It is like master class. I know the solution concept, the pipelines, environment variables and also Sharepoint Lists are not included to solutions. But I didn't know how to dynamically change data source according to the environment using all. Thanks Reza!
A very good refresher for me but I still learnt something new. Didn't realise that you could create a new list based on an existing one. I've always gone to the blank and never bothered to look at the other options. Just last week, I went and looked up your videos from last year on Environment variables as I needed to improve some of my Apps and the understanding was really helpful. Again, thank you for so much clarity with your videos.
Exactly what I currently need. I tried to read documentation from microsoft learn, it looked cryptic to me. After watching your video I started to understand the documentation as well. Thank you.
@@evaldasilginis3119 Not aware of how RUclips handles that to be honest. Dont take risks :) but thank you so much. The thought is more important for me. Much appreciated
Masha Allah!. What a Smooth Explanation. I was always confused about the environment variable. Even I was not getting it understood from ChatGPT also. You made it simple Reza bhai. Thanks a lot again.
Great to have Microsoft's logic and structure explained. Well done! This topic shows, however, that you don't need to push it too far for it to be too unintuitive for citizen developers.
This is absolutely incredible!!! Thank you so very much! I was concerned about using solutions and knew I needed to, but you broke this down so well and so easy and covered everything I needed to know!! Man and environment variables!!! For real!!! I sure hope somebody pays you very well sir!! Cause you deserve it!! Thank you!!
@@RezaDorrani , i need your help how to do left join in Power apps. There are two tables coming from SQL with Premium license i will take all columns from table 1 key is Primary key and table 2 having Key and other new columns i will update new columns in Power apps and Patch those into SQL table however i need only records of Table1 to update new columns how to perform Left join please asap
Mr. Reza, Hello. Since I saw this amazing ALM video a few months ago, I am always checking your RUclips channel to see if you've posted a new ALM video. For the first time. I'm planning to migrate the entire Power Platform system on my account to a new environment to be used from now on. (it comprises two Microsoft Lists, twenty flows, two Power Apps, one Power BI, a SharePoint team site that embeds Yammer, Power BI & Power App, and one Microsoft Teams group with five channels).Also I observed that I needed to utilize connection references in my flows based on my recent readings, even though I hadn't done it in my actual flows. My objective is to package these into one solution. I'm crossing my fingers so your next videos will address such issues. For now, I am analyzing this video to get insight but I am looking forward to your next videos to make my ALM more efficient. Agan Many Thanks for the usual mentorship
Great video. Thx. I'll now stop using 'string' environment variables for Sharepoint sites/doclibs references and use the 'data source' option. Did not know it could be done that way. Thx for the trick!
I’ve had a little experience building a Dynamics CRM system in a solution, but our contract hire originally set up the solution and the Dev & Prod environments. So I’ve had it on my to-do list to get someone to explain the environment & solutions set-up. This was very helpful, & the solution variables will be very useful. Thanks Reza!
Thanks Reza, great video. Wish MS docs explained it as simply as you do!! Really appreciated you covering the DV aspects i.e. adding related objects. great insight.
Crysal clear explanation. In one of the projects, I had difficulty exporting Dataverse tables and choices. So I'm elated that you covered that... Thanks buddy!!
@@RezaDorrani I am good in canvas app and want to explore in modern app, I have seen some of your videos on dataverse and modern driven and want beginners videos on modern driven.
Another great video Reza. This would def solve one of the challenges, in finding apps and knowing what’s associated with it. Idk if there is a limit on how many solutions there can be, but guess I’ll do some research.
@@RezaDorraniHi Friend. I have made some solutions including environment variables for datasets (Sharepoint lists), for some reason i can't see those environment variables, they are created en in the solution, but they don't appear in the environment variables existing, besides, when im making a flow, i try to use the environment variables (Sharepoint lists and sites), but they don't exist according to dinamic content. Do you know what's happening?
@@duvangomez8700 I have not come across the mentioned issue and hence not sure what the fix for your issue is. I recommend posting your issue with screenshots on the forums at powerusers.microsoft.com
Incredible video and explanation, this has helped me so much! If you are accepting requests, I would like to know how to navigate to different screens with the access based on the department an employee is in, using data from a sharepoint list. The combo box is comprised of data from a sharepoint list that has a column for employee names and another column for their respective department. For example "Kevin" works as an inspector, when Kevin's name is selected from the combo box, the app should be able to navigate to a screen to start or edit an inspection form. If "Robert" is a manager, and Robert's name is selected from the combo box, the app should navigate to a screen listing the history of inspection forms submitted. I would really appreciate this, thank you!
I do take topic suggestions every quarter on community tab of my channel. I will be conducting one next month. You can post your suggestion there and if it gets a lot of likes(votes) then I will add it to my backlog.
