Sharepoint list connection references in power apps

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Posted on by RŠ-18070758-0

I am trying to understand how to correctly export an unmanaged solution as a managed one while being able to select sharepoint lists (that are to be used as the database) upon import to a different tenant/environment. As far as I understand, connection reference to sharepoint is necessary, but even though I've created one, I can't seem to find it in the power apps app in the data section. Am I missing something? Should it even be there?

Thanks in advance

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MS.Ragavendar 6,334 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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@RŠ-18070758-0,

Creation of environment variables

While adding the data into the app using the environment variable add all relevant site object (list / library).

Flow the url should be referred from the environment variable only.

Create a new connection reference.

All the flows should be use this connection reference only.

Add Required Objects:

Open your solution in the source environment where your canvas app resides.
Click on the three dots next to your app within the solution.
Select “Advanced” and then choose “Add Required Objects.”

This action will automatically add all the necessary components (including tables) to your solution.

These are the steps which is need for solution deployment.

🏷️ Please tag me @MS.Ragavendar if you still have any queries related to the solution or issue persists.

✅ Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue and help others who will face the similar issue in future.

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MS.Ragavendar 6,334 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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@RŠ-18070758-0,

A quick follow-up to see, does the suggestion worked for you or still you were looking for any other approaches or assistance.

🏷️ Please tag me @MS.Ragavendar if you still have any queries related to the solution or issue persists.

✅ Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue and help others who will face the similar issue in future.

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RŠ-18070758-0 2 on at

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Thanks for your response.

I can see the connection references in flows, but I cannot find them in Power Apps.

For example, I select "Add data":

Then, find SharePoint:

But when i press that ↑, all i see is these connections, but no connection reference, that I've created in the solution.

So, my question now is, do these connection references work only in flows or I'm just doing something wrong?

Thanks!

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MS.Ragavendar 6,334 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Connection References vs. Connections in Power Platform

Connection References and Connections are related but serve different purposes and appear in different contexts, especially when dealing with Solutions in Power Platform.

What Are Connection References?

Connection References are Solution-aware objects used in Power Automate Flows, Canvas Apps, and Model-driven Apps.

They link a Solution component (like a Flow or App) to a Connection (e.g., SharePoint, Dataverse, etc.).

They're used so that when you export/import solutions across environments (like Dev → Test → Prod), the platform knows what connection to associate.

Why You're Not Seeing Connection References in Power Apps (Canvas App)

When you go into Power Apps (Canvas App) and:

Click “Add data”

Then choose SharePoint or another connector

You're seeing the actual Connections available in your environment — not the Connection References.

This is expected behavior.

If you create your Canvas App outside of a solution, it won’t use connection references by default. Always create or import apps into a Solution to manage connections properly using references.

🏷️ Please tag me @MS.Ragavendar if you still have any queries related to the solution or issue persists.

✅ Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue and help others who will face the similar issue in future.

❤️ Please consider giving it a Like, If the approach was useful in other ways.

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