# Connectors and Integrations in Power Platform

> Chapter 5 of the Courseiva PL-900 curriculum — https://courseiva.com/learn/pl-900/power-platform-connectors

**Official objective:** 2.3 — Describe how to bring data into the Power Platform

## Introduction

Without connectors, every app you build would become an island—unable to talk to your customer list in Salesforce, your orders in Shopify, or your team's files in SharePoint. You would have to manually copy and paste data between systems, a nightmare of error-prone, soul-destroying busywork. Connectors and Integrations are the glue that makes Power Platform actually useful, allowing it to pull in data from hundreds of different services so you can automate tasks and build cohesive dashboards.

## The International Shipping Container Analogy

A busy port terminal, with cranes unloading cargo from a massive ship. A customs officer needs to inspect a specific shipment of coffee beans from Colombia, but the shipment data is locked in the shipping company's old mainframe system in a different country. 

The officer doesn't speak the mainframe's language, and the mainframe doesn't accept the port's modern tablet forms. To connect them, the port uses a 'standardised shipping container'. The coffee data from the mainframe is packed into a container with a universal label (the connector). This container is then loaded onto a digital truck (the integration) that drives it directly to the officer's tablet, where it is unpacked and displayed in a familiar format. 

Similarly, Connectors in Power Platform are like these standardised shipping containers. They wrap up data from a specific system (like SharePoint or Salesforce) into a common format that Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI can all understand and use. The integration is the journey the container takes, ensuring the right data arrives at the right app, without either system needing to change how it works internally.

## Core explanation

At its heart, the Power Platform is a collection of powerful tools: Power Apps for building apps, Power Automate for creating workflows, Power BI for making reports, and Power Virtual Agents for building chatbots. But these tools are useless if they can't talk to your data. Your data lives in various places—Microsoft 365 (like SharePoint, Outlook, Teams), other Microsoft services (like Dynamics 365), third-party apps (like Salesforce, Mailchimp, Twitter), and databases (like SQL Server). 

Connectors and Integrations are the bridge between the Power Platform and all these data sources. Think of a Connector as a pre-built, standardised 'adapter' or 'gateway' that knows how to speak the language of a specific system. Microsoft and third-party developers have created hundreds of these connectors so that you, as a maker, don't have to learn the complex technical details (like APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces) of each system. An API is just a handshake agreement between two software programs that defines how they can ask for and exchange data. 

There are two main types of connectors:

- Standard Connectors: These are the most common. They connect to popular services like SharePoint, Outlook, Salesforce, Dropbox, and Twitter. They handle authentication (verifying who you are) and basic actions like 'Create a record', 'Get a file', or 'Send an email'. Microsoft maintains these, and they cover thousands of common tasks.
- Premium Connectors: These connect to more advanced systems like SQL Server, Oracle databases, or custom-built enterprise applications. They often require more detailed configuration and may have additional licensing costs. However, they unlock the power to directly interact with core business databases.
- Custom Connectors: If the connector you need doesn't exist, you can build your own. This requires a bit more technical knowledge, as you need to define the API endpoints (the specific addresses your app will call) and the authentication method. This is like building a brand-new adapter for a very specific, unusual plug.

So, what does an Integration actually do? An integration is the entire sequence of actions that moves data from point A to point B using connectors. For example, a Power Automate flow might start with a 'When an item is created' trigger from a SharePoint connector. This trigger waits for a new item to appear. When it does, the flow then uses a Salesforce connector to create a new contact record with that data. That whole chain—from the trigger in SharePoint to the action in Salesforce—is an integration.

The key reason connectors exist is to replace manual, error-prone data entry. Before connectors, if you wanted data from a web form to appear in your accounting software, someone had to copy it from an email and type it in. A connector allows the Power Platform to do this automatically, instantly, and without mistakes. It also replaces complex custom programming. Without connectors, a developer would have to write hundreds of lines of code to build that handshake with each data source. Connectors turn a potential week-long coding project into a 30-minute drag-and-drop configuration.

Under the hood, when you use a connector in Power Automate, the platform makes secure, authenticated HTTP requests (the standard language of the web) to the service's API. The connector handles the translation of the response back into a format Power Automate can use. This is all invisible to you. You just see a friendly list of available actions, like 'Get file content using path' or 'Send an email with options'. 

For the PL-900 exam, you need to know that connectors are the entry point for data into the Power Platform. You don't need to code them, but you must understand what they are, why they are necessary (to avoid manual work and custom coding), and the difference between standard and premium connectors. You should also know that Power Apps can use these connectors as data sources for its screens, and Power BI can use them to refresh reports with live data.

## Real-world context

Let's say Sarah works for 'Blossom Bouquets', a small florist shop that has grown quickly. They use the following systems:
- Shopify for their online store.
- QuickBooks Online for accounting.
- Microsoft Teams for internal communication.
- A simple SharePoint list to track customer delivery preferences.

