8 months later I watch it again. So great all this information !!! ( Using Env vars in solutions is not Premium, but using Env vars inside your App is ! )
I really enjoy your longer and more detailed videos. They help me to get into the correct headspace, and the longer I have my headphones on, the longer I can go without someone bugging me!
Excellent video Shane! Yes, long videos are always encouraged and I don't think anyone has an issue with leaving in the goof ups - we all make them daily in our own development! Great to see the solutions feature in action, we struggled with dev/uat/prod life cycle not having this before.
This is fantastic! I have to rebuild a lot of InfoPath forms and Nintex workflows for our transition to SPO. With this I can start building the replacements even if we don’t have the final landing spot created.
Shane, this was so useful, thank you! I'd tried looking into the Microsoft Learn details on how to do this but my brain doesn't work so well with those written articles. Your video covered the essentials to get me over the start line as I need to rework a complex flow before sharing it with a wider audience and in the knowledge that we'll be moving our entire tenant to another in just a few months!
Great explanation of a use function that will really help with maintaining and updating app across test, dev and prod environments. We also use external Devs and it is a challenge to develop outside our tenant and then bring completed apps in. This is a great step in the right direction.
Great video, I love the way it's explained, I was always working on "live" data..... However, I've now some apps running and moved them by exporting the app, not the solution. Now the challenge will be to have the current apps setup in a solution and not having to change the end user link to the app.....
Nice "small" clues that make the big difference! Thank you Shane. I was wondering how much time you toke to go over the steps until get the right path... 🤣. Even with you excellent explanation I had to reproduce 3 times until get things working
Great video.. man did I make life hard for myself... if I was following a recipe for chocolate cake, I would have ended up with oatmeal cookies! Gotta learn to follow more closely! 🤣
Shane, I don't know if this functionality already exists, but if I need to update an environment variable in a managed solution how do I do it? Ok, I can update the information when importing for the first time but what if I want to update in a future update?
Hey Shane, I'm trying to do what you told us not to do, and move an imported flow from another environment into a solution after the fact. It keeps looking for environmental variables from the last environment, even though I removed them. I even deleted the trigger and re-made it, but no avail. Am I stuck recreating the whole flow, or is there another trick I can try?
@@ShanesCows it turns out it was a permissions issue. I had someone with god-access export and import the flow, and it brought the variables with it and was happy again. I now have the proper permissions to export/import myself from default. PS: You're always a help! Thank you!
That was every question bar one answered for my current project. What happens if I build the app and forget to click the settings to automatically create environment variables, I'll have to go and test that myself, but I'm assuming if I remove the connections, tick the box and add it back then it will be all correct
Shane, have you found a way to determine if a datasource is using an environment variable versus being hard-coded? In Automate, you can visually see the variable, but not in Apps. I can dig down into the JSON and find the hard-coded references, but a script would be great (if we CAN'T get a UI indication). I know, the fool-proof way is to delete ALL tables and re-add via environment variables, but a validation method would be helpful to know. I'm considering rolling my own...
Also, in order to duplidate any sharepoint lists you can go directly to the sharepoint that you can paste your copy and start the creation there, so the option to create based on another sharepoint lists will be there.
Shane, always a pleasure to see the content you create. Each video is as special as the next one. Thank you so much for that. A quick question for you: If I am importing a solution from my environment to my client's environment, do I have to re-create all the SharePoint lists? Or is there a way for me to import them?
Hi Shane, if I need to update an existing app in prod environment do I need to import again the solution from uat environment? Will it produce different URL for the users to access the updated app?
Often with the Excel (and Word) type step, a document library in a Sharepoint Variable just do not work, breaking my flow with the error: "invalid drive". The same variable, in a Sharepoint step, goes well. What about this case? I really struggle with these, it seems like these two type of steps point to two different IDs. Any solution?
Simone I show it in this video for Excel. Sometimes you need the Identifier which is different than the ID 😑 You just have to stay on your toes and see which one it is asking for. ruclips.net/video/QcWjAt7QVn4/видео.html
Thanks again for another great video Shane!! I have had a lot of issues with the SMTP connector. I get an error message "Your app was not installed correctly, missing connection reference". When I move the solution I have to edit the app within the destination environment, remove and re-add the connector, and publish. This creates an unmanaged layer over my managed app layer.
Really useful video Shane. I know a few people have already asked about moving an existing app into a solution. How do we go about updating the connections to be Environment Variables?
Long story, short? You have to remove the existing connections and then add them back. I guess I need to make a video on existing apps. Very common question. :)
Hey Shane, I have added my 3 scheduled flow with SharePoint connections into my solution and tried to add required objects. It didn't add any connections references. Do you know why?
Never mind, Shane. Flow was complaining about removing connections and add connection references on my flows. I had to do that and then add required objects pulled in the connection references. Hope other viewers can benefit.
@shane - is it possible to import an existing power app and power automate flow into a new solution or do you need to build them from scratch in a solution before porting them around new solutions?
Matt you can import an existing app/flow and then edit them to use environment variables and such. I think someone else comment we also discussed if that helps.
