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Microsoft Business Applications Blogposts, YouTube Videos and Podcasts

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Microsoft Business Applications Blogposts, YouTube Videos and Podcasts

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UK365GUY

Microsoft Business Applications Blogposts, YouTube Videos and Podcasts

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{How} to turn on Copilot for Power Apps

uk365guy

Hello Everyone,

Today i am going to show how to turn on Copilot for your power apps environment.
Lets gets started.
Then select the Canvas Appt you want to enable the copilot.

 

 

Click on edit the canvas app.

 

Click on settings:

 

Then click on the Upcoming Features:

 

Enable the “Copilot Component” as you can see from above screen shot.
In your App menu click on the “Insert” then you can see the Copilot(Preview)
Then you can start experiment with it as it is in preview, there may be changes to the process we followed in future, so don’t take it as is. it is just a guide.
I hope this helps
Malla Reddy(@UK365GUY)
#365BlogPostsin365Days
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{Know} Merging managed solutions in Power Apps & Dynamics 365 Apps

uk365guy

Hello Everyone,

Today i am going to share my thoughts on Merging solutions from source to target environments.

What is Merge Solution?

Merge Solution in Power Apps is when you make changes to an entity form which is already exists in the target environment, in that case you can merge the solution.
How to avoid form merging?
Its better to create  new form for the entity which is already exists in the target environment and import into the target environment. this way you avoid merging issues.
Note: Forms for custom entitie won’t require merging unless you are creating a solution that updates or modifies an existing managed solution that created the custom entities and thier forms.
When a solution is packaged as a managed solution, the form definitions stored in FormXML are compared to the original FormXML and only the differences are included in the managed solution.
So when the managed solution is installed in a new environment, the form customizations differences are merged  with the FormXML for the existing form to create a new form definition.
The new form definition what the end users can see.
When the managed solutions are uninstalled, only those form elements found in that managed solution will be removed.
How the Form Merge Occurs?
Its happens section by section basis.
For example: If you make changes to the section or tab and import the solution then the changes can affect or conceal the elements from the managed layers, including when the managed element is updated. This  behavior occurs because the managed layers are underneath  the unmanaged layer you are introducing with your customization.
If this type of affect you dont want to happen, then create a separate section or new tab, which is different from the managed solution components. For more information Solution layers
Things to remember:
1. If your managed solution that contains forms that use new security roles depend on those roles. you should include these security roles with your managed solution.
2. When you import a solution that includes table forms, the OVERWRITE Customization option, even if selected, does not apply. The form being imported merges with any existing solution layers for the form.
Note: When a managed solution entity contains multiple forms and the environment entity form also contains multiple forms, the new forms aren’t appended to the bottom of the list of the available forms. They’re interleaved with the original entity forms.
Merge conflicts Identify and resolving:
Have your ever noticed a “CONFLICTS TAB”  on the form when a manage solution is imported into the target enviroment and some of the components are unable to merge, so the system will auto create this “CONFLICT TAB” and place that aren’t able to  merge components in it, in order to prevent any data loss.

 

How to avoid the Merge Conflicts:

