CDS (Current environment) premium connector mandatory in PowerApps if used in PowerAutomate?

[Sam4]

Hi, I have a quick question, I have a workflow in PowerAutomate that uses the "Perform an unbound action in the CDS (Current Environment)" connector. This connector is using a custom action created in a Solution to perform a couple of activities. The whole workflow uses other premium connectors as HTTP for example. This workflow is triggered from PowerApps in a button, however, I'm not using the connector in the app, only in the flow. 

The problem is, it seems PowerApps is asking me to allow the CDS (current environment) premium connector. That is not happening if I use only the HTTP connector (I can use it in PowerAutomate but PowerApps does not require it).

My question is, is this correct? Not sure if I am doing something wrong or it is because I am using a connector using a custom action from a solution.

Kind Regards

S

[HSheild]

Hi @Sam4 

This sounds normal to me. I assume you are triggering the flow from a Canvas App? If your Power Automate flow contains the CDS connector and the flow is triggered from a Canvas app then opening the app will ask for access to the CDS connector. That is my experience anyway. What are your concerns with this? 

[Sam4]

Hi @HSheild , it is how you say. 

The reason I'm asking it is because it seems it is not the same for other premium connectors so not sure if it is only for CDS. For example, I have a Power Automate flow that contains the HTTP connector and the flow is triggered from a Canvas app. In this case the canvas app is not asking for access to the HTTP connector.

I also would need to check if there are any PowerApps license implications. The current Canvas App is not using premium connectors itself, so if the CDS connector is added then it may need to change the license for some users.

[dpoggemann · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sam4 ,

If you are executing the Power Automate flow from the button and the flow is connecting to premium connectors then you would need to license the users utilizing the Power App with a Power Apps Per App or Power Apps Per User license since you are calling directly from the button.   This is based on my research and real world situations with customers, of course it is Microsoft licensing which can be a challenge 🙂

You might want the button to call a flow that will work with only standard connectors (i.e. adds a record to a SharePoint list) and then have the new record that is added to the list fire off the other Power Automate flow and this would be running under a user that is licensed for the premium connectors.  

I suggest you verify this with Microsoft but this is an approach that I would recommend.

Thanks much,

Drew

[Kunal_Valecha]

Do we need to get Premium Powerapp plan even if we use custom connector instead of premium connector?

[dpoggemann]

Hi @Kunal_Valecha ,

Yes, premium and custom connectors fall in the same category.