17:20 Looks like they've added an advanced setting so you can choose to export the value or not when exporting the solution which I think means you don't have to go through all the environment variables deleting current values
Great Video Shane. I have been doing this for a while now and I am running in to a new bug. I can no longuer see my site in the dropdown when I try to set my environnement variable on Solution import even if I am folowing the sites and I have made modifications to the site still no joy.
Hi Shane, thank you for the tutorial. I have a question: Can I use Environment Variables to dynamically call data sources in Power Apps? I plan to use the same app for multiple document libraries, which have identical column structures, across various SharePoint sites.
Lovely again! I got my own Dev environment and can practice things now. I noticed when your sharepoint list is of the older (?) "Task List" - Sharepoint List type, the app does generate the environment variable for the list but if you examine the variable outside the app in the solution, it keeps saying it cannot find the list. Only the "normal" list types are in the drop down. Also I was wondering - when I'm in the app, do I see I'm using an environment variable?
Hi Shane, when deleting all the values of the env variables in DEV before the export will the solution in DEV still work without those values pointing to the sources or do we have to re add them in (DEV) after export ? Thanks for the great video!
can the second sharepoint list(the production sharepoint list) be on the same sharepoint site as the first list(the dev list)? Or is it necessary to have 2 separate sharepoint sites?
Thank you very much for creating this video, it was the missing piece in the jigsaw. Please do keep in the gaff's in, great opportunity for us all to see how things can be done. May I ask: Is it possible to move an APP - developed in the Default Environment ( as I had not had the benefit of this video ) over to the Development Environment? I'd like to retrofit the ALM process on all of the APPS that are sitting live in my Default Area. I don't see an option to Import a package into a UAT Solution. Many thanks keep up the great job.
@@ShanesCows Many thanks for the reply, Shane. I have tried this but I do not seem to be able to upload a Package taken from the Default environment into my Development Environment. I can upload to a new solution in the Default Environment so this will have to do for now. Hope this will be a feature for the future, or I'm just missing something :-)
I am not sure. I still haven't tried it. The documentation starts here if you want to give it a go. :) learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-power-bi-powerapps-integration-about
An excellent video and very timely for me as I'm just starting to use environments. One question though, you mentioned that you can move existing apps/flows into a solution - can you explain how to do that. Thanks.
Great and valuable content again, thanks Shane! If I have an existing app with all its datasources, and the automatically create env variables when adding datasources option was not set initially, can I set it later? I understand I can create those variables manually in the solution, but how can I configure the existing app to start using the variable for its datasources?
Shane, thanks for the video, how to solve this issue? The length of the 'displayname' attribute of the 'environmentvariabledefinition' entity exceeded the maximum allowed Thanks
Thanks Shane.. Really great video Just a question... I've tried this and that issue/bug is still there (data source is not being updated in new envt) Can anyone please confirm :)
Super video!! Thanks for that :-) When removing current values in the environment variables - di you have to put them back in again after export? Does the same apply using pipelines?
Hey Shane, thanks for the video. I have been using solutions for a while, both manual export/import as well as using Power Platform Pipelines. I have yet to see anyone show this, but am curious if your experience is the same as mine. When I re-import the solution to upgrade recent changes, either manually or via a Pipeline, I have to remap all of the environment variable lists again. It remembers what I entered before for the Site and many other environment variable types, but not the lists. In a solution with over a dozen lists, this gets old fast. I don't know why it doesn't remember the list mapping. I know it is actually mapping via the list ID, not the name, but that ID doesn't change. All of the list mappings should be populated during the import so you can confirm or change them just like other EVs. Do you have the same experience? If so, I think I will reach out to the Power Apps Team at Microsoft and have a conversation. 😄
What about swapping the data sources out and using the EVs in the app? A mentor taught me to do that, so wondering of it is worthwhile or not? (Canvas apps)
Hi there, I'm having an issue using SMTP connector inside my APP. It is working fine in my development environment but not in the production environment. It's as if it's looking for that connection which is in the dev environment. Even though I've set Up connection references it does not work. It is working very well for sharepoint connector though I'm sure you have used SMTP connector along with Solutions Can you please tell me how did you proceed?? Thanks 😄
Sean, 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.
I have figured this out. In the video you stated that the Default value needed to be removed but you actually removed the current value. 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.
I started building an app with flows and tyen tried to put into a solution and the triggers broke...does using v2 trigger prevent this or do i need to worry about it happening when I move it to it's destination environment?
Hi, I was looking for a tutorial to do ALM with an existing app (which has over 60 flows connecting to SQL and used by over 150 users). Can you pls share how to do that?
How do you share environment variables? I cannot see or edit someone else environment variables, and they cannot see or edit mine. This is a huge problem when we are working together on power apps and automations.
OK, so is any of this possible - solution with environment variables - if you cannot use dataverse? > When I made the app setting to auto create an environment variable when adding a data source - and not until saving and leaving the app and coming back into the app > settings - it shows a warning that you have to turn a dataverse setting to ON. :/ So weird that it doesn't tell you that when you first select that open or when you close the settings window.. or when you save the app. (OK done complaining).