1. You import two different solutions that add a components, such as a form tab, that uses the same ordinal value.

2. When you customize components of the form like the section in the source, but same changes or similar customisation the target environment, then you export the customization from the source environment and import it into the target environment.
So if the conflicts tab appears on an imported form, you can move the components displayed somewhere on the form. Once all the components are moved from the conflicts tab, you can delete or hide the conflicts tab.
Merge navigation(SiteMap) customizations:
Suppose you have imported a managed solution, the SiteMap XML is compared with the original SiteMap XML, so if there are any differences between them, then those new changes are included in the managed solution.
changes like changed, moved, added, removed. When a new managed solution is imported only those changes will be seen by the users, as those changes will be reflected in the SiteMap XML.
So if a visible element is added to the sitemap, it appears at the bottom of the sitemap, if you want to position then you must export the SiteMap and edit it to set the precise location. then import as unmanaged solution to position on the SiteMap.
Only one SiteMap customization can be applied between publishing. Any unpublished SiteMap customization will be lost when a new SiteMap definition is imporeted.
Merge Option set Options:
Each new option set option is initialized with an integer value assigned that includes an option value prefix. The option value prefix is a set of five digits prepended to the option value. An option value prefix is generated based on the solution publisher’s customization prefix, but can be set to any value. The option value prefix helps differentiate new option set options created in the context of a specific solution publisher and reduces the opportunity for collisions of option values. Using the option value prefix is recommended but not required.
A managed solution usually updates or adds options for option sets that are already in the environment, for example, the Category or Industry option sets for an account. When a managed solution modifies the options available in an option set, all the options defined in the managed solution are available in the environment. When the managed solution is uninstalled, the options in the option set will be returned to their original state
I hope this helps
Malla Reddy(@UK365GUY)
#365Blogpostsin365Days
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{Know} Layering Solutions in Power Apps

uk365guy

Hello Everyone,

Today i am going to share Solution Layers in Power Apps.
Lets gets started.
Unmanaged and Managed Soltions exist at different layers within a Microsoft Dataverse Environment. Solution Layering is at component level.
Two types of layers:
  • Unmanaged Layer: As we know all new solution developments start at unmanaged solution and on and off customizations exist at this layer. All unmanaged solutions share a single unmanaged layer.
                                                                        Component
  • Managed Layer: All imported, managed solutions and all system solution exist at this level. if multiple managed solutions installed, the last one installed is above the managed solution installed previously. if two managed solutions have conflicting definitions, the runtime behavior is either “Last one wins” or a merge logic is implemented.
    Note: If managed solution is uninstalled, the managed solution below it takes effect. if you uninstall all unmanged solutions. The default behavoir defined within the system solution is applied.
At the base of the managed layers level is the system layer. The system layer contains the entities and components that are required for the platform to function.

Managed Solution Layering:

There are layers within a solution for each managed component. depending on whether one or more patches or a pending upgrade to the solution has been imported  can include these layers:
Base : Located at the bottom of the solution layer “stack” is the base layer. this layer includes solution publisher, which identifies the owner of the component and the managed properties associated with it.
Top: is considered as current layer and defines the runtime behavoir of the component. The top layer can be an upgrade or a patch, or if no patches or upgrades have been applied to the solution determines the component runtime behavior.
Layers added from upgrade:
1. Pacthes: If the component  has one or more solution patches imported, they’re stacked on top of the base layer, with the most recent patch residing above the previous patch.
2. Pending upgrade: if a staged upgrade(named -Upgrade) is imported, it resides on top of the base and patch(if any) layers.
Note: Using patches isn’t recommended. More information click here

Merge behavior: Merge solution when a solution is updated or when multiple solutions are installed that effect the same component.

Only Model driven apps, forms, site maps are merged, all other components use TOP LEVEL WINS Behavior.

Top wins behavior: All other components use a top wins behavior where the layer that resides at the top determines how the components work at app runtime. A top layer can be introduced by a staged(pending) upgrade.
Top layer introduced by a pending upgrade:
1. The current top(base) layer has the Max length property of Comments text column for the account table using the default setting of 100.
2. A solution upgrade is imported using the stage for upgrade option, which creates a new top layer. The pending upgrade includes the Comments text column for the account table with MAX LENGTH property value chnaged to 150.
So Comments column for account records will allow up to maximum of 150 characters during app run time.
Solution update and upgrade merge behavior are stacked on top of the base solution. These can be merged by selecting Apply upgrade from the Solution area in Power Apps, which flattens the layers and creates a new base solution.
Multiple solutions merge behavior: when you prepare to distribute your managed solution, the target environement may have multiple solutions installed or that other solutions might be installed in the future.
Construct a solution that follows best practices so that your solution won’t interfere with other solutions.
According to Microsoft docs: regarding the multiple solution merge that although every effort is made to preserve the presentation, some incompatibilities between customizations might require that the computed resolution change some presentation details in favor of maintaining the customization functionality.
I hope this helps
Malla reddy(@UK365GUY)
#365Blogpostsin365Days
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{Know} Segmentation Solution in Power Apps & Dynamics 365 Apps

uk365guy

Hello Everyone,

Today i am going to share my thoughts on Segmented Solution.
Lets gets started.
Segmented Solution: Solution Segmentation is when you add the required components to your development unmanaged solution is known as Segmented solution.
Lets see this in action.
Sceanario: Suppose you want to add an entity “account” to your solution.