Every day, Sarah has a huge problem. When a customer orders a bouquet on Shopify, the order details appear in Shopify. But to process the payment and invoice the customer, someone has to manually type the order details into QuickBooks. If the customer had a delivery note in the SharePoint list (like 'Leave with neighbour'), that note is never automatically attached to the order. Sarah is manually copying and pasting data between three different systems for every single order, and mistakes are common. She might accidentally charge for the wrong bouquet or forget a delivery instruction.

Sarah decides to use Power Automate to fix this, using connectors and integrations. Here is what an IT professional (or a tech-savvy business user like Sarah) would actually do:

1. Identify the Trigger: Sarah first creates a new automated cloud flow in Power Automate. She chooses the 'Shopify' connector and selects the trigger called 'When a new order is created'. This tells Power Automate to watch for any new order event in Shopify.
2. Add the First Action: Next, she adds a new step. She chooses the 'QuickBooks Online' connector and selects the action 'Create invoice'. She then maps the data from the Shopify trigger (like customer name, product, and price) into the fields of the QuickBooks invoice. She doesn't write any code; she just clicks fields from a list.
3. Incorporate the Second Data Source: She adds another step to look up the customer's delivery preferences. She adds the 'SharePoint' connector, selects the action 'Get item', and filters the SharePoint list by the customer's email address (which came from the Shopify trigger). This pulls out any special delivery notes.
4. Communicate Back to the Team: Finally, she adds a step using the 'Microsoft Teams' connector. She selects the action 'Post a message in a chat or channel'. She writes a message like "New order from [CustomerName] pay Invoice #[InvoiceNumber]. Delivery instruction: [DeliveryNote]" and posts it into a specific Teams channel for the dispatch team.
5. Test and Publish: Sarah runs a test order on her Shopify store. The flow triggers, and within seconds an invoice is created in QuickBooks, the delivery note is attached, and a message appears in Teams. The integration is working, and Sarah publishes the flow.

What was replaced? Sarah replaced about 30 minutes of manual data entry per order (plus the risk of errors) with a 10-minute configuration of connectors. This kind of automation is now a core part of how many modern businesses operate. IT professionals spend a significant amount of their time not building custom code, but instead configuring and troubleshooting these connectors—ensuring data flows smoothly between the various cloud and on-premises systems an organisation uses.

## Exam focus

The PL-900 exam tests your understanding of connectors and integrations primarily in the context of 'describe how to bring data into the Power Platform'. They are not testing your ability to build a custom connector; they are testing your conceptual understanding.

Here are the specific exam topics and traps you will face:

Core Concepts You Must Know:
- What is a connector? A pre-built wrapper for an API that allows the Power Platform to talk to a data source. Memorise this definition.
- The difference between Standard and Premium connectors. Standard connectors connect to common services (SharePoint, Office 365, Salesforce, Twitter). Premium connectors connect to more advanced systems (SQL Server, Oracle, custom APIs) and often require a per-user licence (Power Apps Plan 2 or Power Automate Plan 2).
- The three ways to bring data in: 1) Using an existing connector (most common), 2) Creating a custom connector (for unsupported services), 3) Using a direct API call (for developers, less common in the exam context).
- The concept of an 'API'. You must know that an API is the interface a service exposes to allow other software to interact with it. Connectors are built on top of APIs.

Common Question Types and Traps:
- 'Which of the following is used to connect Power Apps to a SQL Server database?' The correct answer is a 'Premium Connector'. A common trap is 'Standard Connector' (which is wrong, as SQL Server is not a standard service).
- 'What is the primary benefit of using a connector instead of a custom API call?' The correct answer is 'simplicity and reduced development time' or 'pre-built authentication and error handling'. The trap is options that mention 'faster performance' or 'more secure', which are not the primary differentiators.
- 'Scenario-based questions': You will be given a scenario (e.g., 'You need to send a tweet automatically when a SharePoint list item is updated') and asked which component is needed. The answer is 'A connector (Twitter) in Power Automate'. The trap is suggesting a Power App or a manual export.
- 'Which of the following is a valid data source for Power BI?' The answer includes any connector (e.g., SharePoint, Excel, SQL Server). The trap is listing a local file without mentioning how it gets in (it is via a connector or a manual upload).

Key Definitions to Memorise for the Exam:
- Connector: A proxy for an API.
- Standard Connector: Covers common services, no additional licence required.
- Premium Connector: Enterprise-grade services, additional licence required.
- Custom Connector: Build your own API wrapper.
- API (Application Programming Interface): Rules for software to interact.
- Trigger: An event that starts a flow (e.g., 'When an email arrives').
- Action: A step that does something (e.g., 'Send a tweet').

Exam Traps to Watch For:
- They will try to confuse 'Connector' with 'Gateway'. A Gateway (like the On-premises Data Gateway) is used to securely connect to data that is stored on your own company's servers, not in the cloud. Connectors are for both cloud and on-premises (via the gateway).
- They will try to confuse 'Trigger' with 'Action'. A trigger starts a flow; an action is something the flow does. Both rely on connectors.
- They will try to trap you into thinking all connectors are free. Premium connectors are not; they require specific licences.