I now have connections using the Environment variables and it required no app updates (except the data source) to all the formulas and is STANDARD license. Steps 1) Deleted existing data source connections that need to use env vars (they were pointing directly to SharePoint) (do this first so when recreating the names will be correct as referenced all over the app) 2) Added data source back (as a SharePoint connection) but when selecting the SharePoint Site use the Advanced Tab which presents you with the Environment Variables.
Hey Shane! Fell upon your channel and have been digging into your videos. GREAT CONTENT! Loving it! I recently got into using solution but can you confirm that after exporting a solution, you should remap the site and list since you had to remove it for the export?
I was so excited to find this video BUT I'm running into an issue I'm hoping you can help me with. I want to use the environment variables to connect my flow to different lists but when I import the solution, it just overwrites my the solution I already have. In other words I'm trying to import my own solution into my environment with the same connection and it's treating it like the same solution instead of a new solution. Is there anyway to use this if I'm setting this up multiple times for different sharepoint sites and lists but always using my login (or connection)?
I am having problems with the language of the fields, i have copied the list just like you explained but in one of the list created by and this standard field are in english and in the older list they are in norwegian, the languages of both site are the same. I cannot understand why this is happening.
Shane quick question....First, awesome video, watching a year later haha. When you create applications for your customers do you ever create a separate environment within your tenant and then publish managed apps? For those customers who dont have the power platform and dont want to bother with getting one
Do you have a new video that shows how to handle environment variables when using Pipelines? I am running into an issue where I can't change my variables after publishing up to a TEST environment. They are greyed out.
@@ShanesCows Portuguese actually, but close 💪💪 the level of detail was spot on! Do you have any of this type for O365 groups management in environments and solution? Best regards 🙏
HI. Great Work!. I have one doubt about Environment Variable Secrets. have one custom connector i am passing Secret Value in Text is not working. Or only that azure key vault is possible to passing a client secret
I may have spoken too soon :) And hoping I will find out what I am doing wrong, but when I do deploy to QA (managed, not unmanaged) and set the Site to the QA site and the lists to the QA lists for the environment variables, for some reason the app is STILL pointing back to the DEV data lists. It is frustrating
This video made my head spin with possibilities. And questions.... I have Solution where i added a PowerBI dataset to Datasets. I want to use that dataset set in a power app. The user will selected a record from the dataset, then answer some questions and the record information and answers will be patched to SharePoint list. I can't figure out how to get may PowerApps to use the PowerBI dataset as a data source Can you point me in the right direction?
Hi Shane, brilliant video, as usual, I like the idea of a long shot since it is more detailed , I have built all my applications in unmanaged solutions😥 because I was not aware of that before, these apps have flowes and connected to SharePoint lists, I am in process of moving one app to another Microsoft office 365 tenant how can I grab all the app pieces together? thank you
Question for discussion: The solution approach does not really seem well suited to SharePoint especially since the data model is not included in the solution. Most organizations don't really subscribe to the idea that staff should build multiple site instances just to support the app deployment model. In fact, the target audience for the platform will likely not even understand this approach. Low code = non-developer. How have others approached solutions?
Question for Discussion: I am not sure a solution should use environment variables from other solutions just because they are seen in the environment. The scope should the solution. I live in a world where the whole company is in the default environment and what a mess these variables can make. Sharing things across solutions seems like another opportunity for chaos. I am thinking of using a naming convention for things in the solution so that they can easily be identified from other solutions. Wondering how others have approached this?
Hi Shane, another great video, thanks! What about importing a solution to a different tenant where it's not possible to create list from existing list. What is your recommended method for replicating the SharePoint list in that case?
Sean usually that answer is just open up two browser windows and do it by hand. Technically you can write a flow to do the conversion for you but I haven't done that on RUclips. It is shown in my 401 class as it has a lot of moving parts.
PnP PowerShell script - very easy --- "recommended method for replicating the SharePoint list" And the whole site with all the lists, fields, content types ....
@@loveandhate441 I second this. I build all my SharePoint lists using PnP and keep the script so I can use it for my next client. It can build a site with 30 lists and hundreds of columns in minutes (while I go and make a coffee). PowerShell is your friend 😊
Ive had up to 12 coworkers changing a lot of items in the same solution, on one client delivery someone published dev work in progress that broke the delivery after importing, so publishing anytime everytime isnt good.
Shane, this is another interesting, helpful video in you collection, thank you! I just took on ownership of a live app that I wasn't involved in with the build, and there is a lot of logic behind the many screens that I'm trying to figure out. Since the app is live and has hundreds of users, your solution to use Solutions seems to be perfect. Just to make sure: If I start a new Solution in my DEV env, I can pull in the PROD app from the PROD env and basically 'play' with it, without doing any damage to the live app? And then, when I have figured all dependencies and logic out, I could theoretically move it back into the PROD solution space, copy the live user info into a new PROD list, and connect that to the updated from DEV-to-PROD solution?
Great video Shane! Using solutions is the way to go for entreprise apps deployments. I have a question though. Sometimes the flows are not triggered anymore after migrating the solution to production. (Flows triggered by papps). It works fine on dev environment though. Have you encountered this situation before? Also, since last week, all end users need to be members of the environment in order to use the app. It was not the case before... What s your thoughts on that?
