Enable Copilot for Model Driven App (App Level)

Lets see how to enable Copilot for a given App.

1. Go to make.powerapps.com and go to Apps (usually I go to Solutions)   

2. Then open the selected App, Go to Settings > Features and Enable the feature by selecting On for Enable M365 Copilot in model-driven apps.   

3. Then Save and publish.

4. Now I can see Copilot Chat window in left hand side when open the App modification window.

*Note: This configuration will not come into effect immediately. As per this writing, in my case, it took hours!

Zapier as an integration platform for Dynamics

Recently came across Zapier integration platform and was keen on checking if it works with Dynamics/ Dataverse. So I tried one simple Zap (Zap is just one integration workflow within Zapier). Just like any other technique, such as power automate, Zapier too produces plethura of connector to select from.

As per this writing, Power Automate/ Cloud Flow is the way to accomplish many integration workflows in Power Platform, however Zapier got much wider selection of connectors and ease of connectivity. Hence, Zapier can be the way to go depending on third party app you may need to integrate with.

In my example, I would like to create a Dataverse Contact when I add a contact to my Google Contact.

A. Building the Zap

I added the Google Contact as the connector and New Contact as the trigger.

Then I added Dynamics 365 Connector and Create Contact as the Action.

I am able to map frield comming from Google Contact as I wish. I can even add hard coded values of any field. (Ex. Ownership of record)

It also help testing under a different Tab as below.

Now its a matter of giving a suitable name for the Zap and publishing.

B. Advantages

1. Zaps can be arranged in a hyerarchical folder structure for improve useability

2. Change History of the Zap is logged.    

3. Run History is saved and can be illustration is available.

4. Version Contraolling 

5. Can use current Zaps as a Template for developing of new ones.

Call Azure Function from Webhook

Previously we checked how to create a Azure function and call it directly from Plugin cade. Now we will check how to call a Azure Function via webhook using a Plugin registration too.

I am opening Plugin Registration Tool, connect to the environement and open a New Web Hook.

Give a name to new Web Hook in resulted window and select Authentication as Webhook Key. This populate End Point URL and Code. (These are available in Azure.. refer previous post)

Once saved, you will see the Webhook entry in the Plugin Registration tool. Then we can add our preferred trigger details as Step under it. I am creating it so that Webhook will pass the message to Azure function when Contact is created. Trigger will happen Asynchronously in Post-operation.

Now, when we create Contacts message will be passed to the Azure Function which can be monitored from Azure Logs.

Cloud Flow to fetch Team Chat to Dataverse Entity

Among many ways we would integrate Teams with Dataverse, we can just fetch details directly from a Chat channel, using a Cloud Flow/ Power Automate. Suppose I have below TestABC channel created under Platform and Development as below.

I am triggering a Cloud Flow when a new message is added to the channel.

Then you can simply write to Dataverse table.

Anyway, I just did this to make sure there is no drama of directly triggering from a entry to a team and writting to entity. Obviously this is not much of a use. Perhaps we can filter inbetween to check if given keywords are present in subject or details of the channel enrtry and write them. 

There is an interesting collection of triggers for Teams which make much more sense in real world.

Publish APIs in Azure API Management

We have seen how to commission and API Management service, Portal and check OOB API. Lets see how we can add our own API to the service and access it as a end user.

I found https://petstore3.swagger.io/api/v3/openapi.json as a good one to try out.

Now I go to API and add as a OpenAPI.

Now I provide the OpenAPI specification which is the above URI of API. Also I gave suffix which is being added to the base url as below.

1. Test within Azure API Management

Now we can see newly added API along with its operations.

In order to test, I selected a operation (i.e Find Pet By Id) and passed 10 as the Id. Once click send I got 200 OK aling with response back. NowI know this is working.

2. Access via Developer Portal

Now go to Products and click Add to create new product. (Alternatively you can add this API to existing Producs to have common subscription. Eveybody subscribed to that product will get access to the new API as well)

Once Add it you will see it in the Product list as a Published Product.

Now browse the Portal and login as a end user. Then you will see this product which end user need to subscribe. Once done, end user will see active entry for this under Profile.

Now user can go to API tab and test the API by clicking the API, select a operation and select Try this Operation and passing any parameters.

2. Discussion

At the time of testing the API in Azure, we could see a url called Request URL as below. (Will call A) This URL has a prefix added by us during configurig the API. 

https://apimrnsume2.azure-api.net/DummyPetstore/pet/{petId}

At the Design tab of the API we could see a url called Backend URL as below. (Will Call B)

https://petstore3.swagger.io/api/v3

If we add correct Parameters (https://apimrnsume2.azure-api.net/DummyPetstore/pet/10) and try browsing A in a new Browser, it will not work. If we modify B the same way (https://petstore3.swagger.io/api/v3/pet/10) and browse it will return values.

