What is Connection and Connection References in Microsoft Power Automate ?

This video demonstrates the differences while establishing connections using connectors in Microsoft Power Automate.
⭐ Connection
✔️Connection connect to services
✔️Connections contains all the required info to connect to a service (E.g. Outlook, Dataverse, SharePoint)
✔️Connections are not solution aware (hence can’t participate in ALM process)
✔️Connections can’t be shared with other users directly
✔️Flow Owners however can see the shared connections
⭐ Connection References
✔️Connection references reduces the maintenance overhead
✔️Connection reference holds a reference to the shared connection instead of direct connection
✔️Advisable to use Connection references instead of connections
✔️Changing a connection reference is centrally accomplished unlike changing connection individually
✔️A cloud flow can have multiple connection references
✔️Advisable to have one connection reference within a solution for any service to be accessed
✔️Connection references can be used in multiple flows
✔️Connection references are solution aware
✔️Connection References can be added from a solution
✔️You can share connection references with Service Principal
Girish Uppal explains the subtle difference between connection and connection references in Microsoft Power Automate.
#microsoft #powerautomate #microsoftflow #powerplatform
✔️You can visit girishuppal.com (Girish Uppal) website to get more productivity tips.
✔️Please subscribe to @powertechspeck youtube channel / @powertechspeck to get more productivity tips and tutorial content from Girish Uppal
✔️You can view my Linkedin Profile at: / girishuppal
✔️You can view the badges earned by me at: www.credly.com/users/girish-u...

[@qwertyytrewq8796]

Hello my dear
I have inquire about using the one flow by multi users. which butter using Connection or Connection reference.
Actually, I face problem for using flow by multi users in term of connection. The problem is when the flow has been used by some user, the connection has not been used by anther user. The Connection dose not change automatically to new user . ???

[@PowerTechSpeck]

It's always a best practice to use a solution first and then author your flows. Given a choice, always prefer Connection references which has more flexibility and security features and participates in ALM process smoothly.

[@denisskorikov6234]

Thank you for this video!
What happens though when user does not have an access to DEV environment, but this user changed the password, therefore he needs to re-authenticate, right? We need to give this user access to the DEV environment so he could update the connection?

[@PowerTechSpeck]

Yes the user needs to have access to the environment in order to reauthenticate the creds. Or alternatively admin can use their session and ask the user to enter the creds (not a preferred option). Or wherever possible try using Service Account (common account for connections) or if the connector supports service principal then go for it.

[@denisskorikov6234]

@@PowerTechSpeck thanks!