Easier automation management with flows in Dataverse by default
Create solution cloud flows by default
In February, the “Solution cloud flows by default” environment setting was released to public preview. This environment setting allows administrators to ensure that new cloud flows will be created in Dataverse solutions when Dataverse is available in the environment. The use of solution cloud flows increases manageability and allows those cloud flows to take advantage of Dataverse-specific capabilities including connection references, environment variables, the Dataverse API, and solution-based application lifecycle management (ALM).
Since release in February, there has been a list of cloud flow creation methods and entry points that we have been increasingly adding support for, including from Power Automate portal, Power Automate Management connector, Power Apps, Teams, OneDrive, Dynamics 365, Excel, the new mobile app, and SharePoint. We have one remaining integration scenario for Project Roadmap that will begin releasing next week.
With all integration scenarios complete, the environment setting will be generally available and turned on automatically so that environments with Dataverse will create solution cloud flows automatically. This change will begin to roll out in November.
Just over a third of cloud flows are already created in Dataverse as solution cloud flows, so this should be a minor change in environments that have Dataverse. During the public preview, we have incorporated customer feedback and also monitoring system performance and storage to ensure that the creation of solution cloud flows in Dataverse has minimal effects to the definition and running of those flows.
Citizen developers can migrate cloud flows into Dataverse solutions
In addition to automatically creating solution cloud flows, citizen developers can now add most non-solution cloud flows into Dataverse solutions, including flows with instant/button triggers, Power Apps triggers, and flows using connectors for Teams, SharePoint, Forms, Dynamics 365, Excel Online, or Project. Flows using delegated authorization are the last set of flows that can’t be added into Dataverse solutions yet, however that support will begin shipping in the next few weeks.
Admins can migrate cloud flows into Dataverse solutions
An Add-AdminFlowsToSolution PowerShell cmdlet is now available to allow administrators to quickly migrate multiple cloud flows into Dataverse solutions themselves, rather than following up with individual users. Administrators can quickly migrate all flows using the EnvironmentName parameter, specific flows using the FlowNames parameter, or a certain number of flows using the Top parameter. We recommend migrating a small number of flows initially and verifying those flows to ensure you understand the process.
If you have any questions about this change or are interested in release train specifics, join the conversation at Q&A: Manage automations easier when they are automatically defined in Dataverse
Happy automating!