Shane, this is a great explanation of a very spooky and mysterious feature that I've always been interested in. If we created flows and apps not in a solution, could we import them into a solution to get everything related packed into a single source? I'm assuming yes. Might be a good way to get better organized if someone isn't already using a dev > test > prod method of deploying. Thanks for covering all details so well.
Hi Alan. Yes, you can add the existing pieces into a new solution. YOu will have to rework them a bit to get them to use the Environment Variables if you want that but shouldn't be a problem, just some work. :)
Using environment variables makes your App ‘Premium’, so all the users need an extra license. So I if you do this, I would think it would be smarter to use Dataverse. SharePoint is especially nice if you want to keep your App free.
Hi Shane, I experienced this with an App when using Env. variables. But if you say so, I will test it again. Maybe it was another premium factor in the App.
@@ShanesCows Hi Shane, I think this does make the app premium. Using environment variables requires the use of two dataverse tables (environmentvariablevalues and environmentvariabledefinitions). This means that users of the app now need a premium power apps license because dataverse is a premium data source.
at 16-ish - if you remove an environment variable and add it back in using that method . . . REMEMBER TO REMOVE DEFAULT VALUE BEFORE EXPORTING!! omg dont ask me how i know /cry
27:32 --- Data sources are from the initial Solution. Power Automate Flows linked to this Solution - the same situation - are from the initial environment ... So, we need to DELETE All Data sources and Power Automate Flows from the new imported Solution in a new environment and then ADD the actual ones (from this current environment) Very inconvenient especially when having 40 Environment Variables and 32 Power Automate Flows and with a need to export \ import to different places. If it's a bug, when it's expected to be fixed ?
I think it is a bug that the Data panel links to the original list but the data it pulls into the app is the correct data. I have passed along to Microsoft I found this very confusing, hopeful something they will look at.
@@ShanesCows Hi Shane, " but the data it pulls into the app is the correct data" - I don't see this when migrating solutions between different tenants (((( Thanks for pushing Microsoft !
@@ShanesCows Thanks, Shane ! Really appreciated if you advise how to clone Solutions effectively Now it's a nightmare to copy a Solution like I mentioned (40 Environment Variables and 32 Power Automate Flows + App) , Dev ---> Test ---> Prod or between tenants.
8 months later I watch it again. So great all this information !!! ( Using Env vars in solutions is not Premium, but using Env vars inside your App is ! )
Glad it was helpful!
What about Global variables in the app? Is that premium?
This is something that answer many questions that I have needed for a while! Thanks again for a great video
Very welcome!
I really enjoy your longer and more detailed videos. They help me to get into the correct headspace, and the longer I have my headphones on, the longer I can go without someone bugging me!
Glad you like them and happy to help you stay safe in your bubble longer!
Really Nice Coverage! Went through all the basic pieces.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks Again Shane for the video. Really like the Add Dependency tips and explaining it simply
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video Shane! Yes, long videos are always encouraged and I don't think anyone has an issue with leaving in the goof ups - we all make them daily in our own development! Great to see the solutions feature in action, we struggled with dev/uat/prod life cycle not having this before.
Thanks Daniil! 😎
Love working with you guys!!
Thanks Giorgio! 🐶
(27:30) - Wow, nice bug. And yes we like the long videos as it gives a straight overview. Much appreciated!
Cool, thanks for the feedback. 🤩
As if you knew we were struggling with it! 😉 Great video with perfect timing! Thx Shane!
Happy to help!
This is fantastic! I have to rebuild a lot of InfoPath forms and Nintex workflows for our transition to SPO. With this I can start building the replacements even if we don’t have the final landing spot created.
Nice!
it's really great content and to the point with lots of knowledge in this video
Thank you 😎
Excellent and great explanation. For me it will be a step learning curve but your videos are helping a lot. THX for all the effort you put into it 👌👌
You are welcome Frank. Appreciate your support! 😎
What a video man ! You are a really master of this ! Thank you very much, this video saved me to live hard times jejeje
You're welcome!
Shane, this was so useful, thank you! I'd tried looking into the Microsoft Learn details on how to do this but my brain doesn't work so well with those written articles. Your video covered the essentials to get me over the start line as I need to rework a complex flow before sharing it with a wider audience and in the knowledge that we'll be moving our entire tenant to another in just a few months!
Glad it was helpful! Good luck with the move. :)
amazing video! everytime we learn something new
Happy to hear that!
Thanks for this content. I have always wanted to try out the environmental variable
They are interesting 🧐
Great explanation of a use function that will really help with maintaining and updating app across test, dev and prod environments. We also use external Devs and it is a challenge to develop outside our tenant and then bring completed apps in. This is a great step in the right direction.
Thanks Wayne!
Thank you! good information as always!
You bet!
Yes I like long and every teaching "mess up."
Thanks for the feedback.
Super liked this video, i learned so much !! thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video, I love the way it's explained, I was always working on "live" data.....
However, I've now some apps running and moved them by exporting the app, not the solution.
Now the challenge will be to have the current apps setup in a solution and not having to change the end user link to the app.....
Yeah solutions after the fact are more challenging 😑 Good luck.
Thanks for that, Shane!