Spot on. It's really helpful. Thank you so much. If you don't mind, can you please do the next video on how to update/upgrade/clone/patch solutions. They are very confusing ☹️
Thank you so much Reza - your videos are so extremely useful. So much input and tons of helpful links nicely ordered in chapters - could not ask for more. Thanks a ton 💙🙏
15:35 - Export & Import Solutions across Environments Even though you remove the Current Value of an environment variable (and the Default Value still being empty), the flow keeps using that removed value, right?
Regarding ALM, what I would find interesting in a more advance tutorial is ALM Governance in Power Platform. If you have a dataverse environment with multiple apps and purposes, how to go about with data, solutions (1, or more), avoid (nasty) dependency issues, etc.
Hi Reza, thank you for your excellent tutorial! I have a question: based on your first example, if I want to add or edit a column in the Issue tracking list, how can I make the change to the other Issue tracking lists that are in other SP sites? Do I have to do it manually or there is a better way to accomplish this? Thank you so much!
Hey Reza, This is a such valuable video. Thank you for explaining solutions and environment variables. I was NOT getting it from documentation. At the end of your video you were exporting to production. I could not see the video for the RUclips ending banner going across the screen. QUESTION: What is the outcome of importing into a SharePoint production list with existing data, in the classic experience?
What time in video was it shown where the banner comes up? You dont import anything into sharepoint. You import a solution in a Power Platform environment.
Every quarter I ask my subscribers for video topic suggestions in the Community Tab of my RUclips channel. The ideas that get the most likes (votes), I add them to my backlog. Next topic suggestion post will be next month. Make sure to post this topic.
This is an AWESOME video; it clears things up so much. One thing to double-check. We have a canvas app that has about 15 lists and 7 flows that use those various lists. I should create an environment variable for each list, right?
@@RezaDorrani Thanks for your reply. One more question if I may: I imported an existing app into a new solution. The app still shows in both places (new solution and Default solution), is that to be expected?
LAST question, I think: is there a way to tell in the PowerApps UI that an existing datasource is using environment variables? After I add it, it looks the same and the tooltip details are the same. Would be nice if there was a visual cue it is using a variable versus being hard linked.
@@RezaDorrani Thank you so much for your reply. Lastly, I would like to know, do SharePoint virtual tables also require the same scenario for configuration in the 'Solution'? Thanks again . Love to learn from your video , Always.
Reza, you should mention that cloud Flows must be recreated or, as a workaround, triggers recreated as Recurrence, in order to add them to an existing solution. This can be a substantial amount of work if you have many flows called from PowerApps and is one of the main reasons I don't keeping people from from transferring their non-solution Power Apps into solutions.
Thanks Reza, Great Video. I have small doubt, If we want to change/ update out application which is in Dev Environment, so once we publish it in Dev does it also change it in Prod/Preprod Environments? or do we need to export it again and import it in our Prod/Preprod Environments ? Tried by exporting the latest package from Dev with latest version and while importing in Prod Environment, it is showing as "This version of the solution package is already installed(1.0.0.1)". I did check that I am importing latest version which is 1.0.0.4 Do I need to do any change anything in setting ? or am I doing wrong ? Thanks in advance :)
If you make changes in dec, you would need to export and import it in test and prod. When you export, it will update the version number. When you import in a higher env, it will accordingly update the package.
Thankyou for imparting your knowledge on Solutions even if I had to go and have lie down following the torrent of procedures in your method. I'm assuming your method is to do things in the proper order, to limit errors and security breaches. Are there any other advantages? If the main purpose is to export solutions across environments, I'm thinking, why can't Canvas apps be downloaded and imported to other environments. Seems to me that would be far simpler?
For a simple scenario like 1 app you are free to manually export import. Solutions - learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/solutions-overview
Thank you for clearing my doubts!! I have a quick query: Canvas app in UAT environment should point to Dev-SharePoint site Or Prod-SharePoint site data?
Thank you so much Reza. This was the video I was looking for. In my case, I used your instructions to add existing apps, flows, and power bi. However, after creating the environment file with my site address, my SharePoint list are not appearing. Is there any reason for this? Could the administrators limit my access? Also, this ALM means it will create a new similar list, flows, apps and etc when installed on the new environment, right? Or should we create the list in the new environment and provide the link to the imported solution? Thank you for changing many people's lives across the globe.
Reza, thank you for this video. I have a solution right now that utilizes a SharePoint list as the primary component and has a number of "For a Selected Item" flows hooked up to it. As you know, these types of flows cannot operate outside of the Default environment. That said, I would still like to have a test and production version of this app but cannot seem to do that in the Default environment as when I try to export and import a copy of it into the same environment, it does not allow me to do it because the solution already exists. Is there any way to do this? Beyond that small question, how are we supposed to manage ALM with these types of flows involved?
