cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply
DS2
Helper V
Helper V

How to change an existing SharePoint Canvas Power App data source to use environmental variables instead

We have a test Canvas Power App in a solution with Flows that currently uses SharePoint as a data source, and this test App is in a personal development environment. We would like to export it for use in DEV, QA and PROD Power Platform environments and use separate SharePoint lists for each environment. We did not add environmental variables to the Power App in the beginning but would like to set variables for the SharePoint Site and List. 
I read the documentation here: Use data source environment variables in canvas apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn on the creation of environmental variables, but am struggling to see if the data source is already created how to change it to use environmental variables instead as there are many connection throughout many screens. 


Does anyone have any instructions on how to change to using SharePoint environmental variables for the data source for an existing Canvas App? We also have Flows associated to the App that would need to be changed as well. 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hey @DS2 

 

Yes you can convert from standard SharePoint datasource to using environment variables - sometimes its a bit of pain when the names don't exactly match but luckily Power Apps has Find-and-Replace.

 

Take your existing app, add it to a solution, create the environment variables you'll need for the solution - you'll need one for each site and then one for each list used within each site (as the list env vars use the site env vars as a 'base' of sorts). In my example I will use a single site and two lists within it, that are both part of an app:

 

Create a site environment variable in the solution you created to add the app to, and add to it the current site value (the site value in this environment):

image.png

 

Then do the the same for the lists, choosing the Site Environment variable for the site when setting up the list environment variable, and setting up the current value to point at the list you are creating the variable for:

image.png

 

 

Then select to edit your app from the solution:

image.png

 

Once in the app, select the datasource option from the left rail and then the ellipsis next to each datasource and select remove (ignore all the errors that come up, those will be dealt with when we add them back via environment variables):

image.png

 

Then select Add Data either from the option the datasource list or the big button (if you removed all datasources), choose SharePoint and your connection:

image.png

 

Then, when it asks to connect to the SharePoint site, choose Advanced:

image.png

 

Then select the site environment variable we set up in the earlier steps:

image.png

 

Then it will ask you to choose a list, make sure to click Advanced again:

image.png

 

Check the boxes for the list variables we set up in the earlier steps then click Connect:

image.png

 

Now, we can see them listed by the Environment variable name in your datasource list and most, if not all, of our errors are solved:

image.png

 

If you've used a lot of custom code, you may need to use the search-and-replace function (bottom left of rail) to replace the old name with the new environment variable name - replace the old name including its single quotes with the new name, in our example here that would be:

'All Data Types'

with

AllDataTypes_ListEnvVar

 

We can then look at the app details to confirm it is still designated as non-premium 🙂

image.png

 

Hope this helps solve your situation, and apologies for your previous experience on the forums, not everyone on here is the same 💜

Cheers,

Sancho


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


View solution in original post

12 REPLIES 12
VishalJhaveri
Impactful Individual
Impactful Individual

Using environment variables will make the application licensing to premium from standard. Are you sure you want to use Environment Variables?
This video from Reza Dorrani might help you: https://youtu.be/BFGcXSAgawM?si=TLVSg-zgGzPntcWc

If my answer helps you please mark it as solution.

DS2
Helper V
Helper V

Thanks for your reply @VishalJhaveri  but the documentation says that premium licenses are not required: Use environment variables in Power Platform solutions - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn

"Are premium licenses required?

No. While ALM requires Dataverse (or Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement), use of premium connectors isn't required. The one caveat is if you're using the Dataverse connector to interact with environment variables as you would with other data records like accounts or contacts. Previously this was the only way to use environment variables in canvas apps and flows."
As we are not using Dataverse, but SharePoint, we will not consume premium licenses. I have seen the video, but it does not address what to do if you have an existing canvas app, unfortunately. 

I made an application 2 years ago and created Environment variables, and used them as parameters inside the application, it turned my application to premium. So I quite remembered that was the reason why I removed those Environment variables.
And my backend was : SharePoint as connector.
Please check if it is currently working for you or not. 

Things have changed @VishalJhaveri - the subject of this post is if it is possible to change from using a SharePoint data source to using data source environmental variables. I'm hoping to get responses on that 🙂 I tested creating an App from scratch with SP environmental variables and it did not make the App premium. If it did, it's possible we'd be OK with it. 

I verified it with my team and they are saying that Environment variable uses Dataverse as backend and henceforth it will make the application premium. But we didn't try it. Can you please share the screenshots after creating Environment Variables of the application not being premium?

DS2
Helper V
Helper V

We have a test Canvas Power App in a solution with Flows that currently uses SharePoint as a data source, and this test App is in a personal development environment. We would like to export it for use in DEV, QA and PROD Power Platform environments and use separate SharePoint lists for each environment. We did not add environmental variables to the Power App in the beginning but would like to set variables for the SharePoint Site and List. 

I read the documentation here: Use data source environment variables in canvas apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn on the creation of environmental variables, but am struggling to see if the data source is already created how to change it to use environmental variables instead as there are many connection throughout many screens. 


Does anyone have any instructions on how to change to using SharePoint environmental variables for the data source for an existing Canvas App? We also have Flows associated to the App that would need to be changed as well. 

This is not a question about licensing. 

@DS2 ,

 

You have the same thread open:

How to change an existing SharePoint Canvas Power ... - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

Please close the thread.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Please give a thumbs up if I resolved your issue! Please click Accept as Solution to close the topic!

Thanks @Gochix - I closed the other one. 