This explains that we have added extra security layer to the APIs we publish via Azure API Management service. Backned one was freely browseable since its a public API without security. 

By any chance, we need to make our API to be freely available we can simply go to Settings of the API and clear the Subscription Required flag,

Related Reads:

Commissioning an Azure API Management Service

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZsk3rAqjrg&t=281s

Comissioning Azure API Management Service

Azure API management is a comprehensive solution to add intermediate layer to handle all you APIs from one single point. Below is a well described illustration on main components. 

First of all we will see how to create a API management service and how it will be presented to end users via its Portal. In this example we will not add a new API but use in built sample for explanation porpose. 

1. Create Azure API management service

I am creating a new API Management Service by providing Subscription, Resource Group etc
    

Once hit the Create button it could take bit of time to complete the creation process. Once created we can see the Portal URL within many details presended in Overview.

Also notice that, upon create, we have already a sample API created which we can use to play around.

2. Developer Portal: Administration

By clicking Developer Portal link we will get the Portal opned in a different tab in Administrative Mode. 

This allows us to change design and contents as we wish. Then Save and Publish.

Alternatively you can publish the Portal by clicking Publish under Portal overview. (It is also advisable to Enable CORS)

3. Portal: Enble for end user

To view the end user experiance, you need to open the Portal in InProvate browser.

If you dont publish the Portal as per one of the ways explaind in previous step, Portal will not be visible. Below error will be shown.

Assuming you are a new user, now can be sign up (use a different email than your admin one already in the system as the Administrator)

This will also send you a email to verify before proceeding.

Alternatively, you can add users from Users under Developer Portal.

Now you are able to login as a end user.

4. Developer Portal: End user access to API

Once logged in as the end user, browse to Products menu item to enable subscriptions.

Give a name and request subscription for each.

After that, under profile I can see Starter is Active but Unlimited is still in Sumbitted status.

Now from Azure side, go to API Management Service, APIs, Subscription then select the subscripion which is not active yet and make it Active.

If you go back to Portal you will now see as both Subscriptions Active. Lets go to API and click the our of Box API we have just got the subscriptions activated.

Click it and click Try this Operation for any method. I selected Retrieve resource. Resulted popup will allow you to select the subscription too. Click Send.

Now we are getting the expected 200 OK response back, meaning we are executint it correctly and getting a respose back.

End user is now good to use the API.

Related reads: 

How to Publish our own APIs in Azure API Management

References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2T23XlP8iI

Create Azure Logic Apps using Visual Studio Code

We usualy create Azure Logic Apps in Azure portal with all the drag and drop help. Still we can do it in Visual Studio Code which gives many benifits such as more control, testing, source controlling etc. Lets see how to achieve it step by step. 

1) Preparation of Visual Studio Code environement

Before starting, make sure we have below Extensions installed in Visual Studio Code.

(Note: Visual Studio Code may take bit more time to validate and enable extensions. If your expected menu/ command is not available, may be you need to give bit of time.)

2) Create Logic App 

Go to Workspace under azure and select Create new logic app workspace.

Then project will alow you to provide path name and below details.

Its important to select below settings for this excersise. (Logic App type = Logic App (standerd) and Workflow Type = Stateful)

You may see below project is now created and folder structure as below.

Now Convert Logic App to NuGet based logic app project.

Now Open workflow.json file in designer.

Here you will need to select Use connecters from Azure option, Resource Group etc.

Now you are good to create a simple Logic App for testing purpose with familiar components. Here I have added below actions. Added sample json to Compose component and modified Response component to read output of Compose component.

This may also ask you to login to your Azure subscription.

3) Test locally

Now go to Run in editor and start Run / Debug.

After run right click workflow.json and select Overview to get the URL as below.

Now try this url in Postman to see the result which is the sample json we passed.

Also its possible to click Run History and get visual execution session diagram as normal Logic App. (this looks same for Power Automates too)

4) Publish in Azure

If satisfied with testing, its time to deploy. Select Deploy to Logic app from the menu appear when right click the logicApp.

It will also ask few settings on Publishing in Azure and most of them are self-explanatory.

Once done, you will see newly deployed Logic App in Azure Portal.

5) Test Published App

Now, under workflow, you will see new workflow we designed with sample json, ready to be run.

Run will show us the json as the Response Body which is a proof our logic app is running successfully.

(Ref: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOeTtgifIP4&t=306s)