Happy to help. Have a great day. 🐶
As always… Great stuff :)
Thank you!
Nice "small" clues that make the big difference! Thank you Shane. I was wondering how much time you toke to go over the steps until get the right path... 🤣. Even with you excellent explanation I had to reproduce 3 times until get things working
It just depends. Something like this it took several goes and I had someone to ask questions to. 🫤 Other topics just rattle out of my mouth. 😁
Great video.. man did I make life hard for myself... if I was following a recipe for chocolate cake, I would have ended up with oatmeal cookies! Gotta learn to follow more closely! 🤣
Sorry to hear that but guessing by the comment you got it sorted so congrats. 😎😎
Shane, I don't know if this functionality already exists, but if I need to update an environment variable in a managed solution how do I do it? Ok, I can update the information when importing for the first time but what if I want to update in a future update?
Hey Shane, I'm trying to do what you told us not to do, and move an imported flow from another environment into a solution after the fact. It keeps looking for environmental variables from the last environment, even though I removed them. I even deleted the trigger and re-made it, but no avail. Am I stuck recreating the whole flow, or is there another trick I can try?
Hey April I am not sure. 😑 I haven’t done that scenario so I am no help
@@ShanesCows it turns out it was a permissions issue. I had someone with god-access export and import the flow, and it brought the variables with it and was happy again. I now have the proper permissions to export/import myself from default. PS: You're always a help! Thank you!
That was every question bar one answered for my current project. What happens if I build the app and forget to click the settings to automatically create environment variables, I'll have to go and test that myself, but I'm assuming if I remove the connections, tick the box and add it back then it will be all correct
That should do it 🤗
Shane, have you found a way to determine if a datasource is using an environment variable versus being hard-coded? In Automate, you can visually see the variable, but not in Apps. I can dig down into the JSON and find the hard-coded references, but a script would be great (if we CAN'T get a UI indication). I know, the fool-proof way is to delete ALL tables and re-add via environment variables, but a validation method would be helpful to know. I'm considering rolling my own...
Sorry, nothing that I know of.
Also, in order to duplidate any sharepoint lists you can go directly to the sharepoint that you can paste your copy and start the creation there, so the option to create based on another sharepoint lists will be there.
Thanks for sharing. 😀
Shane, always a pleasure to see the content you create. Each video is as special as the next one. Thank you so much for that. A quick question for you: If I am importing a solution from my environment to my client's environment, do I have to re-create all the SharePoint lists? Or is there a way for me to import them?
Hi Shane, if I need to update an existing app in prod environment do I need to import again the solution from uat environment? Will it produce different URL for the users to access the updated app?
Yes import again. no it shouldn't change the URL.
@@ShanesCows thanks, Shane. Such a big help.
Often with the Excel (and Word) type step, a document library in a Sharepoint Variable just do not work, breaking my flow with the error: "invalid drive". The same variable, in a Sharepoint step, goes well. What about this case? I really struggle with these, it seems like these two type of steps point to two different IDs.
Any solution?
Simone I show it in this video for Excel. Sometimes you need the Identifier which is different than the ID 😑 You just have to stay on your toes and see which one it is asking for. ruclips.net/video/QcWjAt7QVn4/видео.html
Thanks again for another great video Shane!! I have had a lot of issues with the SMTP connector. I get an error message "Your app was not installed correctly, missing connection reference". When I move the solution I have to edit the app within the destination environment, remove and re-add the connector, and publish. This creates an unmanaged layer over my managed app layer.
Sorry to hear that Marlon. I haven't ran into that but I also haven't used SMTP connector. I am not helpful, sorry.
Can I still on the Automatically create environment variables even if I had already connected to different dataverse table?
It will only do it for new data sources you add.
Really useful video Shane. I know a few people have already asked about moving an existing app into a solution. How do we go about updating the connections to be Environment Variables?
Long story, short? You have to remove the existing connections and then add them back. I guess I need to make a video on existing apps. Very common question. :)
Hey Shane,
I have added my 3 scheduled flow with SharePoint connections into my solution and tried to add required objects. It didn't add any connections references. Do you know why?
Never mind, Shane. Flow was complaining about removing connections and add connection references on my flows. I had to do that and then add required objects pulled in the connection references. Hope other viewers can benefit.
Thanks for sharing Ramesh
@shane - is it possible to import an existing power app and power automate flow into a new solution or do you need to build them from scratch in a solution before porting them around new solutions?
Matt you can import an existing app/flow and then edit them to use environment variables and such. I think someone else comment we also discussed if that helps.
Great video. Do you have a video on how to add an environment Variable if you have already built an application?
I haven't made that one yet. Boo. Need to add it to the list.
17:20
Looks like they've added an advanced setting so you can choose to export the value or not when exporting the solution which I think means you don't have to go through all the environment variables deleting current values
Awesome. I haven't tried it but that would be nice. Thanks for the update! 😎
Thanks a million!
Glad it helped. You are welcome.
Great Video Shane. I have been doing this for a while now and I am running in to a new bug. I can no longuer see my site in the dropdown when I try to set my environnement variable on Solution import even if I am folowing the sites and I have made modifications to the site still no joy.
