Should I create a site, add it to a solution and then incrementally transfer tables, customisations as they are created, or should I complete the site and then add it to a solution?

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Posted on by MJWhite

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Hi there

I've added a new site to a solution, but the site doesn't seem to behave differently to when a site hasn't been added to a solution. It is still adding tables to the default solutions, but not to the solution to which the site has been added.

The documentation Use solutions with Power Pages | Microsoft Learn says 'New website components aren't automatically added to the solution that contains a site'

Hence, I'm struggling to see any benefit or consequence of adding a site to a solution at the outset. Why not wait until it is completed?

@OliverRodrigues Any thoughts?

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Fubar 8,461 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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You could try the new setting (now GA) in Dataverse to set which Solution is the Preferred solution for your user and see if that helps (I haven't tried it for Pages, but for Dataverse it works for most things) https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/preferred-solution-is-now-generally-available/

Traditionally, as the Portal didn't have a solution it was our responsibility to package an new Tables etc in a Solution file manually, it was usually easier to do this as you go (but more cumbersome if you are adding fields etc via the Pages Designer) as it is too easy to miss something if you do it at the end.

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MJWhite 338 on at

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Thanks Fubar

Your reply gave me the impetus to look harder in Power Pages (I was previously looking in Setup) and I found this 'current solution' setting in Dataverse:

I also looked at the changing the 'preferred solution', as per the link in your reply. I configured it via Power Apps so I could see the effect of creating the first new site in Power Pages.

My provisional observations are:
Changing the 'preferred solution' setting in Power Apps doesn't change the 'current solution' setting in Power Pages and vice versa
The 'preferred solution' setting in Power Apps will:
Result in a new site and its and components being added to a solution and the solution will be updated as pages, roles... etc are added, updated, deleted
Not result in any tables, views... being added to a solution
The 'current solution' setting in Power Pages will:
Result in any tables, views... being added to a solution and the solution will be updated as tables, views... are added, updated, deleted. This includes updates to the OOTB tables
Not result in a new site and its and components... being added to a solution

Not sure whether the above is by design, but that's what I've found.

The updates to the pages in a solution is a bit clunky - it retains records in the solution for deleted pages and although they are marked as such, it could get quite messy with multiple deletions.

I'm wondering whether best to:
Enable the 'current solution' setting in Power Pages so the solution will be updated as tables, views... are added, updated, deleted
Not enable the 'preferred solution' setting in Power Apps
Add the site to the solution once it is complete or at least near completion

I'll do a more substantial test and then update this topic with the result.

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MJWhite 338 on at

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I tested:
Enable the 'current solution' setting in Power Pages so the solution will be updated as tables, views... are added, updated, deleted
Not enable the 'preferred solution' setting in Power Apps
Add the site to the solution after I had done some additions and deletions of pages in Power pages
Deleted pages are still showing in the solution, even if the site is added to the solution after the deletions have taken place (in the screenshot below, subpage three was added and subpage two was deleted):

Hence, there's no benefit of adding the site to the solution later. Furthermore, there may be other components of a solution other than the tables, views... and the site which may benefit from being updated automatically in the solution.

I'll do a further update to the topic to summarise the outcome of the investigation.

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MJWhite 338 on at

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Summary of the outcome of the investigation:

If not already created, create a new solution. If a new publisher is created as part of this process, it is possible to change the prefix which is added to tables and other objects.

Set the 'preferred solution' setting in Power Apps so that a new site and its components are added to a solution and the solution will be updated as pages, roles... etc are added, updated, deleted

Set the 'current solution' setting in Power Pages so that any tables, views... are added to a solution and the solution will be updated as tables, views... are added, updated, deleted. This includes updates to the OOTB tables

I'll hold off accepting this as the solution for the moment, as I should be doing a bit more work which might throw up something else which is useful.

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