Great video, Reza, thank you! With regard to the connection reference, whose connections would you suggest using in the production environment? Your own, the product owner or a service account?
Thank you Reza, why haven’t you made earlier? ;-) that would have saved me time and pain ;-) Very cristal clear summary of the topic that is worth to re explained by you. Thank you
Thanks for the video - the only issue with these types of manual deploys is the lack of automated testing gates - solutions should be unpacked and scanned for best practices and the solution checker and only once these pass or if a tech lead approved should the solution be imported. Developers should not be manually imported solutions into any environment beyond dev - rather they would check in their solution in a git repo and issue PR which would trigger a pipeline that would automatically run tests and if passed would merge in a common dev and perhaps subsequently auto deploy as managed to a staging or test env. D365 implementations are heavily reliant upon manual testing which is inefficient and error prone - thankfully MS provided the power platform CLI to facilitate this using scripting in a pipeline or GitHub action. The challenge is to set the env variables and configuration references in the pipeline automatically for the release rather than having to manually specify it at runtime like shown here.
Hi Reza, it's very very helpful and looking since long time . Thank you so much. Could you please guide us Power platform with CI /CD. Thanks in advance....!
Let's see the result of this video first. If successful, I will plan a follow up to this which would be automating the process of moving solutions across environments with ADO.
@@RezaDorrani Please create a video on CI/CD as well using Azure Devops... Your videos are already successful. You are really doing a great work. Always appreciated all your effort and hard work you put in.. Kudos
It's ok. Looking from you as expert, till this date no idea how to proceed with CI /CD and multiple developers working on same app, that's why I am requesting you. Advance thanks for your hard work put in. Any have the present video worth able for me at current time.
Hi Reza, another nice video, for publisher do you recommend creating a publisher based on the project? or based on the environment, say each environment is only on publisher?
Hi Reza, great video, I've not really used Environment variables so far as like probably many companies we started to develop apps before solutions were a thing, so now are in the situation were production apps are on the default environment. One of my tasks for 2022 is to move production apps onto our new production environment and develop on the dev environment using our service account for all the connections. For long a while now, even though I'm on the default environment, I've made a point of developing in solution's and setting up connection references to support the apps and flows hoping when the time comes to export, i might have less issues. Question; what's the advantage of me using environment variables for setting data connections in apps and flows over just having the connection references, i was under the impression when exporting the solution the connection references were responsible for rewiring the app back up to the data source (for SharePoint anyway)? Would the use case for Environment variables be used if you were going to recreate supporting tables using the data verse in the new environment when importing rather than SharePoint, or is this now best practice to use Environment Variables? As I'm using SharePoint (for now) for my back end, as you say it isnt Environment centric so i would probably use the same lists i used for developing when importing. Are we saying here we can create a new site when importing the solution if the site and list are a Environment variables, which i don't think is possible is it with using flow to create the required lists etc. Btw off to find your environment variable video next as my mind is blown, and i have many questions lol Thanks
Thanks for watching the video. Environment variables are configurable elements as you move across environments. Connection Reference is purely establishing a connection with the connector. For example connecting to SharePoint. It does not store the SP site and list url in it. When you move from one env to another, if you need separate site and list connections, if you need configurable elements, that's where env variables is a great feature. Dataverse Table schema is supported in solutions. SharePoint is not. You can create your SP site and lists manually. You can also automate if using flow. You can use the SharePoint REST API endpoint to create lists and columns.
Hello Reza, I have a question and I can't find an answer: MS Docs says that Pipeline only works with managed environments but what is the cost of a managed environment. ? My colleague mentions 4 environments to start with: Dev, Test, Acceptance and Prod, with Acceptance and Prod in managed environment. I have doubts about the costs.
Managed Environments (ME) - requires every user running apps/flows to have a premium power apps and/or power automate license. learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/guidance/white-papers/managed-environment-activation
Great video Reza, thanks! One question. My customer wants all the power automates in an unmanaged solution in Production environment so that they can directly access those anytime to see the errors or edit it directly from there. Will it have any impact? What other approaches do you recommend for the power automates management?
Reza, can you clarify why one would need to remove the default value from Environment variables, or change the solution in any way to export it. Won't the import prompt the user regardless in order to ensure the correct values are used in the new environment? The removed defaults have to be restored once you have export and this seems like it should be unnecessary.
@@RezaDorrani I have figured this out. I did not get that there was a default and current value setting. Sure wish Microsoft had implemented this differently but I suppose their thinking was that the developer would only remove the current value for those things that the import should then prompt to replace. Clunky as the import could easily be better organized to handle this by simply letting the developer decide at that time what needs to be changed. Thanks for the great video.
Thanks! I a have question. Let's say you wanna edit the variable after some time has passed by.. do you have to import the solution again or you can edit the variable in managed solution also?