Love all your videos! 😁
Yay! Thank you! Love the dab. 😎
Hi Shane, can I export my production environment solution (managed) to development environment (unmanaged)?. Thanks
I have never tried but I want to say yes.
Hi Shane, can we use .env variables for Dataverse tables when transferring a solution from one environment to another.
Yes, I think that is what this video shows unless I am misunderstanding the question.
Hi Shane, thank you for the tutorial. I have a question: Can I use Environment Variables to dynamically call data sources in Power Apps? I plan to use the same app for multiple document libraries, which have identical column structures, across various SharePoint sites.
I don't think so, you would have to add If logic to your Items of the gallery to call the different, matching lists/tables.
Lovely again! I got my own Dev environment and can practice things now. I noticed when your sharepoint list is of the older (?) "Task List" - Sharepoint List type, the app does generate the environment variable for the list but if you examine the variable outside the app in the solution, it keeps saying it cannot find the list. Only the "normal" list types are in the drop down.
Also I was wondering - when I'm in the app, do I see I'm using an environment variable?
Hi Shane, when deleting all the values of the env variables in DEV before the export will the solution in DEV still work without those values pointing to the sources or do we have to re add them in (DEV) after export ? Thanks for the great video!
if it is exported as managed - Can you edit the environment variables on the destination environment at any point or only on import? (20:00)
Yes, you can change what the variables are pointed at.
can the second sharepoint list(the production sharepoint list) be on the same sharepoint site as the first list(the dev list)? Or is it necessary to have 2 separate sharepoint sites?
They could be the same site I am 95% sure.
Thank you very much for creating this video, it was the missing piece in the jigsaw. Please do keep in the gaff's in, great opportunity for us all to see how things can be done. May I ask: Is it possible to move an APP - developed in the Default Environment ( as I had not had the benefit of this video ) over to the Development Environment?
I'd like to retrofit the ALM process on all of the APPS that are sitting live in my Default Area. I don't see an option to Import a package into a UAT Solution. Many thanks keep up the great job.
Hey Philip. You can Add Existing into your new Solution.
@@ShanesCows Many thanks for the reply, Shane. I have tried this but I do not seem to be able to upload a Package taken from the Default environment into my Development Environment. I can upload to a new solution in the Default Environment so this will have to do for now. Hope this will be a feature for the future, or I'm just missing something :-)
Thanks Shane, with Power BI I'm assuming I need to create a new model connecting to my Dev or test lists?
I am not sure. I still haven't tried it. The documentation starts here if you want to give it a go. :) learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/collaborate-share/service-power-bi-powerapps-integration-about
@@ShanesCows the documentation confirms that you can add Power BI in your solution via Dataverse. Thank you very much Shane.
An excellent video and very timely for me as I'm just starting to use environments. One question though, you mentioned that you can move existing apps/flows into a solution - can you explain how to do that. Thanks.
In the Solution to the right of where I clicked New there is a button for Add Existing.
@@ShanesCows Thank you, sir!
Great and valuable content again, thanks Shane! If I have an existing app with all its datasources, and the automatically create env variables when adding datasources option was not set initially, can I set it later? I understand I can create those variables manually in the solution, but how can I configure the existing app to start using the variable for its datasources?
This right here. Did you find an answer? I'll be testing this out.
Shane, thanks for the video, how to solve this issue?
The length of the 'displayname' attribute of the 'environmentvariabledefinition' entity exceeded the maximum allowed
Thanks
Yikes, I haven't had that one before so not sure. Sorry
Thanks for everything you’ve done.
Thanks Shane 🙏🙏🙏
Happy to help. Have a great day. 🐶
Thanks Shane.. Really great video
Just a question... I've tried this and that issue/bug is still there (data source is not being updated in new envt)
Can anyone please confirm :)
Interesting. Sorry you are having problems :(
Hi Shane, will this approach also create environment variables automatically when using Dataverse?
Super video!! Thanks for that :-) When removing current values in the environment variables - di you have to put them back in again after export? Does the same apply using pipelines?
Hey Shane, thanks for the video. I have been using solutions for a while, both manual export/import as well as using Power Platform Pipelines. I have yet to see anyone show this, but am curious if your experience is the same as mine. When I re-import the solution to upgrade recent changes, either manually or via a Pipeline, I have to remap all of the environment variable lists again. It remembers what I entered before for the Site and many other environment variable types, but not the lists. In a solution with over a dozen lists, this gets old fast. I don't know why it doesn't remember the list mapping. I know it is actually mapping via the list ID, not the name, but that ID doesn't change. All of the list mappings should be populated during the import so you can confirm or change them just like other EVs. Do you have the same experience? If so, I think I will reach out to the Power Apps Team at Microsoft and have a conversation. 😄
What about swapping the data sources out and using the EVs in the app? A mentor taught me to do that, so wondering of it is worthwhile or not? (Canvas apps)
Hi there,
I'm having an issue using SMTP connector inside my APP. It is working fine in my development environment but not in the production environment. It's as if it's looking for that connection which is in the dev environment. Even though I've set Up connection references it does not work. It is working very well for sharepoint connector though
I'm sure you have used SMTP connector along with Solutions
Can you please tell me how did you proceed??
