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No connection reference available after importing an existing Cloud Flow into a solution

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Posted on by westerdaled

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It has been a long day but in the morning I managed to import an existing instant cloud flow into a Solution and somehow get the auto created connection reference. I can see this same connection reference when I add a new cloud flow to the Solution

Solution Cloud Flow not showing connection reference.PNG

Now I come to add one of the larger existing flows to the solution ( situated within the current environment) and I am unable to select the above connection reference. Is there a way around this other than recreating the same flow as new?

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Using connectors

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Ellis Karim 11,931 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Try creating a new connection for the trigger:
Ellis

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westerdaled 649 on at

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@ekarim2020

Thanks for the suggestion. I misread this and recreated the trigger (I think I need my first coffee🤔) , then fixed the subsequent issues. I then added a connection to this trigger as per your suggeston. I am afraid no change. What I don't understand when imported the last flow into the solution and set the various env vars in all the actions, it complained about missing connection reference but not in this case. Also, the auto created connection reference was listed in the solution which it isn't currently. All the Power Apps are currently using the connection ref in the solution.

Is it time to download the flow, add the connection reference to the source code and upload ?

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Ellis Karim 11,931 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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(1) Take a look at this post and comments about Connection references : See: https://www.itaintboring.com/powerapps/connection-references/
(2) A few more things to check : have a look at the connection references for the flow in the Flow details screen:
And the Connections screen, where you can see a list of call connections shared by Power Apps and Power Automate. Can you identify the connection that is being used by the flow?
You may not be able to delete the connection if it is shared by Power Apps, but you could try to click Switch Account, and then re-authenticate using the credentials.
Ellis

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westerdaled 649 on at

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@ekarim2020

Thanks for your insightful comments. You are correct, when you you go to the flow details screen, it then lists the connection issues which I fixed, try to select a common connection reference for the appropriate action.

Now, I think I need to determine if the all the flows in the solution are using the same connection reference or one of the duplicates shown above. Indeed, this flow shows 2 embedded Outlook 365 connection references and 3 embedded SharePoint connection references. Do I need delete the duplicates and then fix each flow or even the impacted Power Apps ?

looks like there is another issue, when I go to the solution to see my connection references..... I see a tumble weed desert!

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Ellis Karim 11,931 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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I just noticed this alert for a flow in my Dev environment: I am looking at the Details screen of the following flow (which is part of a solution:
Note the warning alert:
Looks like I need to fix this flow. Click on the Flow checker to see the details of the warning:
Flows should use CONNECTION REFERENCES instead of CONNECTIONS. I think this is the issue that needs to be addressed. Old flows are using connections, we need to use CONNECTION REFERENCES. Click on the link "Remove connections so connection references can be used" displayed in the warning:
Click on the flow first step with the warning icon (not the ...), and add New connection reference:
Then for every other step with a connection warnings, perform the above but this time select the new connection reference just created:
Now all the connection references are fixed for this flow:
I just test the flow:
Looking at the solution again, I just noticed that there is a SharePoint connection Reference, which is probably the connection reference used by the flow:
The SharePoint connection reference can be edited, but for now I am going to leave this alone.
Also, note in the blog mentioned previously another method to fix this:
https://www.itaintboring.com/powerapps/connection-references/
"Not sure if there is an easier way to reset the Flow so it starts using connection references, but I just added it to a new solution, exported the solution, deleted both the Flow and my new solution, then imported it back."
Hope this helps.
Ellis

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westerdaled 649 on at

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@ekarim2020

I have now repeated the exact some steps in a newly imported flow in the solution. Again, in the details screen -> Flow checker shows the 'Remove connections so connection references can be used' , then got through same steps you have outlined including creating a new connection reference, for later selection in each action.
I save the flow but I don't see the auto added connection reference in the solution. Is this an issue as both the flows and apps are using connection references.

I wonder if there is bug in the auto adding feature so I thought why don't I create my own

Next I imported the remaining flow into the solution and repeated your steps but now I shown all available connection references including the one auto added ( which I have only just renamed) , previously added in another solution, the one I have just manually added and the rest as shown below.

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Ellis Karim 11,931 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Two more things to try:
(1) Completely log out of the currently logged in browser session (and close all browser windows), then logon again to see if the problem still exists. We want to see if we can "reset" the connection.
If that doesn't help, try "Switch Account":
(2) Go to the Connections screen:
Select the flow's connection. Look at the time stamp to help you identify the connection. Then select Switch account:
see: Power Automate: Invalid Connection
Ellis

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westerdaled 649 on at

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@ekarim2020

Thanks for your advice . I did try logging out of each browser session. I also tested out the available connections by creating a new flow in the Solution and then going to the conections quick link .

As you can see a chequed history of connections or connection references in the Development environment: do I just switch the top one (auto) created in this new test flow. I guess If I remove any then this will impact one of the current flows in enviroment . However, the advantage would be any easier solution export / import. Tomorrow, I want to export the solution to Production, so I guess it would be good to have a finite number of connection references.

I thought this looked interesting Find missing connection references

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westerdaled 649 on at

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Hi @ekarim2020

The latest update is I am working through the missing dependencies after trying to import the solution into my Production environment.

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