![Power Platform Administration [Full Course]](/img/1.gif)
Thanks, Reza. This is a video I think we all needed. Keep it up!
Thank You so much. Many had requested this topic and to my surprise there was not much content on this.
Wow, I am seeing this after 11 months and I am blown away. Thank you Reza.
Thanks for watching and liking the video
It is like master class.
I know the solution concept, the pipelines, environment variables and also Sharepoint Lists are not included to solutions. But I didn't know how to dynamically change data source according to the environment using all.
Thanks Reza!
Most welcome
A very good refresher for me but I still learnt something new. Didn't realise that you could create a new list based on an existing one. I've always gone to the blank and never bothered to look at the other options. Just last week, I went and looked up your videos from last year on Environment variables as I needed to improve some of my Apps and the understanding was really helpful. Again, thank you for so much clarity with your videos.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for sharing your scenario & thanks for watching.
Exactly what I currently need. I tried to read documentation from microsoft learn, it looked cryptic to me. After watching your video I started to understand the documentation as well. Thank you.
Awesome! So happy to hear the video is useful
@@RezaDorraniI tried to donate but my bank refused to allow the transaction, claiming it could be "risky"
@@evaldasilginis3119 Not aware of how RUclips handles that to be honest. Dont take risks :) but thank you so much. The thought is more important for me. Much appreciated
Masha Allah!.
What a Smooth Explanation. I was always confused about the environment variable. Even I was not getting it understood from ChatGPT also. You made it simple Reza bhai. Thanks a lot again.
You are most welcome
Great to have Microsoft's logic and structure explained. Well done!
This topic shows, however, that you don't need to push it too far for it to be too unintuitive for citizen developers.
Thanks
This is absolutely incredible!!! Thank you so very much! I was concerned about using solutions and knew I needed to, but you broke this down so well and so easy and covered everything I needed to know!! Man and environment variables!!! For real!!! I sure hope somebody pays you very well sir!! Cause you deserve it!! Thank you!!
You're very welcome!
@@RezaDorrani , i need your help how to do left join in Power apps. There are two tables coming from SQL with Premium license i will take all columns from table 1 key is Primary key and table 2 having Key and other new columns i will update new columns in Power apps and Patch those into SQL table however i need only records of Table1 to update new columns how to perform Left join please asap
Thank you Reza. I feel like you just graduated me from Apprentice to Journeyman.
Congrats on the graduation 😃
Another AWESOME video and walkthrough by Reza!!! I cannot thank you enough! 10 STARS!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank You so much! Much appreciated.
Great Video, might every one know this: Now we can enable the feature; "Automatically create env~ variable when adding Data source"
Great tip!
0 k8o9😊
Mr. Reza, Hello. Since I saw this amazing ALM video a few months ago, I am always checking your RUclips channel to see if you've posted a new ALM video. For the first time. I'm planning to migrate the entire Power Platform system on my account to a new environment to be used from now on. (it comprises two Microsoft Lists, twenty flows, two Power Apps, one Power BI, a SharePoint team site that embeds Yammer, Power BI & Power App, and one Microsoft Teams group with five channels).Also I observed that I needed to utilize connection references in my flows based on my recent readings, even though I hadn't done it in my actual flows. My objective is to package these into one solution. I'm crossing my fingers so your next videos will address such issues. For now, I am analyzing this video to get insight but I am looking forward to your next videos to make my ALM more efficient. Agan Many Thanks for the usual mentorship
My next video is not going to be on ALM :)
I make videos when I receive multiple requests on a topic.
I have 7-8 videos lined up for next 2 months.
@@RezaDorrani Well noted Sir. As usual, I Will upgrade myself with your next videos till ALM comes. thanks
Great video. Thx. I'll now stop using 'string' environment variables for Sharepoint sites/doclibs references and use the 'data source' option. Did not know it could be done that way. Thx for the trick!
Most welcome and thanks for watching.
I’ve had a little experience building a Dynamics CRM system in a solution, but our contract hire originally set up the solution and the Dev & Prod environments. So I’ve had it on my to-do list to get someone to explain the environment & solutions set-up.
This was very helpful, & the solution variables will be very useful.
Thanks Reza!
Glad to hear that! Thank You for watching.
Thanks, Raza, for your effort in creating amazing videos that provide solutions to power app markers.
Most welcome
Thanks Reza, great video. Wish MS docs explained it as simply as you do!! Really appreciated you covering the DV aspects i.e. adding related objects. great insight.
You’re most welcome. Thanks for watching
An intuitive and comprehensive video! Thank you
Most welcome
Thanks for the video Reza!
Very easy to deploy my solution from one environment to another.
You are most welcome!
Yes, this makes deployments easy.
Thanks, Reza. This really helped me to understand Solutions and their purpose. Great job!
Glad to hear that! Thanks for watching.
