Prevent Power Platform Solution Import Failures

What is the Power Platform?

Power Platform solutions are used to implement application lifecycle management (ALM) in Power Apps and Power Automate. Solutions are developed in development environments while admins make changes to your application. They serve as the source for Microsoft Power Platform assets. Solutions allow admins to transport apps and components between environments.

In summary, solutions are essential for managing customizations, deploying changes, and ensuring effective ALM in the Power Platform.

Common Power Platform solution import failures

Solution Import failures are common mostly due to the fact that dependencies exist between solutions and their components. Some common failures we’ve seen include (but not limited to):

• Microsoft updates have completed in the originating organization, but not yet in the target organization
• Connection References don’t have a corresponding Connection in the target organization
• Connection Reference is required for a Flow in the solution, but the Connection Reference is not in the solution
• Missing Dependencies as a result of a customization

When solution failures occur, they require additional time to investigate and resolve, then repackage the solution and attempt again. Unfortunately, each time a solution import is attempted, Microsoft is only able to present 1 error at a time. So, even though your initial solution import attempt presented 1 error, there could be others that surface once that is resolved. 🙁

Best practices to prevent common Power Platform solution import failures

Following best practices is the best way to prevent common failures and reduce time spent on Power Platform solution imports. Best practices can and will evolve over time as the platform changes and your teams needs change. Some of these can include:

• Create a DevOps pipeline using the Power Platform Build Tools. This not only saves time from having to manually export and import solutions, but has features to help prevent import failures. Once is the SkipProductUpdateDependencies parameter. This parameter allows you to skip enforcing Microsoft product update dependencies during the import process. It will NOT skip enforcing missing dependencies as a result of your customizations (which is preferred).
• Use a consistent Connection Reference and Connection for common Connectors in Flows, such as the Dataverse, SharePoint, Outlook and Excel. Have a pre-check in place to deploy new Connection References and Connections ahead of the Solution Import.
• Always configure customizations and new Flows inside of the Solution within the Development org. Configuring the customizations inside of the solution will automatically add dependencies as you work on them.

While best practices won’t prevent all failures, they can dramatically reduce the time spent to import solutions. They help save your team time so they can spend more time on designing and delivering new enhancements.

Contact Beringer Today!

We love to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Platform solutions here at Beringer.  We’ve been working with Microsoft Dynamics since its inception, and we’re always finding innovative ways to implement the latest tools and help automate business processes.

Let us guide you through the process of integrating, customizing, and optimizing Dynamics 365 to meet your unique business needs. Contact us today to learn how we can help you transform your customer relationship management processes.

Beringer Technology Group, a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Business Applications, specializing in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and CRM for Distribution also provides expert Managed IT Services, Backup and Disaster Recovery, Cloud Based Computing, Email Security Implementation and Training, Unified Communication Solutions, and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment.