Microsoft Power Platform App Maker PL-100 exam tests candidates on various aspects including building solutions, analyzing data, implementing standards, managing Power Platform environments, and other critical components. One key area that it also covers is how to share canvas apps with other users and groups.
This is an essential function because collaborative teams often work on creating, developing, and managing apps. Here’s a guide to how you can use app-sharing within Power Platform.
1. Understanding Canvas Apps Sharing
Imagine a situation where you’ve just constructed an excellent canvas app that you believe will benefit not only you but also other users in your team. Microsoft Power Platform allows you to distribute your canvas apps to colleagues, different groups, or across the entire organization.
It’s also important to note that Power Platform allows the app creator to manage permissions, controlling who has access to an app and defining what each user can do with the app.
2. Sharing a Canvas App
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can share a canvas app:
- a) Go to the Power Apps portal and sign in using your credentials.
- b) On the home page, there’s the ‘Apps’ option. Click on it.
This will reveal a list of all the apps that you have developed or that are shared with you. - c) Choose the app you would like to share, then select the ‘Share’ button.
- d) The sharing panel will appear.
- e) In the sharing panel, you can specify the users or groups with whom you wish to share the app. Type in the email addresses of the individuals or the name of the group.
- f) Once you’ve added the users or groups, you can choose the role that you want to assign to them: Can use or Can edit. ‘Can use’ allows the user to run the app, while ‘Can edit’ gives the user permission to modify the app.
- g) Include a personalized message if required, and then click on ‘Share’.
3. Access Levels for Users and Groups
When sharing a canvas app with users or groups, you can assign them to different access levels as mentioned above:
Role | Permissions |
---|---|
Can Use | Run the app |
Can Edit | Modify the app |
Remember, sharing an app with a user gives them the abilities associated with their assigned role.
4. Beyond App Sharing
App sharing goes beyond just allowing access to your apps. You’ll also need to share the underlying data sources that the app is dependent on. Otherwise, users could face issues while trying to operate the app. You can do this through the ‘Data’ section in Power Apps.
To conclude, sharing canvas apps in Power Apps is an effective way to collaborate on app development efforts. While preparing for the PL-100 Microsoft Power Platform App Maker exam, it’s essential to understand the process of app sharing, permission management, and the correlation between app functionality and shared data sources. This knowledge will equip you in managing an app’s lifecycle and participating collaboratively in application development.
Practice Test
True or False: You can share canvas apps with individuals, security groups, and Office 365 groups in Power Apps.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft Power Apps allows you to share your canvas apps with individuals, security groups, and Office 365 groups.
Which of the following permissions can you grant when sharing an app in Power Apps?
- A) Co-owner
- B) User
- C) Administrator
- D) Guest
Answer: A, B
Explanation: When sharing an app, only Co-owner and User roles are available. Administrators inherently have access, and the Guest role does not exist in Power Apps.
Which of the following is not a prerequisite for sharing a Power Apps canvas app?
- A) The app must be saved to the cloud.
- B) The app must be shared with at least one security group.
- C) The app must be published.
- D) The sharer must have ‘Co-owner’ or ‘Owner’ permissions.
Answer: B
Explanation: While you can share an app with a security group, it is not a prerequisite. An app must be saved to the cloud, published, and the sharer must have sufficient permissions.
True or False: The Co-owner permission allows the user to run, share, and edit an app.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Co-owner permission gives users broad control over an app including the ability to run, share, and edit it.
True or False: It’s mandatory to publish the changes in an app before sharing it with others.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: An app must be published so the latest version including all changes is available to other users.
What is a security group in the context of sharing Power Apps?
- A) A group of apps that have the same permissions
- B) A group of users that have the same permissions
- C) A group of users that are all co-owners of an app
- D) A group of features with defined security settings
Answer: B
Explanation: A security group consists of several users with the same permissions.
True or False: You can share an app with a distribution group.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Power Apps does not support sharing apps with distribution groups. You can only share with individuals, security groups, and Office 365 groups.
Can you share an unpublished app with others?
