Connect to data sources by using connectors

Connect to Data Sources by Using Connectors

In Microsoft Power Platform, connectors are used to establish connections and integrate with various data sources and services. Connectors enable you to retrieve, manipulate, and update data from external systems, allowing you to create powerful and dynamic applications. Here’s an overview of connecting to data sources using connectors:

What are connectors?

Connectors are pre-built components that provide a standardized way to connect and interact with specific systems, platforms, and services. They encapsulate the necessary API endpoints, authentication methods, and data transformation capabilities required to work with a particular data source.

Connecting to data sources

To connect to a data source using connectors:

1. Choose the data source

Identify the data source you want to connect to. Power Platform offers a wide range of connectors, including popular services like SharePoint, Dynamics 365, Azure SQL Database, Salesforce, and more.

2. Add a new connection

In the Power Apps or Power Automate (formerly known as Flow) environment, navigate to the “Data” or “Connections” tab, and click on “New Connection.” Search for the connector associated with your desired data source and select it.

3. Authenticate and authorize

Follow the authentication prompts to allow the connector to access data on your behalf. The authentication process may vary depending on the connector and the data source you’re connecting to. Some connectors use API keys, OAuth, or username/password credentials for authentication.

4. Configure connection properties

After authentication, you may need to provide additional details, such as connection-specific settings, credentials, or endpoint URLs, depending on the connector. These properties are generally specific to the data source you are connecting to and the operations you plan to perform.

5. Test the connection

Once the connection is established, verify its functionality by testing it with sample data or performing a basic operation. This step ensures that the connection is properly configured and ready to use in your Power Apps or Power Automate workflows.

Working with data sources

Once the connection to a data source is established, you can use the connector’s actions, triggers, or functions to interact with the data. For example:

Retrieve data

Use connector actions to fetch data from the connected data source based on specified parameters, such as retrieving records from a database table, fetching files from a cloud storage service, or getting information about specific entities.

Manipulate and transform data

Perform data manipulations or transformations using connector actions. Examples include filtering, sorting, aggregating, combining, or formatting data to meet your application’s requirements.

Update and create records

Use connector actions to update existing records or create new records in the connected data source. This enables you to perform operations like updating contact information, creating new tasks, or inserting rows into a database table.

Invoke custom APIs

If needed, connectors may provide the ability to invoke custom APIs to interact with the data source in more complex ways. Custom APIs allow you to define and integrate your own API endpoints and actions specific to your application’s requirements.

Conclusion

Connectors in Microsoft Power Platform serve as the bridge between your applications and external data sources. By connecting to various systems and services, you can leverage the capabilities of connectors to retrieve data, manipulate it, and perform operations on connected data sources. This allows you to build powerful and integrated applications that seamlessly interact with external systems.