ALM at scale: new features and automation capabilities

Today, we’re announcing the ability to add your Canvas apps and Flows to solutions (Preview) in the Common Data Service for Apps – even if they weren’t originally created from a solution! This means that you can now package all related apps, Flows, logic, schema, and other components and move them together across environments. As an added benefit, you can also manage your canvas apps and Flows in source control and fully automate your build and release pipelines.

Click here for the list of known limitations. We’re actively working to close these gaps; soon Canvas apps and Flows in solutions are fully supported with the added benefit of enterprise scalability solutions offer.

Other improvements in the modern solution explorer

• Flows in solutions can be shared
• Canvas apps are human readable in source control
• Deleting a managed solution deletes the Canvas apps and Flows within the solution
• Add and remove entity subcomponents
• Create and edit a solution publisher
• New solution export experience
• Solution packager supports Canvas apps and Flows
• Managed properties
• Various usability improvements
• Dynamics 365 for Customer Service solution components are available:
  • SLA’s
  • Routing rule sets
  • Article templates
  • Record creation and update rules

Add apps and Flows via PowerShell

Adding pre-existing Canvas apps and Flows to solutions can also be done via the command line. Install the latest PoweShell for PowerApps modules to try this today.

Run the script

Once the modules are installed, follow these instructions to run the script provided below. If you receive a security warning, you may need to unblock running the downloaded script, see this article for more details.

1. Ensure you’re an environment administrator
   Install the PowerShell for PowerApps Makers scripts
   Run Windows PowerShell as an administrator and make sure you’re in the same directory as the script.
   Authenticate by running this command and inserting your credentials
2. # Here is how you can pass in credentials (avoiding opening a prompt) $pass = ConvertTo-SecureString “<your_Password>” -AsPlainText -Force Add-PowerAppsAccount -Username <yourUsername> -Password $pass
3. Run the following command after inserting your own Environment ID, App ID, and Solution ID
4. Canvas app example: Set-PowerAppAsSolutionAware -EnvironmentName 839eace6-59ab-4243-97ec-a5b8fcc104e4 -AppName 0e075c48-a792-4705-8f99-82eec3b1cd8e -SolutionId 090928a6-d541-4e00-ad1d-e06c3ac26d62
5. Flow example: Set-FlowAsSolutionAware -EnvironmentName 839eace6-59ab-4243-97ec-a5b8fcc104e4 -FlowName 0e075c48-a792-4705-8f99-82eec3b1cd8e -SolutionId 090928a6-d541-4e00-ad1d-e06c3ac26d62

 

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