Using solutions to manage Power Pages

Solutions in Power Pages (and the broader Power Platform ecosystem) are containers that allow you to manage, package, and deploy components of your portal to different environments. Using solutions helps you organize and maintain the elements that make up your Power Pages, such as web pages, web templates, content snippets, and Dataverse entities. It also ensures that you can easily move your customizations between environments like Development, Test, and Production.

Here’s a detailed explanation of how solutions can be used to manage Power Pages:

1. What Are Solutions in Power Pages?

In Power Pages, solutions are used to package and manage all the components related to a portal. These components include:

Web Pages: The main pages of your portal.
Web Templates: Reusable code templates used across multiple web pages.
Content Snippets: Text or HTML content that can be reused on various pages.
Web Files: Static files like images, JavaScript, and CSS used within your portal.
Dataverse Entities: Tables in Dataverse that hold data displayed in your Power Pages.
Web Links: URLs used for navigation or external links.
JavaScript and CSS: Custom code to style and add interactivity to your portal.

By using solutions, you can manage and move all these components together as a package. Solutions also allow you to define the dependencies between components, making it easier to migrate and deploy updates.

2. Types of Solutions

Power Pages solutions can be categorized into two types:

a. Unmanaged Solutions

Unmanaged solutions are used during the development phase. They allow for full flexibility and customization of components.
You can modify any component within an unmanaged solution, including the ability to add, update, or remove components.
They are typically used in Development environments where constant changes and testing are required.

b. Managed Solutions

Managed solutions are typically used in Test and Production environments, where you want to lock down components and ensure stability.
Once a solution is exported as managed, the components within it cannot be modified directly. You can only add or update the solution itself.
Managed solutions provide a layer of protection against accidental changes, ensuring the integrity of the portal in live environments.

3. Components That Can Be Included in a Solution

Solutions in Power Pages allow you to package several different components, including but not limited to:

Web Pages and Web Templates: These define the structure and layout of your portal’s pages.
Content Snippets: Reusable text blocks that can be inserted in multiple pages.
Web Files and Web Links: Static resources like images, CSS, JavaScript, or external links used in your portal.
Dataverse Entities (Tables): You can include the custom tables (entities) used by your portal.
Custom Business Logic: Any custom workflows, Power Automate flows, or custom plugins that extend the functionality of your Power Pages portal.

4. Creating a Solution for Power Pages

Step 1: Create a New Solution

To begin managing your Power Pages portal using solutions, follow these steps:

Go to the Power Platform Admin Center.
In the left pane, select Solutions.
Click on + New solution to create a new solution.
Enter a name, publisher, and version for your solution.
- The publisher is typically the organization or development team name.
- Version is useful for version control when updating the solution.
Click Create.

Step 2: Add Power Pages Components to the Solution

Once you have created a solution, you can start adding components related to your Power Pages portal:

Add Web Pages: Go to the solution, click Add Existing, and select Web Page. You can add one or more pages to the solution.
Add Web Templates: Similarly, add any web templates that you are using in your portal.
Add Content Snippets: You can add reusable snippets that may contain HTML or text content.
Add Web Files: If you are using static files (images, JavaScript, CSS), these can be included in the solution.
Add Dataverse Tables: Any tables that are used by your portal (such as custom tables) can be added to the solution.
Add JavaScript or CSS: If you have any custom scripts or stylesheets, they can be added as part of the solution.

Step 3: Customize and Maintain the Solution

With all necessary components added, you can begin customizing your portal within the solution. This includes modifying the web pages, adding new content snippets, and adjusting the configuration as necessary. Whenever updates are made to the solution, they are automatically tracked.

5. Exporting and Importing Solutions

Exporting a Solution

After developing and testing your portal in a Development environment, you may want to export the solution to move it to Test or Production environments. Here’s how to do it:

In the Power Platform Admin Center, go to the Solutions area.
Select the solution you want to export.
Click on Export.
Choose whether you want to export it as an Unmanaged or Managed solution.
- If you are in the Development environment, export as Unmanaged for more flexibility.
- If you are in Test or Production, export as Managed to lock down the solution.
Once exported, you’ll have a .zip file containing the solution components.

Importing a Solution

To move the solution to another environment, you need to import it:

Go to the Power Platform Admin Center of the target environment.
In the Solutions area, click on Import.
Select the .zip file that contains your exported solution.
Follow the prompts to complete the import process.
Review and resolve any dependency issues if they arise. This may involve manually configuring certain settings in the target environment.

6. Managing Solution Updates

Power Pages, like other Power Platform applications, require updates as business needs change. When making updates to the portal’s components, it’s essential to manage these updates through the solution.

Versioning Solutions

When you make significant changes to a solution, you should increment its version number. This ensures that everyone involved in the project understands which version of the solution is in use and allows you to track changes over time.

If you are working in Unmanaged solutions, you can freely modify them, but when exporting to Managed, the version number will be locked and cannot be edited.
For Managed Solutions, creating new versions requires creating a new version of the solution file and importing it into the target environment.

7. Using Solutions in ALM (Application Lifecycle Management)

Solutions are a fundamental part of the ALM process in Power Platform. By using solutions, you can incorporate Power Pages into your CI/CD pipeline, ensuring a smooth and automated deployment process from development to production. You can leverage Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions to automate the export, import, and deployment of solutions, reducing the chances of errors and downtime during the deployment process.

8. Best Practices for Managing Power Pages with Solutions

Keep Solutions Small: It’s better to split a large solution into smaller, modular solutions. This makes it easier to manage and migrate individual components.
Version Control: Use versioning for all solutions to keep track of changes and ensure smooth transitions between environments.
Use Managed Solutions in Production: For stable and secure environments like production, always use Managed Solutions to prevent accidental changes.
Backup Before Migration: Always back up your Power Pages portal and Dataverse tables before migrating solutions between environments.
Test in Non-Production Environments: Before deploying to production, ensure that the solution works correctly in a test environment.
Resolve Dependencies Early: During the export/import process, check for dependencies (such as connections, Dataverse tables, or authentication settings) and resolve them in advance.