Thanks 😄
I have not done SMTP in a SOlution so I am no help. Sorry.
Sean, 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.
I have figured this out. In the video you stated that the Default value needed to be removed but you actually removed the current value. 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.
I started building an app with flows and tyen tried to put into a solution and the triggers broke...does using v2 trigger prevent this or do i need to worry about it happening when I move it to it's destination environment?
Hi, I was looking for a tutorial to do ALM with an existing app (which has over 60 flows connecting to SQL and used by over 150 users). Can you pls share how to do that?
Sorry, I don't have a video on that, it is on my list to do eventually but not soon.
Can we create sql connection variable?
How do you share environment variables? I cannot see or edit someone else environment variables, and they cannot see or edit mine. This is a huge problem when we are working together on power apps and automations.
I am not sure, no one has ever asked that. 🤔
OK, so is any of this possible - solution with environment variables - if you cannot use dataverse? >
When I made the app setting to auto create an environment variable when adding a data source - and not until saving and leaving the app and coming back into the app > settings - it shows a warning that you have to turn a dataverse setting to ON. :/ So weird that it doesn't tell you that when you first select that open or when you close the settings window.. or when you save the app. (OK done complaining).
Ugh, sorry.
I now have connections using the Environment variables and it required no app updates (except the data source) to all the formulas and is STANDARD license.
Steps
1) Deleted existing data source connections that need to use env vars (they were pointing directly to SharePoint)
(do this first so when recreating the names will be correct as referenced all over the app)
2) Added data source back (as a SharePoint connection) but when selecting the SharePoint Site use the Advanced Tab which presents you with the Environment Variables.
Hey Shane! Fell upon your channel and have been digging into your videos. GREAT CONTENT! Loving it!
I recently got into using solution but can you confirm that after exporting a solution, you should remap the site and list since you had to remove it for the export?
I was so excited to find this video BUT I'm running into an issue I'm hoping you can help me with. I want to use the environment variables to connect my flow to different lists but when I import the solution, it just overwrites my the solution I already have. In other words I'm trying to import my own solution into my environment with the same connection and it's treating it like the same solution instead of a new solution. Is there anyway to use this if I'm setting this up multiple times for different sharepoint sites and lists but always using my login (or connection)?
Really helpful content!!
I have a quick question: Which environment I have to choose ( Sandbox/Production) while creating a UAT/QA/Test environment?
I am having problems with the language of the fields, i have copied the list just like you explained but in one of the list created by and this standard field are in english and in the older list they are in norwegian, the languages of both site are the same. I cannot understand why this is happening.
Shane quick question....First, awesome video, watching a year later haha. When you create applications for your customers do you ever create a separate environment within your tenant and then publish managed apps? For those customers who dont have the power platform and dont want to bother with getting one
We haven't done that. It would require licensing and a whole can of worms.
Very helpful
Awesome, I am glad it helped! Have a great day 😎
Do you have a new video that shows how to handle environment variables when using Pipelines? I am running into an issue where I can't change my variables after publishing up to a TEST environment. They are greyed out.
excelente!!!
Gracias! (Sorry that is the limit on my Espanol!) 😊
@@ShanesCows Portuguese actually, but close 💪💪 the level of detail was spot on! Do you have any of this type for O365 groups management in environments and solution? Best regards 🙏
Thanks!
Appreciate the support. 🤩
HI. Great Work!. I have one doubt about Environment Variable Secrets. have one custom connector i am passing Secret Value in Text is not working. Or only that azure key vault is possible to passing a client secret
For non admin users, they need basic role to read env variable, is that right ? Everything worked for you as you are admin ?
I believe that is correct Jeff.
How i can change environment in power automate visual in power bi ?
I haven't done that one.
Shane are you a fan of Skiing ? Looks like you got a nice snow tan on the go there 🙂
Watching kids play Soccer with sun glasses on is usually where my look comes from. 😎 I have never been any good at skiing.
I may have spoken too soon :) And hoping I will find out what I am doing wrong, but when I do deploy to QA (managed, not unmanaged) and set the Site to the QA site and the lists to the QA lists for the environment variables, for some reason the app is STILL pointing back to the DEV data lists. It is frustrating
The part of removing the environment variable value from the solution makes no sense to me, won’t this break the existing solution?
You aren’t removing it, you are just removing it as the default. Just a weird UI. 😑
Appreciate the prompt response! Thanks
This video made my head spin with possibilities.
And questions....
I have Solution where i added a PowerBI dataset to Datasets.
I want to use that dataset set in a power app.
The user will selected a record from the dataset, then answer some questions and the record information and answers will be patched to SharePoint list.
I can't figure out how to get may PowerApps to use the PowerBI dataset as a data source Can you point me in the right direction?
Hi Shane, brilliant video, as usual, I like the idea of a long shot since it is more detailed , I have built all my applications in unmanaged solutions😥 because I was not aware of that before, these apps have flowes and connected to SharePoint lists, I am in process of moving one app to another Microsoft office 365 tenant
how can I grab all the app pieces together? thank you
Question for discussion: The solution approach does not really seem well suited to SharePoint especially since the data model is not included in the solution. Most organizations don't really subscribe to the idea that staff should build multiple site instances just to support the app deployment model. In fact, the target audience for the platform will likely not even understand this approach. Low code = non-developer. How have others approached solutions?