Crysal clear explanation. In one of the projects, I had difficulty exporting Dataverse tables and choices. So I'm elated that you covered that... Thanks buddy!!
Great to hear!
Thankyou Reza! As always amazing article. I keep learning from your videos. Really appreciate it.
You're most welcome
Excellent video Reza! Will definitely be coming back to it when I work on my first solution!
Awesome!
Was waiting for this video. Perfectly explained. Thanks. Lots of love from India
Thanks Palash. Love back to India. I was traveling to India today but sadly due to COVID like symptoms I had to cancel my flight.
Thanks Reza, useful concepts to understand ALM. Great work!
Glad it was helpful!
This is awesome 👌 its going to make my work easier next time that I need to deploy an update.
Excellent video, thanks a lot
Most welcome
both the environment variables and this solution video were so informative and amazing
Glad to hear that
Amazing tutorial. I just ca from lmms (a free daw software) and i decided to switch since it didn’t offer enough convenience. It was
👍
Great video. Exactly what I needed. Thank you Reza.
Glad it helped!
Thanks a ton Reza, I am a big fan of yours.I have watched all your videos and learnt lots of this from you.
Thank You Umesh
@@RezaDorrani thank you Reza, please add more videos on modern driven apps.
@@umeshgaur6960 Il be asking video topic ideas soon. Post your topic suggestions there. If it gets a lot of votes, I will add it to my backlog.
@@RezaDorrani I am good in canvas app and want to explore in modern app, I have seen some of your videos on dataverse and modern driven and want beginners videos on modern driven.
@@umeshgaur6960 If I get a lot of requests, I will make it.
Many Thanks!
I didn't use solutions yet, but your video well explained the basic concept. Licencing issues as well. Great :-)
Solutions does not require premium licensing. It's called out in video.
Thanks for this video. I finally understand the use of environment variable in a solution
Glad to hear that.
I am learning new always from you. Really amazing.
Happy to hear that. Thanks for watching.
Great video, Reza, thank you! Very important topic.
Glad you liked it!
Another Great Video!!.. This is the video which I was waiting for Thank you so much!!!
Glad to hear that and thanks for watching
This is awesome, and certainly going to speed up some builds with environment variables
It certainly helps speed up builds. Thanks Billy
Very useful video Reza! Hope you make another video on how to update the managed solutions from dev to production using best practices!
That is the plan. Waiting to see the overall response to this video.
Well made. I got required info
Thanks a lot Reza.
Glad to hear!
Another great video Reza. This would def solve one of the challenges, in finding apps and knowing what’s associated with it. Idk if there is a limit on how many solutions there can be, but guess I’ll do some research.
I don’t think there is any limit. Solutions are created in Dataverse. The more capacity you have, the more solutions you can create.
Thank you @Reza. Awaiting next part of ALM of patch and clone the solution.
Thanks. Next part will depend upon the response to this part.
Great, clear video.
Thanks Reza.
Glad it was helpful!
Another fantastic video about solutions, thank you Reza!
You’re most welcome
Another great video - thanks for this detailed video Reza
You’re most welcome
Great video, thanks for sharing the knowledge.
You’re most welcome
This is awesome!!, Thanks for sharing you're knowledge.
Glad it was helpful!
@@RezaDorraniHi Friend.
I have made some solutions including environment variables for datasets (Sharepoint lists), for some reason i can't see those environment variables, they are created en in the solution, but they don't appear in the environment variables existing, besides, when im making a flow, i try to use the environment variables (Sharepoint lists and sites), but they don't exist according to dinamic content. Do you know what's happening?
@@duvangomez8700 I have not come across the mentioned issue and hence not sure what the fix for your issue is. I recommend posting your issue with screenshots on the forums at powerusers.microsoft.com
@@RezaDorrani I Will, thanks mate
Thank you so much for this video.. I was searching for this content since long..
Most welcome
Thanks Reza 🙏..Once again great explanation.now i have cleared idea about the concept..
Great!
Thanks Reza, Very Good Explanation you are Marvelous
You are most welcome
Incredible video and explanation, this has helped me so much! If you are accepting requests, I would like to know how to navigate to different screens with the access based on the department an employee is in, using data from a sharepoint list. The combo box is comprised of data from a sharepoint list that has a column for employee names and another column for their respective department. For example "Kevin" works as an inspector, when Kevin's name is selected from the combo box, the app should be able to navigate to a screen to start or edit an inspection form. If "Robert" is a manager, and Robert's name is selected from the combo box, the app should navigate to a screen listing the history of inspection forms submitted. I would really appreciate this, thank you!
I do take topic suggestions every quarter on community tab of my channel. I will be conducting one next month. You can post your suggestion there and if it gets a lot of likes(votes) then I will add it to my backlog.
@@RezaDorrani Sounds good Reza, thank you for getting back to me so quickly!
