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Add data connections to canvas apps

In Power Apps, add a data connection to an existing canvas app or to an app that you're building from scratch. Your app can connect to SharePoint, Microsoft Dataverse, Salesforce, OneDrive, or many other data sources.

After you add a connection, your next step is to display and manage data from that data source in your app, as in these examples:

  • Connect to OneDrive, and manage data in an Excel workbook in your app.
  • Connect to Twilio, and send an SMS message from your app.
  • Connect to Microsoft Dataverse, and update a table from your app.
  • Connect to SQL Server, and update a table from your app.

Prerequisites

Sign up for Power Apps, and then sign in by providing the same credentials that you used to sign up.

Add a data source

  1. Create a blank canvas app or open an existing canvas app for editing.
  2. In Power Apps Studio, select Data from the app authoring menu on the left pane.
  3. Select Add data at the top of the Data pane.
  4. In the search box, type the name of the connector or data source you want for example, SharePoint or Dataverse.
  5. Select the connector from the results list.
    • If you already have a configured connection for that connector, select it to add it to your app.
    • If no existing connection appears, select Add a connection to create a new one.

Note

When you connect to Microsoft Dataverse, you can select the environment from the drop-down list before choosing a table. By default, the connection uses your current working environment.

Some connectors, such as Office 365 Outlook, require no additional steps and you can show data from them immediately. Other connectors, such as SharePoint and SQL Server, prompt you for additional information—like a site URL or server name—before the connection is complete.

Tip

Not sure which connector to use? Browse the full list at Connectors overview. You can also describe your scenario to Copilot in Power Apps and it can suggest an appropriate data source.

Identify or change a data source

If you're updating an app, you might need to identify or change the source of data that appears in a gallery, a form, or another control. For example, you might need to locate a data source in an app that someone else created or that you built long ago.

  1. Select the control, such as a gallery or form that you want to identify or change the data source.
  2. On the Properties tab of the right-hand pane, find the Data source or Items property. The name of the current data source appears there.
  3. To change the data source, select the drop-down next to the data source name, or edit the Items property directly in the formula bar.
  4. Select or create a different data source as needed.

Note

If the expected data source is missing from the Data pane, the connection might have expired or been revoked. Select Add data again, search for the connector, and re-authenticate to restore it.

Troubleshooting tips

  • Connection not appearing: Refresh the Data pane by closing and reopening it, or sign out and sign back in to Power Apps to refresh your available connections.
  • Authentication errors: Some connectors for example, SQL Server require credentials or an on-premises data gateway. Confirm that your gateway is running and your credentials are valid.
  • Dataverse table not found: Confirm that you're connected to the correct environment. You can switch environments from the Power Apps home page before opening the app.

Next steps

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