Most people, in my experience, do not use Solutions for SharePoint based solutions. I think you are spot on.
Question for Discussion: I am not sure a solution should use environment variables from other solutions just because they are seen in the environment. The scope should the solution. I live in a world where the whole company is in the default environment and what a mess these variables can make. Sharing things across solutions seems like another opportunity for chaos. I am thinking of using a naming convention for things in the solution so that they can easily be identified from other solutions. Wondering how others have approached this?
Hi Shane, another great video, thanks! What about importing a solution to a different tenant where it's not possible to create list from existing list. What is your recommended method for replicating the SharePoint list in that case?
Sean usually that answer is just open up two browser windows and do it by hand. Technically you can write a flow to do the conversion for you but I haven't done that on RUclips. It is shown in my 401 class as it has a lot of moving parts.
PnP PowerShell script - very easy --- "recommended method for replicating the SharePoint list"
And the whole site with all the lists, fields, content types ....
@@ShanesCows by hand - for not too complicated lists - yes
when many fields and rows - not a good idea ((((
@@loveandhate441 I second this. I build all my SharePoint lists using PnP and keep the script so I can use it for my next client. It can build a site with 30 lists and hundreds of columns in minutes (while I go and make a coffee). PowerShell is your friend 😊
Ive had up to 12 coworkers changing a lot of items in the same solution, on one client delivery someone published dev work in progress that broke the delivery after importing, so publishing anytime everytime isnt good.
Shane, this is another interesting, helpful video in you collection, thank you! I just took on ownership of a live app that I wasn't involved in with the build, and there is a lot of logic behind the many screens that I'm trying to figure out. Since the app is live and has hundreds of users, your solution to use Solutions seems to be perfect. Just to make sure: If I start a new Solution in my DEV env, I can pull in the PROD app from the PROD env and basically 'play' with it, without doing any damage to the live app? And then, when I have figured all dependencies and logic out, I could theoretically move it back into the PROD solution space, copy the live user info into a new PROD list, and connect that to the updated from DEV-to-PROD solution?
Great video Shane! Using solutions is the way to go for entreprise apps deployments. I have a question though. Sometimes the flows are not triggered anymore after migrating the solution to production. (Flows triggered by papps). It works fine on dev environment though. Have you encountered this situation before? Also, since last week, all end users need to be members of the environment in order to use the app. It was not the case before... What s your thoughts on that?
Alexandru - I am not sure. I haven't encountered that before. 😖
Is there any openings on powerapps??
Shane, this is a great explanation of a very spooky and mysterious feature that I've always been interested in. If we created flows and apps not in a solution, could we import them into a solution to get everything related packed into a single source? I'm assuming yes. Might be a good way to get better organized if someone isn't already using a dev > test > prod method of deploying. Thanks for covering all details so well.
Hi Alan. Yes, you can add the existing pieces into a new solution. YOu will have to rework them a bit to get them to use the Environment Variables if you want that but shouldn't be a problem, just some work. :)
Tak!
Thank you! I appreciate the support. 🤩
Using environment variables makes your App ‘Premium’, so all the users need an extra license. So I if you do this, I would think it would be smarter to use Dataverse. SharePoint is especially nice if you want to keep your App free.
I don't think it makes the app premium. Why do you think that? I checked and the one I did in the video is standard still.
Hi Shane, I experienced this with an App when using Env. variables. But if you say so, I will test it again. Maybe it was another premium factor in the App.
@@ShanesCows Hi Shane, I think this does make the app premium. Using environment variables requires the use of two dataverse tables (environmentvariablevalues and environmentvariabledefinitions). This means that users of the app now need a premium power apps license because dataverse is a premium data source.
at 16-ish - if you remove an environment variable and add it back in using that method . . . REMEMBER TO REMOVE DEFAULT VALUE BEFORE EXPORTING!! omg dont ask me how i know /cry
27:32 --- Data sources are from the initial Solution.
Power Automate Flows linked to this Solution - the same situation - are from the initial environment ...
So, we need to DELETE All Data sources and Power Automate Flows from the new imported Solution in a new environment and then ADD the actual ones (from this current environment)
Very inconvenient especially when having 40 Environment Variables and 32 Power Automate Flows and with a need to export \ import to different places.
If it's a bug, when it's expected to be fixed ?
I think it is a bug that the Data panel links to the original list but the data it pulls into the app is the correct data. I have passed along to Microsoft I found this very confusing, hopeful something they will look at.
@@ShanesCows Hi Shane,
" but the data it pulls into the app is the correct data" - I don't see this when migrating solutions between different tenants ((((
Thanks for pushing Microsoft !
Interesting you don't get the right stuff when you import. I will have to dig deeper. Sorry for your troubles.
@@ShanesCows Thanks, Shane !
Really appreciated if you advise how to clone Solutions effectively
Now it's a nightmare to copy a Solution like I mentioned (40 Environment Variables and 32 Power Automate Flows + App) , Dev ---> Test ---> Prod or between tenants.