Deep linking into specific portal sections

Deep linking refers to the ability to link directly to a specific section or page within a portal, bypassing the homepage or navigation menu. In the context of Power Pages, deep linking allows users to access particular data, forms, or reports based on predefined URLs or parameters. This is an essential feature when you want to guide users directly to the relevant information or content they need without unnecessary steps.

This guide will walk you through the process of implementing deep linking into specific sections of your Power Pages portal.

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Step 1: Understanding the URL Structure of Power Pages

Each page in Power Pages has a unique URL, which is generally constructed based on the page name or web template. The URL might look something like this:

https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/{page-name}

For example, if you have a portal with pages such as Home, Profile, and Reports, each page would have its own URL like:

• https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/home
• https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/profile
• https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/reports

You can add specific parameters to the URL to link directly to specific content or sections within a page.

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Step 2: Use Query String Parameters for Deep Linking

One of the most common ways to implement deep linking is by appending query string parameters to the URL. These parameters act as instructions to the portal about what data or section to display.

For example:

https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/reports?userId=12345

In this example, the query string ?userId=12345 indicates that the reports page should display data specific to the user with ID 12345.

Example of Deep Linking to a Specific Section on a Page:

If you have a page with multiple sections (e.g., a dashboard with multiple tabs or sections), you can use a query parameter to point the user to a specific section within that page.

For example:

https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/dashboard?section=metrics

Here, the ?section=metrics parameter instructs the portal to scroll to or display the “metrics” section when the page loads.

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Step 3: Handling Query Parameters in Liquid Templates

Once you’ve added query parameters to the URL, you need to capture and use these parameters in the page’s Liquid templates. Liquid is a templating language used in Power Pages to render dynamic content.

To capture query string parameters, you can use Liquid’s request object, which gives you access to the parameters sent in the URL.

Example of Accessing Query Parameters in Liquid:

{% assign user_id = request.query.userId %}
{% assign section = request.query.section %}

{% if user_id %}
  <p>Displaying data for user ID: {{ user_id }}</p>
{% endif %}

{% if section == "metrics" %}
  <!-- Display the metrics section -->
  <div class="metrics-section">
    <h2>Metrics</h2>
    <!-- Metrics content goes here -->
  </div>
{% elsif section == "analytics" %}
  <!-- Display the analytics section -->
  <div class="analytics-section">
    <h2>Analytics</h2>
    <!-- Analytics content goes here -->
  </div>
{% else %}
  <p>Select a section to view.</p>
{% endif %}

Explanation:

• request.query.userId: This fetches the userId query parameter from the URL.
• request.query.section: This fetches the section query parameter to determine which section of the page to display.
• The Liquid template then checks the value of the section parameter to render specific sections of content (e.g., metrics, analytics, etc.).

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Step 4: Using Anchor Tags for Deep Linking within a Page

In some cases, instead of redirecting the user to an entirely new page, you may want to guide them to a specific anchor or section on the same page. For this, you can use anchor tags with unique IDs in the HTML to link directly to specific parts of the page.

Example of Setting Anchor Tags:

1. Create Sections with Unique IDs:

<div id="metrics-section">
  <h2>Metrics</h2>
  <p>Display performance metrics here.</p>
</div>

<div id="analytics-section">
  <h2>Analytics</h2>
  <p>Display analytics data here.</p>
</div>

2. Link to Specific Sections Using URLs with Anchors:

<a href="https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/dashboard#metrics-section">Go to Metrics</a>
<a href="https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/dashboard#analytics-section">Go to Analytics</a>

Explanation:

• Anchor Tags: The #metrics-section and #analytics-section in the URLs will take the user directly to the corresponding section of the page. This is a simple way to allow deep linking within the same page.

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Step 5: Redirecting Users Based on Parameters

Sometimes, you may want to redirect users to specific pages or sections based on their query parameters or other conditions. This is often useful for guiding users through a flow or displaying relevant content.

Example of Redirection Using Liquid:

You can use Liquid to conditionally redirect users to a different page based on query parameters.

{% assign section = request.query.section %}

{% if section == "profile" %}
  <script>
    window.location.href = "https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/profile";
  </script>
{% elsif section == "reports" %}
  <script>
    window.location.href = "https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/reports";
  </script>
{% else %}
  <p>No section selected. Please choose a section.</p>
{% endif %}

Explanation:

• Redirection: If the section parameter equals “profile”, the user will be redirected to the Profile page. If the section is “reports”, the user will be redirected to the Reports page.

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Step 6: Using Power Automate for Complex Deep Linking

For more complex scenarios, such as when the deep link requires interaction with external data or actions, you can use Power Automate to process the request, trigger workflows, and build the necessary links dynamically.

Example: Power Automate to Generate Deep Link

1. Trigger: When an item is created in a Dataverse table (e.g., a new report is generated).
2. Action: Generate a deep link based on the record’s data (e.g., linking to the specific report).

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Step 7: Testing and Debugging

It’s essential to test deep links thoroughly to ensure they function as expected. Here are a few things to check:

1. Correct Data: Ensure that the query parameters are correctly captured and rendered.
2. Page Loading: Verify that the appropriate sections are displayed or navigated to based on the deep link.
3. Error Handling: Implement fallback logic in case the query parameters are missing or incorrect.

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Step 8: Enhancing User Experience

To improve the user experience with deep links, consider the following enhancements:

• URL Cleanliness: Use friendly URLs and make the query parameters more readable (e.g., https://yourportal.powerappsportals.com/dashboard?section=metrics).
• Breadcrumbs: Use breadcrumbs to show users where they are in the portal.
• Custom 404 Pages: Provide helpful messages when users access an invalid or broken deep link.