Spot on. It's really helpful. Thank you so much. If you don't mind, can you please do the next video on how to update/upgrade/clone/patch solutions. They are very confusing ☹️
Plan is to make this a series. Lets give this video some time to seed :)
@@RezaDorrani thanks Reza. Am with you 👍
Thank you so much Reza - your videos are so extremely useful. So much input and tons of helpful links nicely ordered in chapters - could not ask for more. Thanks a ton 💙🙏
You're very welcome! Thank You so much for watching.
Incredible ! Thankyou Reza.
Most welcome
very Interesting Topic...Thank
You're welcome
Great job as wie get use from you. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Great video and quality! Well done.
Most Useful video,Thanks Reza
My pleasure
15:35 - Export & Import Solutions across Environments
Even though you remove the Current Value of an environment variable (and the Default Value still being empty), the flow keeps using that removed value, right?
Right
Just what I needed. What a timing!
Awesome
Very important topic , thank you for the video
Glad to hear that. Thank You for watching.
Thank you Reza i always learn something from your videos 👏👏👏
Great to hear! Thanks so much for watching.
Great content Raza, Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
appreciated all your works, Reza
Thank You
Regarding ALM, what I would find interesting in a more advance tutorial is ALM Governance in Power Platform. If you have a dataverse environment with multiple apps and purposes, how to go about with data, solutions (1, or more), avoid (nasty) dependency issues, etc.
If I ever get to a more advanced version of this video, I will include these concepts.
Thank you for the awesome videos.
Most welcome
Hi Reza, thank you for your excellent tutorial! I have a question: based on your first example, if I want to add or edit a column in the Issue tracking list, how can I make the change to the other Issue tracking lists that are in other SP sites? Do I have to do it manually or there is a better way to accomplish this? Thank you so much!
Check documentation on SharePoint site scripts and site designs.
@@RezaDorrani Thank you for the answer, I'll try it! Please keep going with this stuff!
Hey Reza, This is a such valuable video. Thank you for explaining solutions and environment variables. I was NOT getting it from documentation. At the end of your video you were exporting to production. I could not see the video for the RUclips ending banner going across the screen. QUESTION: What is the outcome of importing into a SharePoint production list with existing data, in the classic experience?
What time in video was it shown where the banner comes up?
You dont import anything into sharepoint. You import a solution in a Power Platform environment.
Great video as ALWAYS!!!!
Thank You
Excellent. Thanks Reza. 💥
👍
Great explanation. Thank you 🙏
You are welcome!
Great video as always Reza! Would be nice to see some Azure Devops incorporation as well if possible 👍🏼
I have it in my backlog.
@@RezaDorrani Awesome, thanks Reza.
@16:15 seconds. If current value is removed..do i have to repopulate current value in existing ( source) solution after exporting solution?
No
Hi Reza. Thank you this Video. It will be great if you create more video with Model driven part and guided how can we use react with model driven.
Every quarter I ask my subscribers for video topic suggestions in the Community Tab of my RUclips channel. The ideas that get the most likes (votes), I add them to my backlog.
Next topic suggestion post will be next month. Make sure to post this topic.
Thanks Reza for this wonderful video
My pleasure
Simply Marvellous!
Thanks Chris
This is an AWESOME video; it clears things up so much. One thing to double-check. We have a canvas app that has about 15 lists and 7 flows that use those various lists. I should create an environment variable for each list, right?
Yes
@@RezaDorrani Thanks for your reply. One more question if I may: I imported an existing app into a new solution. The app still shows in both places (new solution and Default solution), is that to be expected?
@@dmvogan Yes. Its part of a solution but available in the environment
@@RezaDorrani Thanks so much for both replies and all your videos.
LAST question, I think: is there a way to tell in the PowerApps UI that an existing datasource is using environment variables? After I add it, it looks the same and the tooltip details are the same. Would be nice if there was a visual cue it is using a variable versus being hard linked.
Thank you so much. This video saved my day. Btw, after watching this, I've one question. Can a solution export from one tenant to another tenant?
Welcome!
You can export solutions across tenants.
@@RezaDorrani Thank you so much for your reply. Lastly, I would like to know, do SharePoint virtual tables also require the same scenario for configuration in the 'Solution'?
Thanks again .
Love to learn from your video , Always.
@@acm-yo4mp I have not done much work with VT so not sure about that.
Reza, you should mention that cloud Flows must be recreated or, as a workaround, triggers recreated as Recurrence, in order to add them to an existing solution. This can be a substantial amount of work if you have many flows called from PowerApps and is one of the main reasons I don't keeping people from from transferring their non-solution Power Apps into solutions.
There are many other things to know about solutions. The video was focused around a beginners guide to solutions.
@@RezaDorrani Looking forward to learn more on solutions. Thanks for a great introduction video.