 

Now you click on the entity and all the entities will be displayed.
Choose “account” and click ok.
Now choose the form you want to add and click finish.

 

 

1. Include entity metadata:  if you check this box, it will include only metadata related to the entity not the forms, views and related entities. Metadata includes entity properties, like auditing. duplicate detection
 and change tracking.
2. Add all assets: It will include all the components related to the entity selected.
Now you can select the field required to add to your solution.

 

Now add all assets for the case entity(table)

 

Once you clicked on the finish another pop will appear

There are two options

1. Yes, include requried components:what that mean is the solution you are going to import into target environment dont have this entity components, so you can check the box to include.
2. No, do not include required components: If the entity you have included in this solution  is already available in the target and its related components already exists, so you can check the box, not to include into the solution.
Now you can include the contact into your solution and add then field “anniversary” field.

So your segmented solution created contains three entities “accounts, case, contact” and each entity have only components that were chosen.

Limitations of segmented solution:
1.Solution size is limited to 32 MB
2. Number of solutions is limited by Microsoft Dataverse capacity
3. Number of objects in a solution is limited by Dataverse capacity
I hope this helps
Malla Reddy(@UK365GUY)
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{Know} ALM Solution concepts

uk365guy

Hello Everyone,

As i am blogging regarding Application Lifecycle Management.
So today i am going to share solution concepts that are being used in Microsoft Power Platform.
Lets gets started.
Key solution concepts:
1. Two types of solutions:  Unmanaged Solution & Managed Solution.
Unmanaged Solution: Unmanaged Solution is used in the development environments when we are making changes to the application.
Unmanaged solution can be exported either unmanaged or managed. So the exported unmanaged solution can be checked into the source control system. 
 
Unmanaged solution should be considered as a source for the Microsoft Power Platform assets.
Note: When an unmanaged solution is deleted, only the solution container of any customizations included in it is deleted. All unmanaged customizations will remain uneffected and belong to the default solution.
Managed Solution: Managed solutions will be deployed to non development environments in simple terms.
Which may be UAT, SIT and Production environments.
A managed solution can be served as independently from other managed solution;
Note: As an ALM best practice managed solutions should be generated by exporting an unmanaged solution as managed and considered a build artifact.
Managed solutions can’t be edited directly, instead if you want to edit it, create an unmanaged solution and add the managed components into it and make changes and import into the environment as managed solution, so that changes will be layered. for managed properties click

 

Makers and developers work in development environment using unmanaged solutions, when the development work completes then export them to other environment like UAT as Managed Solutions.
NOTE: We can’t import a managed solution into the same environment that contains the orginating unmanaged solution. to test a managed solution, we need a separate environment to import it.
When you delete a managed solution, data will be lost from custom entities that are part of managed solution and data stored in custom attributes that are part of the managed solution on other entities that are not part of the managed solution.
2. Solution components: Like entity, attributes, relationships, metadata for detailed list click here

3. Lifecycle of solution: Solutions support these actions: Create, Update, Upgrade, Patch are the lifecycle of the solution.

4. Solution Publisher: A solution publisher will be the owner of the solution, which also contain prefix, where the prefix will be used when a new attribute is created it will be used as part of the schema name for example: gmr_businessunit, where gmr is the prefix.

 

5. Solution and Solution components dependencies: Solution components dependencies will appear when a managed/unmanaged solution is installed on top of the already managed solution.

Remove dependencies: here
Dependency tracking for solution components: here
Hope this helps
Malla Reddy(@UK365GUY)
#365Blogpostsin365Days
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