power-automate-flow-json

name	power-automate-flow-json
description	Author Power Automate cloud flow source (Workflows/<name>-FLOW.json) for unpacked Power Platform solutions. Covers triggers, actions, connection references, expressions, runAfter error handling, and the flow GUID convention.
metadata	{"author":"AgentX","version":"1.0.0","created":"2026-05-30"}
compatibility	{"surfaces":["low-code-builder","agent-x","engineer"],"platforms":["power-automate","power-platform","dataverse"]}

Power Automate Cloud Flow JSON

Purpose: emit a valid Power Automate cloud flow JSON file that pac solution pack accepts and the importer turns into a working flow once connections are bound.

When to Use

• A PRD specifies automation (notify on row create, schedule a job, webhook, send email/Teams message)
• An existing solution needs a new flow added
• Reviewing a generated flow before packaging

File Naming and Location

src/Workflows/<prefix>_<FlowName>-<GUID>.json

• <GUID>: lowercase hyphenated UUID v4. Generate ONCE per flow and keep it stable across regenerations.
• <FlowName>: PascalCase verb + object (NotifyOnIssueCreated).
• Every flow MUST be registered in Solution.xml with <RootComponent type="29" schemaName="<guid>" behavior="0" />.

Flow JSON Top-Level Shape

{
  "properties": {
    "connectionReferences": { },
    "definition": {
      "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/providers/Microsoft.Logic/schemas/2016-06-01/workflowdefinition.json#",
      "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
      "parameters": { },
      "triggers": { },
      "actions": { }
    }
  },
  "schemaVersion": "1.0.0.0"
}

The definition block is Logic Apps Workflow Definition Language.

Trigger Shapes

Trigger	kind	Use When
Manual / button	Request / Button	User-initiated runs, testing
Dataverse row added	OpenApiConnectionWebhook (SubscribeWebhookTrigger, scope=4)	React to new rows
Dataverse row modified	Same with filteringAttributes	React to specific column changes
Dataverse row deleted	Same with message=Delete	Cleanup workflows
Recurrence (scheduled)	Recurrence with frequency + interval	Daily, hourly
HTTP request	Request / Http with body schema	Webhooks, external callers

Action Shapes

Action	type	Notes
Dataverse - Get row	OpenApiConnection / GetItem	entityName plural, recordId from trigger
Dataverse - Add row	CreateRecord	item object with columns
Dataverse - Update row	UpdateRecord	Pass only changed columns
Send email (Outlook)	shared_office365 / SendEmailV2	Use connection reference
Post Teams message	shared_teams / PostMessageToConversation	Channel/chat id from prior step
HTTP	Http	Use env variables for URLs
Condition	If	expression block
Apply to each	Foreach	Iterate arrays
Compose	Compose	Inspect intermediate values
Initialize variable	InitializeVariable	Do not put inside a loop
Scope	Scope	Group actions, attach error handling via runAfter
Terminate	Terminate	End with Succeeded, Failed, Cancelled

Connection References

Flows MUST NOT hardcode a connection. Each connector usage references a symbolic name at the flow root:

"connectionReferences": {
  "shared_office365": {
    "connection": { "connectionReferenceLogicalName": "agx_sharedoffice365" },
    "api": { "name": "shared_office365" }
  }
}

The matching connectionreferences.json at the solution root maps each logical name to a display name and connector id. The importer prompts the maker to bind each one.

Expressions

Power Automate uses Workflow Definition Language expressions inside @{...}:

Need	Expression
Trigger output column	@triggerOutputs()?['body/agx_severity']
Action output column	@outputs('Get_Issue')?['body/agx_name']
Current UTC	@utcNow()
String concat	@concat('Issue ', triggerOutputs()?['body/agx_name'])
Conditional	@if(equals(...), 'High', 'Normal')
Environment variable	@parameters('agx_NotificationEmail')

Never hardcode user emails, URLs, or env-specific values. Use environment variables.

runAfter and Error Handling

Every action has a runAfter block declaring dependencies and outcomes (Succeeded, Failed, Skipped, TimedOut):

"Send_Failure_Email": {
  "runAfter": { "Update_Issue": ["Failed", "TimedOut"] },
  "type": "OpenApiConnection"
}

Pattern: wrap risky work in a Scope; add a sibling Scope named Handle_Errors with runAfter failure outcomes. That is the equivalent of try/catch.

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern	Why It Fails
Hardcoded user email in To	Breaks on import; not GDPR-safe.
Inline connection instead of connection reference	Cannot be exported back; flow breaks across envs.
Mutating GUID across regenerations	Creates a duplicate flow on import; original orphaned.
Polling with Until against Dataverse	Burns API calls; use SubscribeWebhookTrigger.
Initialize variable inside a loop	Errors on second iteration.
Hardcoded HTTP URL	Use environment variables.
Missing runAfter failure handler	Silent failures.

Skill Outputs

1. One <prefix>_<FlowName>-<GUID>.json per requested flow.
2. Connection references for every connector used.
3. Updates to root connectionreferences.json.
4. RootComponent type="29" entry in Solution.xml.
5. Environment variable definitions for any external endpoint or recipient.

See Also

• low-code/solution-anatomy for connection reference and env variable plumbing.
• low-code/dataverse-schema for tables that flow triggers/actions reference.
• low-code/pac-cli for validation.