Thank you Reza, super helpful 🙂
Most welcome
Thanks Reza for this wonderful video. Could you please make a video on CI/CD pipeline for automating this deployment activity.
Thanks in advance.
That’s the plan if this video does well.
Thanks Reze for sharing this helpful video . Is it possible to extend this video with CI/CD with Azure DevOps ?
Possible if this video is successful :)
@@RezaDorrani we're eager to see CI/CD Power Platfrom. Please!
@@barrydinh No plans as of now.
Thanks Reza, Great Video.
I have small doubt, If we want to change/ update out application which is in Dev Environment, so once we publish it in Dev does it also change it in Prod/Preprod Environments? or do we need to export it again and import it in our Prod/Preprod Environments ?
Tried by exporting the latest package from Dev with latest version and while importing in Prod Environment, it is showing as "This version of the solution package is already installed(1.0.0.1)".
I did check that I am importing latest version which is 1.0.0.4
Do I need to do any change anything in setting ? or am I doing wrong ?
Thanks in advance :)
If you make changes in dec, you would need to export and import it in test and prod.
When you export, it will update the version number. When you import in a higher env, it will accordingly update the package.
Thankyou for imparting your knowledge on Solutions even if I had to go and have lie down following the torrent of procedures in your method. I'm assuming your method is to do things in the proper order, to limit errors and security breaches. Are there any other advantages? If the main purpose is to export solutions across environments, I'm thinking, why can't Canvas apps be downloaded and imported to other environments. Seems to me that would be far simpler?
For a simple scenario like 1 app you are free to manually export import.
Solutions - learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/solutions-overview
Thank you for clearing my doubts!! I have a quick query:
Canvas app in UAT environment should point to Dev-SharePoint site Or Prod-SharePoint site data?
Ideally you would want to point it to UAT site or dev site
@@RezaDorrani thank you for vital suggestions!! I am learning from the best!! 😊
Thank you very much Reza 👍
Most welcome
Thank you so much Reza. This was the video I was looking for. In my case, I used your instructions to add existing apps, flows, and power bi. However, after creating the environment file with my site address, my SharePoint list are not appearing. Is there any reason for this? Could the administrators limit my access? Also, this ALM means it will create a new similar list, flows, apps and etc when installed on the new environment, right? Or should we create the list in the new environment and provide the link to the imported solution? Thank you for changing many people's lives across the globe.
SharePoint is not environment centric. You can always enter the site url in the dropdown value.
@@RezaDorrani Many thanks for your always swift support. This is well noted.
Reza, thank you for this video. I have a solution right now that utilizes a SharePoint list as the primary component and has a number of "For a Selected Item" flows hooked up to it. As you know, these types of flows cannot operate outside of the Default environment. That said, I would still like to have a test and production version of this app but cannot seem to do that in the Default environment as when I try to export and import a copy of it into the same environment, it does not allow me to do it because the solution already exists. Is there any way to do this? Beyond that small question, how are we supposed to manage ALM with these types of flows involved?
That is a known limitation. Those type of flows are related to default environment only.
Thanks a lot Raza for your efforts. Made me clear about ALM. Im egar to see this extending to CD/CI with devops. Do you have any plans?
I do have plans. Waiting for more features to come alive before I make content on it.
Thank you so much! you made my day
You're most welcome!
Great video, Reza, thank you! With regard to the connection reference, whose connections would you suggest using in the production environment? Your own, the product owner or a service account?
Product owner or service account.
There is a better option coming soon but I cannot disclose that yet :)
@@RezaDorrani thanks. Can't wait to learn what it is!
Thanks, Reza. Is it preferable to use same publisher to all the solutions I create or create one publisher for one solution?
You could do it either ways. I use 1 publisher for every solution I create.
@@RezaDorrani Thank you so much
Thanks for sharing!!! I am big fan of yours.
Thanks Bharti
Thank you Reza, why haven’t you made earlier? ;-) that would have saved me time and pain ;-) Very cristal clear summary of the topic that is worth to re explained by you. Thank you
Better late than never :)
Lols!
Thanks for the video - the only issue with these types of manual deploys is the lack of automated testing gates - solutions should be unpacked and scanned for best practices and the solution checker and only once these pass or if a tech lead approved should the solution be imported. Developers should not be manually imported solutions into any environment beyond dev - rather they would check in their solution in a git repo and issue PR which would trigger a pipeline that would automatically run tests and if passed would merge in a common dev and perhaps subsequently auto deploy as managed to a staging or test env. D365 implementations are heavily reliant upon manual testing which is inefficient and error prone - thankfully MS provided the power platform CLI to facilitate this using scripting in a pipeline or GitHub action. The challenge is to set the env variables and configuration references in the pipeline automatically for the release rather than having to manually specify it at runtime like shown here.