Helpful resources

Announcements

Community will be READ ONLY July 16th, 5p PDT -July 22nd

Dear Community Members,   We'd like to let you know of an upcoming change to the community platform: starting July 16th, the platform will transition to a READ ONLY mode until July 22nd.   During this period, members will not be able to Kudo, Comment, or Reply to any posts.   On July 22nd, please be on the lookout for a message sent to the email address registered on your community profile. This email is crucial as it will contain your unique code and link to register for the new platform encompassing all of the communities.   What to Expect in the New Community: A more unified experience where all products, including Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio, and Power Pages, will be accessible from one community.Community Blogs that you can syndicate and link to for automatic updates. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this transition. Stay tuned for the exciting new features and a seamless community experience ahead!

Summer of Solutions | Week 4 Results | Winners will be posted on July 24th

We are excited to announce the Summer of Solutions Challenge!   This challenge is kicking off on Monday, June 17th and will run for (4) weeks.  The challenge is open to all Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio & Power Pages) community members. We invite you to participate in a quest to provide solutions in the Forums to as many questions as you can. Answers can be provided in all the communities.    Entry Period: This Challenge will consist of four weekly Entry Periods as follows (each an “Entry Period”)   - 12:00 a.m. PT on June 17, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on June 23, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on June 24, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on June 30, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on July 1, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on July 7, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on July 8, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on July 14, 2024   Entries will be eligible for the Entry Period in which they are received and will not carryover to subsequent weekly entry periods.  You must enter into each weekly Entry Period separately.   How to Enter: We invite you to participate in a quest to provide "Accepted Solutions" to as many questions as you can. Answers can be provided in all the communities. Users must provide a solution which can be an “Accepted Solution” in the Forums in all of the communities and there are no limits to the number of “Accepted Solutions” that a member can provide for entries in this challenge, but each entry must be substantially unique and different.    Winner Selection and Prizes: At the end of each week, we will list the top ten (10) Community users which will consist of: 5 Community Members & 5 Super Users and they will advance to the final drawing. We will post each week in the News & Announcements the top 10 Solution providers.  At the end of the challenge, we will add all of the top 10 weekly names and enter them into a random drawing.  Then we will randomly select ten (10) winners (5 Community Members & 5 Super Users) from among all eligible entrants received across all weekly Entry Periods to receive the prize listed below. If a winner declines, we will draw again at random for the next winner.  A user will only be able to win once overall. If they are drawn multiple times, another user will be drawn at random.  Individuals will be contacted before the announcement with the opportunity to claim or deny the prize.  Once all of the winners have been notified, we will post in the News & Announcements of each community with the list of winners.   Each winner will receive one (1) Pass to the Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas, Sep. 18-20, 2024 ($1800 value). NOTE: Prize is for conference attendance only and any other costs such as airfare, lodging, transportation, and food are the sole responsibility of the winner. Tickets are not transferable to any other party or to next year’s event.   ** PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED RULES for this CHALLENGE**   Week 1 Results: Congratulations to the Week 1 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge. Community MembersNumber of SolutionsSuper UsersNumber of Solutions @anandm08  23 @WarrenBelz  31 @DBO_DV  10 @Amik  19 AmínAA 6 @mmbr1606  12 @rzuber  4 @happyume  7 @Giraldoj  3@ANB 6 (tie)   @SpongYe  6 (tie)     Week 2 Results: Congratulations to the Week 2 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge. Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutions @anandm08  10@WarrenBelz 25 @DBO_DV  6@mmbr1606 14 @AmínAA 4 @Amik  12 @royg  3 @ANB  10 @AllanDeCastro  2 @SunilPashikanti  5 @Michaelfp  2 @FLMike  5 @eduardo_izzo  2   Meekou 2   @rzuber  2   @Velegandla  2     @PowerPlatform-P  2   @Micaiah  2     Week 3 Results: Congratulations to the Week 3 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge.   Week 3:Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutionsPower Apps anandm0861WarrenBelz86DBO_DV25Amik66Michaelfp13mmbr160647Giraldoj13FLMike31AmínAA13SpongYe27     Week 4 Results: Congratulations to the Week 4 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge.   Week 4:Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutionsPower Apps DBO-DV21WarranBelz26Giraldoj7mmbr160618Muzammmil_0695067Amik14samfawzi_acml6FLMike12tzuber6ANB8   SunilPashikanti8

Check Out | 2024 Release Wave 2 Plans for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform

On July 16, 2024, we published the 2024 release wave 2 plans for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. These plans are a compilation of the new capabilities planned to be released between October 2024 to March 2025. This release introduces a wealth of new features designed to enhance customer understanding and improve overall user experience, showcasing our dedication to driving digital transformation for our customers and partners.    The upcoming wave is centered around utilizing advanced AI and Microsoft Copilot technologies to enhance user productivity and streamline operations across diverse business applications. These enhancements include intelligent automation, AI-powered insights, and immersive user experiences that are designed to break down barriers between data, insights, and individuals. Watch a summary of the release highlights.    Discover the latest features that empower organizations to operate more efficiently and adaptively. From AI-driven sales insights and customer service enhancements to predictive analytics in supply chain management and autonomous financial processes, the new capabilities enable businesses to proactively address challenges and capitalize on opportunities.    

Updates to Transitions in the Power Platform Communities

We're embarking on a journey to enhance your experience by transitioning to a new community platform. Our team has been diligently working to create a fresh community site, leveraging the very Dynamics 365 and Power Platform tools our community advocates for.  We started this journey with transitioning Copilot Studio forums and blogs in June. The move marks the beginning of a new chapter, and we're eager for you to be a part of it. The rest of the Power Platform product sites will be moving over this summer.   Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the launch. We can't wait to welcome you to our new community space, designed with you in mind. Let's connect, learn, and grow together.   Here's to new beginnings and endless possibilities!   If you have any questions, observations or concerns throughout this process please go to https://aka.ms/PPCommSupport.   To stay up to date on the latest details of this migration and other important Community updates subscribe to our News and Announcements forums: Copilot Studio, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages

Users online (1,148)