When working with managed solutions in Power Platform or Dynamics 365, it’s common to include child flows, connection references, and other reusable components. But what happens when those components already exist in your target environment and are being used by other solutions?
This post outlines common risks and how to avoid unexpected issues when deploying solutions that depend on shared components.
The Common Setup
You’re building a new managed solution that includes:
- A model-driven or canvas app
- A main Power Automate flow
- A child flow for error handling or notifications
- One or more connection references
These shared components already exist in the target environment and are referenced by other solutions.
What Could Go Wrong?
1. Silent Overwrites
If the same child flow (by GUID) is included in multiple solutions, deploying a new managed solution may overwrite the existing one without warning. This becomes a major issue when:
- The shared flow has changed inputs/outputs or logic
- Other flows depend on its previous version
2. Dependency Conflicts
Now that multiple managed solutions depend on the same child flow or connection reference, uninstalling one may become impossible due to active dependencies.
3. Solution Layering Confusion
When a component is owned by multiple managed layers, it’s harder to know:
- Which solution actually owns the component
- Which version is active
- How to safely upgrade or patch without breaking dependencies
4. Incorrect Connection Bindings
Flows may connect to the wrong environment or user context if the connection reference is reused but not correctly overridden during deployment. These misconfigurations often fail silently.
How to Avoid These Problems
Use a Shared Utilities Solution
Place all shared components—such as reusable child flows and connection references—in a dedicated managed solution that’s deployed and upgraded independently.
This solution becomes the single source of truth for shared assets.
Do Not Include Shared Components in Every App
In your app-specific solutions, reference the shared components, but do not include them in your exports. This prevents overwrites and maintains clear ownership.
Override Connection References Post-Deployment
Use Power Platform CLI, PowerShell, or manual overrides to bind flows to the correct connection references after deployment.
Maintain Backward-Compatible Shared Flows
Ensure any shared child flow is versioned and designed with backward compatibility in mind, especially if it’s consumed by multiple flows.
Recommended Deployment Structure
Shared Utilities Solution
Shared Child Flows
Common Connection References
App Solution A
Main Flow, App, Plugin
Refers to shared flow (not included)
App Solution B
Another flow and app
Refers to same shared components
Final Thoughts
Managed solutions are powerful, but when shared components are included without planning, they can introduce subtle and frustrating issues. A little upfront design can prevent:
- Broken flows
- Deployment conflicts
- Maintenance headaches
Keep shared logic separate, and your solution architecture will thank you later.
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