Check pipelines in power platform.
This video is intended to be a beginners guide to solutions and not an in-depth automated pipeline experience.
Hi Reza, it's very very helpful and looking since long time . Thank you so much. Could you please guide us Power platform with CI /CD. Thanks in advance....!
Let's see the result of this video first. If successful, I will plan a follow up to this which would be automating the process of moving solutions across environments with ADO.
@@RezaDorrani Please create a video on CI/CD as well using Azure Devops... Your videos are already successful. You are really doing a great work. Always appreciated all your effort and hard work you put in.. Kudos
@@mayankgupta247 Within 4 weeks I will come to know outcome of this video.
Agree. Need guide to power platform with CI/CD and run piping via visual studio as well.
It's ok. Looking from you as expert, till this date no idea how to proceed with CI /CD and multiple developers working on same app, that's why I am requesting you. Advance thanks for your hard work put in. Any have the present video worth able for me at current time.
Hi Reza, another nice video, for publisher do you recommend creating a publisher based on the project? or based on the environment, say each environment is only on publisher?
I would say project
Hi Reza, great video, I've not really used Environment variables so far as like probably many companies we started to develop apps before solutions were a thing, so now are in the situation were production apps are on the default environment. One of my tasks for 2022 is to move production apps onto our new production environment and develop on the dev environment using our service account for all the connections. For long a while now, even though I'm on the default environment, I've made a point of developing in solution's and setting up connection references to support the apps and flows hoping when the time comes to export, i might have less issues.
Question; what's the advantage of me using environment variables for setting data connections in apps and flows over just having the connection references, i was under the impression when exporting the solution the connection references were responsible for rewiring the app back up to the data source (for SharePoint anyway)?
Would the use case for Environment variables be used if you were going to recreate supporting tables using the data verse in the new environment when importing rather than SharePoint, or is this now best practice to use Environment Variables?
As I'm using SharePoint (for now) for my back end, as you say it isnt Environment centric so i would probably use the same lists i used for developing when importing. Are we saying here we can create a new site when importing the solution if the site and list are a Environment variables, which i don't think is possible is it with using flow to create the required lists etc.
Btw off to find your environment variable video next as my mind is blown, and i have many questions lol
Thanks
Thanks for watching the video.
Environment variables are configurable elements as you move across environments. Connection Reference is purely establishing a connection with the connector. For example connecting to SharePoint. It does not store the SP site and list url in it.
When you move from one env to another, if you need separate site and list connections, if you need configurable elements, that's where env variables is a great feature.
Dataverse Table schema is supported in solutions.
SharePoint is not. You can create your SP site and lists manually. You can also automate if using flow. You can use the SharePoint REST API endpoint to create lists and columns.
Hello Reza, I have a question and I can't find an answer: MS Docs says that Pipeline only works with managed environments but what is the cost of a managed environment. ? My colleague mentions 4 environments to start with: Dev, Test, Acceptance and Prod, with Acceptance and Prod in managed environment. I have doubts about the costs.
Managed Environments (ME) - requires every user running apps/flows to have a premium power apps and/or power automate license.
learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/guidance/white-papers/managed-environment-activation
Thank you@@RezaDorrani
Great video Reza, thanks! One question. My customer wants all the power automates in an unmanaged solution in Production environment so that they can directly access those anytime to see the errors or edit it directly from there. Will it have any impact? What other approaches do you recommend for the power automates management?
It does not have to be an unmanaged solution. All the user currently needs is to be an owner or co owner of the flow.
Without making it unmanaged, we won't be able to edit it directly. It will create unmanaged layer.
@@rashimalhotra8642 Y do u need to edit flow to see the run history?
Not just seeing run history, clients have requested to edit flows directly in Production, and not wait for patches deployment.
@@rashimalhotra8642 thats not best practice. The whole idea is to not make changes in production.
Make fix in dev and then deploy
Reza, can you clarify why one would need to remove the default value from Environment variables, or change the solution in any way to export it. Won't the import prompt the user regardless in order to ensure the correct values are used in the new environment? The removed defaults have to be restored once you have export and this seems like it should be unnecessary.
Unfortunately that is one caveat that needs to be taken care of. Hopefully this would not be needed in future.
@@RezaDorrani I have figured this out. I did not get that there was a default and current value setting. Sure wish Microsoft had implemented this differently but I suppose their thinking was that the developer would only remove the current value for those things that the import should then prompt to replace. Clunky as the import could easily be better organized to handle this by simply letting the developer decide at that time what needs to be changed. Thanks for the great video.
Thanks! I a have question. Let's say you wanna edit the variable after some time has passed by.. do you have to import the solution again or you can edit the variable in managed solution also?
For that, you would go to the Default Solution of the environment, search for that env variable and make the change there.
Great video Reza!!
Thank You!