- A) Yes
- B) No
Answer: B
Explanation: You need to publish the app before you can share it with others.
True or False: Power Apps allows sharing apps with external users.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: With the right settings and permissions, Power Apps does allow for sharing apps with external users.
What permission is needed for a user to share an app with others?
- A) User
- B) Co-owner
- C) Viewer
- D) Editor
Answer: B
Explanation: A user needs to have Co-owner permission to share an app with other users.
True or False: It’s possible to copy a shared app and use it for creating a new app.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Someone who has Co-owner permission on an app can save a copy and modify it to create a new app.
Is it possible to revoke shared access from a user in Power Apps?
- A) Yes
- B) No
Answer: A
Explanation: Access to an app can be revoked by the owner or co-owner at any time.
True or False: You need to manually share an app every time you update and publish it.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Once an app has been shared, it does not need to be re-shared after each subsequent update and publish.
In Power Apps, “sharing” an app means giving others the ability to:
- A) Run the app
- B) Edit the app
- C) Delete the app
- D) All of the above
Answer: A
Explanation: Sharing an app means giving others the ability to run, and depending on the specific permissions set, potentially also edit the app. But users cannot delete an app that has been shared with them.
Which role has the permission to edit the definition of a shared app?
- A) User
- B) Co-owner
- C) Viewer
- D) Editor
Answer: B
Explanation: Only a Co-owner has the ability to edit the definition of a shared app. Other roles are either for viewing or using the app.
Interview Questions
How can you share a canvas app?
You can share a canvas app by selecting File > Share within the Power Apps Studio, and then either entering individual email addresses or putting in Office 365 Groups or Security Groups.
How can you edit the permissions for individual users after sharing the application with them?
After sharing the canvas app, you can edit the permissions for individual users by locating their name or email under the “Shared with” tab and adjusting the level of access, such as Co-owner or User.
What is the difference between User and Co-owner user roles when sharing canvas apps?
When sharing canvas apps, a User can run the app but not modify it, whereas a Co-owner can run, edit, share, and even delete the app.
Can you share canvas apps with external users or guests?
Yes, you can share canvas apps with external users or guests as long as they have been added to Azure Active Directory.
What is required for a user or group to run the shared Canvas Apps?
In order to run the shared Canvas Apps, a user or group needs a Power Apps license and also requires permissions to all data sources that the app uses.
What are the two ways to share canvas apps?
You can share canvas apps either directly with individuals or indirectly with security groups or Office 365 groups.
How do you remove individuals from a shared canvas app?
To remove individuals from a shared canvas app, navigate to the “Shared with” tab under “File > Share”, find the user’s name or email, and select “Remove”.
Can you share a canvas app without giving any permission to modify it?
Yes, you can share a canvas app without giving editing permissions by assigning the User role, allowing them to run the app but not modify it.
How can you enable shared users to modify the Canvas app?
You can enable shared users to modify the Canvas app by assigning them the Co-owner role.
What happens when you share canvas apps with Office 365 Groups or Security Groups?
When you share canvas apps with Office 365 Groups or Security Groups, all members of these groups are granted access to the app.
Can you specify which records shared users can access in canvas apps?
No, you cannot specify which records shared users can access in canvas apps using Power Apps sharing. You have to use data source permissions to implement record-level security.
What is meant by Direct sharing and Indirect sharing in Power Apps?
Direct sharing in Power Apps refers to sharing apps directly with individual users. Indirect sharing refers to sharing apps with Office 365 groups or Security Groups, thereby granting access to all group members.
What happens if a user is added to two groups with different permissions for the same canvas app?
The user will receive the highest permissions assigned. For example, if the user is a member of one group that has user permissions and another group that has co-owner permissions, they are given co-owner permissions.
What happens if a co-owner of a shared canvas app is removed from the shared list?
If a co-owner is removed from the shared list, they can no longer edit or share the application. They will also lose the ability to run the app if it is not shared with them in some other way (e.g., via another group).
What is the role of an app owner?
An app owner is the person who’s in charge of the overall management and development of the app. The app owner can share the app with others, edit the app, and provide co-ownership to other users.