Notes": "string"}))
+    log_call(f"client.tables.add_columns('{table_name}', {{'new_Tags': 'string'}})")
+    created_cols = backoff(lambda: client.tables.add_columns(table_name, {"new_Tags": "string"}))
     print(f"[OK] Added column: {created_cols[0]}")
 
     # Delete the column we just added
-    log_call(f"client.tables.remove_columns('{table_name}', ['new_Notes'])")
-    backoff(lambda: client.tables.remove_columns(table_name, ["new_Notes"]))
-    print(f"[OK] Deleted column: new_Notes")
+    log_call(f"client.tables.remove_columns('{table_name}', ['new_Tags'])")
+    backoff(lambda: client.tables.remove_columns(table_name, ["new_Tags"]))
+    print(f"[OK] Deleted column: new_Tags")
 
     # ============================================================================
     # 13. DELETE OPERATIONS

src/PowerPlatform/Dataverse/claude_skill/dataverse-sdk-use/SKILL.md

@@ -250,6 +250,7 @@ table_info = client.tables.create(
 #### Supported Column Types
 Types on the same line map to the same exact format under the hood
 - `"string"` or `"text"` - Single line of text
+- `"memo"` or `"multiline"` - Multiple lines of text (4000 character default)
 - `"int"` or `"integer"` - Whole number
 - `"decimal"` or `"money"` - Decimal number
 - `"float"` or `"double"` - Floating point number

src/PowerPlatform/Dataverse/data/_odata.py

@@ -1296,6 +1296,16 @@ def _attribute_payload(
                 "FormatName": {"Value": "Text"},
                 "IsPrimaryName": bool(is_primary_name),
             }
+        if dtype_l in ("memo", "multiline"):
+            return {
+                "@odata.type": "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.MemoAttributeMetadata",
+                "SchemaName": column_schema_name,
+                "DisplayName": self._label(label),
+                "RequiredLevel": {"Value": "None"},
+                "MaxLength": 4000,
+                "FormatName": {"Value": "Text"},
+                "ImeMode": "Auto",
+            }
         if dtype_l in ("int", "integer"):
             return {
                 "@odata.type": "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.IntegerAttributeMetadata",

src/PowerPlatform/Dataverse/operations/tables.py

@@ -82,7 +82,8 @@ def create(
         :type table: :class:`str`
         :param columns: Mapping of column schema names (with customization
             prefix) to their types. Supported types include ``"string"``
-            (or ``"text"``), ``"int"`` (or ``"integer"``), ``"decimal"``
+            (or ``"text"``), ``"memo"`` (or ``"multiline"``),
+            ``"int"`` (or ``"integer"``), ``"decimal"``
             (or ``"money"``), ``"float"`` (or ``"double"``), ``"datetime"``
             (or ``"date"``), ``"bool"`` (or ``"boolean"``), ``"file"``, and
             ``Enum`` subclasses

tests/unit/data/test_odata_internal.py

@@ -519,6 +519,40 @@ def test_returns_none(self):
         self.assertIsNone(result)
 
 
+class TestAttributePayload(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Unit tests for _ODataClient._attribute_payload."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.od = _make_odata_client()
+
+    def test_memo_type(self):
+        """'memo' should produce MemoAttributeMetadata with MaxLength 4000."""
+        result = self.od._attribute_payload("new_Notes", "memo")
+        self.assertEqual(result["@odata.type"], "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.MemoAttributeMetadata")
+        self.assertEqual(result["SchemaName"], "new_Notes")
+        self.assertEqual(result["MaxLength"], 4000)
+        self.assertEqual(result["FormatName"], {"Value": "Text"})
+        self.assertNotIn("IsPrimaryName", result)
+
+    def test_multiline_alias(self):
+        """'multiline' should produce identical payload to 'memo'."""
+        memo_result = self.od._attribute_payload("new_Description", "memo")
+        multiline_result = self.od._attribute_payload("new_Description", "multiline")
+        self.assertEqual(multiline_result, memo_result)
+
+    def test_string_type(self):
+        """'string' should produce StringAttributeMetadata with MaxLength 200."""
+        result = self.od._attribute_payload("new_Title", "string")
+        self.assertEqual(result["@odata.type"], "Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.StringAttributeMetadata")
+        self.assertEqual(result["MaxLength"], 200)
+        self.assertEqual(result["FormatName"], {"Value": "Text"})
+
+    def test_unsupported_type_returns_none(self):
+        """An unknown type string should return None."""
+        result = self.od._attribute_payload("new_Col", "unknown_type")
+        self.assertIsNone(result)
+
+
 class TestPicklistLabelResolution(unittest.TestCase):
     """Tests for picklist label-to-integer resolution.
 

tests/unit/test_tables_operations.py

@@ -193,6 +193,16 @@ def test_add_columns(self):
         self.client._odata._create_columns.assert_called_once_with("new_Product", columns)
         self.assertEqual(result, ["new_Notes", "new_Active"])
 
+    def test_add_columns_memo(self):
+        """add_columns() with memo type should pass through correctly."""
+        self.client._odata._create_columns.return_value = ["new_Description"]
+
+        columns = {"new_Description": "memo"}
+        result = self.client.tables.add_columns("new_Product", columns)
+
+        self.client._odata._create_columns.assert_called_once_with("new_Product", columns)
+        self.assertEqual(result, ["new_Description"])
+
     # --------------------------------------------------------- remove_columns
 
     def test_remove_columns_single(self):