How we can change the SharePoint lists URLs when we export/import a Power Apps canvas application

Question

We have a Power Apps canvas application, which have the following SharePoint lists and libraries as its data sources for our test environment/site:

 

and the following Flows:

now we want to create a copy of this Power Apps and all its dependencies. so we created a new SharePoint site which have the same lists and libraries. then we export the above Power apps >> and we define to create new items >> so when we import the power apps >> we got new MS Flows which are automatically been referenced inside the Power Apps.. but still the Power Apps reference the old SharePoint lists and libraries.

So, is there a way to force the import process to automatically link to new SharePoint lists and libraries? similar to how importing the Flows worked?

Answer 1

It is possible to update your Flows and Canvas Apps so that they link to new lists in a different site. Flow & Power Apps Migrator

Flow & Power Apps Migrator automatically converts exported flows and apps to be compatible with the target environment.

Flow & Power Apps Migrator also helps you migrate SharePoint lists that are used as a dependency for your Apps and Flows. There is an interactive UI form that lets you do just that.

You can watch a quick 2-min demo here.

Answer 2

You have below options to change the SharePoint site URLs (or list references) when you export/import a Power Apps canvas application:

A. Importing in same environment (default):

1. Use Flow & Power Apps Migrator:

   As explained by Denis in his answer, this tool has interactive UI form to provide Site URLs to replace in the exported canvas application package. This tool does the URL replacement behind the scene for you and provides you the new package which you can directly import and use. Kudos to Denis for creating this awesome tool!

   Link to tool: Flow & Power Apps Migrator

2. Manually edit the package and change Data Sources References:

   You can manually edit the exported package and change the data sources references under connectionReferences section. This will help you when you have different list names (data source names) in target SharePoint site.

   You can find the detailed steps for this in below links (These are for Power apps customized list form but you can follow the same steps to change the dataSources in JSON for canvas application as well):

   1. Migrating Power Apps SharePoint List Form
   2. IMPORTING POWERAPPS PACKAGE AS A SHAREPOINT LIST FORM

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B. Importing in different Power Platform environment:

If you are migrating canvas application to different power platform environment, I will suggest you to use the environment variables for SharePoint data source in both canvas application and Power automate flows.

You can find more information about these in below links:

1. Announcing data source environment variables
2. Use data source environment variables in canvas apps
3. How to change the data source on a Canvas app to production copy of SharePoint list without having to rebuild everything?