Connection References - Create them for each solution or have a solution of Connection references??

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Posted on by NQFlow

Hi guys,

I can't find a definitive answer on this one. Is best practise to:

1. add new connection references to each solution

2. have a solution of Connection references that you use in each solution?

Option 1 is easy but you end up with heaps of connection references.

Option 2 - Eg. Solution CR contains all your connection references. Solution A contains Flow A that uses a connection reference from Solution CR. When you want to export Solution A, you'd have to ADD MISSING DEPENDENCIES. It seems to add the connection reference from Solution CR and the reference seems to exist in both solutions, is that correct? And are they the same connection reference or is only the display name the same?

Which is the best way forward as I'm about to spend some time cleaning up our environments and want to get it right the first time. We also plan on using pipelines to deploy all our solutions to a backup/dev environment.

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,335 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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HI

Please don't have a solution with just Connection references, put them in your solution.

I have literally never ever heard of people putting just connection references in a solution. This would cause all types of havoc.

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,335 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi

I need to add something also that you have wrong.

When you go to export you would NOT being adding your Connections from the other solution.

You would have ALREADY had to have added the connection references TO your project anyway.

So all you did was create this mess

Connection => Connection Reference => Connection Reference Reference

Dont do it

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narayan225 2,547 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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You create connection references so that you can use them inside your solution,

If you are creating a separate solution with connection references, you will have problem when exporting the solution to a different environment.

Use a connection reference in a solution with Microsoft Dataverse - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

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abc 123 784 Moderator on at

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As if Connection References aren't a complete pain already, please be aware that they silently "expire", leaving all of your Flows based on it to quit executing. Did I mention that it's silent, so you just suddenly get client calling and screaming at you as to why you're such a horrible programmer?

#timebomb

Solved: Failed to validate token Timebomb (powerplatform.com)

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NQFlow 24 on at

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Thanks guys. Will NOT create a separate solution for connection references. Have found lots of articles recommending it but needed to check if it was good to do or not.

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