Power Apps

Sharing a Connection Reference

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Posted on by sperry1625

763 Super User 2024 Season 1

We are starting Coauthored Development for our Power Apps. We are running into some issues. Here is a scenario:

Scenario

Developer 1

Creates New Solution for Shared Connection References (IT | Common | Connections)
1. Common Solution contains Connection References for
  1. SharePoint Online
  2. Office 365 Outlook
  3. Office 365 Users

Developer 2

Creates new solution
Creates/imports Power App and related Flows

Problem

Developer 2, while creating flows, cannot see the common shared connection references created by Developer 1. Why?

If Developer 1 goes into the flow created by developer 2, they can see the connection References and use them. Save the Flow. Then Developer 2 can edit the flow and the shared connection references are still selected (although developer 2 cannot see the account used by the connection reference).

I can see a possible reason; the underlying Connection in the Shared Connection Reference is not accessible by Developer 2.

Even without using a Shared Connection, if developer 1 creates a Connection Reference local to the solution developer 2 will still have an issue as they will not have access to the underlying connection.

How is coauthoring supposed to work if solution components cannot be shared? How does one connection reference use different underlying connections based on what the developer has access to?

Connections can only be shared with Service Principals, not individuals. How is this supposed to work?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thank you.

Regards,

-S

Categories:

Building Power Apps

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Casper 41 on at

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This was never answered. I am having the same problem. Except the flows are in the same solution as are the connection references. Other users just cant use these existing connection references.

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victorcp 2,350 Moderator on at

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Hi,
To share a connection go to make.powerautomate.com > Data > Connections > Select the connection > Share

Enter the email > change the permission > save

I hope it helps 🙂

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Casper 41 on at

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Thank you, so my understanding is that the connection must be shared. When trying to do that I get this, where do I add them?

"XXXX@ZZZZ.Com isn't in your organization's directory"

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victorcp 2,350 Moderator on at

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My mistake, it is available only for service principal not for users.

As a workaround you can use a service account and share it with all the devs (Unfortunately I think this is the best solution now)

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sperry1625 763 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@victorcp , you cannot share a connection with a person or group. You can only share with a service principal.

Regards,

-S

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Casper 41 on at

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Thanks for the feedback. strange that a connection reference can't be shared, I will then just have to share the username and password with all the developers 😕

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sperry1625 763 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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Connections cannot be shared with users or groups. They can only be shared with Service Principals and Service Principal App Ids. This is the root of the problem.

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darylvogan 274 on at

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Then how do we do shared development? Other devs can't use my flows/connection references.

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victorcp 2,350 Moderator on at

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In our team, we created a service account and all the devs use it to create flows and apps.

I know it's not the best solution but it is working

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darylvogan 274 on at

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JUST the creation step?

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