## Step by step

1. **Identify Your Data Source** — Determine where the data lives that you want to bring into Power Platform. Is it in a cloud service like Salesforce, Microsoft 365, or Dropbox? Or is it on your company's own local servers (on-premises)? This step decides whether you need an On-premises Data Gateway and whether you will use a Standard or Premium connector.
2. **Select the Appropriate Connector** — In Power Apps (for an app) or Power Automate (for a flow), browse the list of available connectors. Choose the one that matches your data source (e.g., ‘SharePoint’ for a SharePoint list, ‘SQL Server’ for a database). If none exists, you will need to create a Custom Connector using an API definition file (like an OpenAPI spec).
3. **Authenticate Your Connection** — Power Platform needs permission to access your data. When you first use a connector, it will ask you to sign in or provide credentials (like an API key or OAuth token). This ensures only authorised users can access sensitive data. For example, connecting to Microsoft Entra ID requires you to sign in with your organisational account.
4. **Define the Trigger or Data Retrieval** — In Power Automate, you choose a ‘Trigger’ (e.g., ‘When an email arrives’ or ‘When a new row is added’). In Power Apps, you bind a control (like a gallery) to the connector, specifying what data to display (e.g., all rows from a SharePoint list). This is the ‘what starts it’ or ‘what data to pull’ step.
5. **Configure Actions and Map Data Fields** — Add Actions (in Power Automate) or data output bindings (in Power Apps) to define what happens next. Map the fields from your source to the fields in your target. For instance, map the ‘CustomerName’ field from a Salesforce connector to the ‘Name’ field in a SharePoint list. This step ensures the right data goes to the right place.
6. **Test and Publish the Integration** — Run a test to verify that the data flows correctly between the systems. Check for errors like incorrect field mapping or permission issues. Once satisfied, save and publish your app or flow. The integration is now live and will run automatically based on the triggers you set, without further manual intervention.

## Comparisons

### Connector vs API

**Connector:**
- A pre-built, graphical wrapper designed for no-code use in Power Platform.
- Handles authentication, error handling, and data translation automatically.
- Is a specific feature within Power Apps and Power Automate.

**API:**
- A raw, technical interface (set of rules) for software interaction.
- Requires custom code to handle authentication, parse responses, and manage errors.
- Is a general concept found everywhere in software, not specific to Power Platform.

### Standard Connector vs Premium Connector

**Standard Connector:**
- Connects to common, popular services like Outlook, SharePoint, and Dropbox.
- Generally included in the base Power Apps or Power Automate licence.
- Supports a wide range of common actions but not advanced database operations.

**Premium Connector:**
- Connects to enterprise-grade systems like SQL Server, Oracle, and Salesforce.
- Requires an additional per-user or per-flow licence (Power Apps Plan 2 or Power Automate Plan 2).
- Supports direct database queries, stored procedures, and custom business logic.

### Trigger vs Action

**Trigger:**
- An event that starts a Power Automate flow (e.g., ‘When a new email arrives’).
- Is the first step in a flow and waits for a specific condition to occur.
- Cannot be placed after another step in a flow; it always starts the sequence.

**Action:**
- A step that does something in a flow (e.g., ‘Send an email’, ‘Create a file’).
- Occurs after the trigger and can be placed multiple times in a sequence.
- Performs an operation on data, such as creating, updating, or deleting records.

### Cloud Connector vs On-premises Connector (via Gateway)

**Cloud Connector:**
- Connects to data hosted on the internet (e.g., Microsoft 365, Salesforce).
- No additional software needed; works directly over the internet.
- Authentication typically uses OAuth or API keys.

**On-premises Connector (via Gateway):**
- Connects to data stored on a local company server behind a firewall.
- Requires installation of the On-premises Data Gateway software on a local machine.
- Authentication often uses Windows credentials (Windows Authentication) or SQL Server login.

## Diagram

_This diagram shows how user apps and flows connect to different data sources through the three types of connectors (Standard, Premium, Custom), ultimately bringing data into the Power Platform for use._

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    A[User’s Power App or Flow] --> B{Connector Layer}
    B --> C[Standard Connector<br>(e.g., SharePoint, Outlook)]
    B --> D[Premium Connector<br>(e.g., SQL Server, Salesforce)]
    B --> E[Custom Connector<br>(for any API)]
    C --> F[Microsoft 365 Services]
    D --> G[Enterprise Databases<br>& SaaS Apps]
    E --> H[Any Public API]
    F --> I[Data flows into Power Platform]
    G --> I
    H --> I
    I --> J[Automated Workflows & Apps]
```

## Common misconceptions

- **Misconception:** Connectors are only for cloud-based services like Microsoft 365. **Reality:** Connectors can also connect to on-premises data sources, like SQL Server running on a company's own server. This is achieved through an On-premises Data Gateway, which acts as a secure bridge. (Beginners often think 'cloud platform equals cloud-only data', forgetting that many businesses still have critical data in their own local servers.)
- **Misconception:** All connectors are free and available to anyone with a Power Apps license. **Reality:** Many connectors, called Premium connectors, require an additional per-user or per-flow licence. Standard connectors are mostly free, but advanced ones (like SQL Server or Salesforce) are not. (The word 'connector' sounds simple, so people assume it's all included. The licensing model is a common trap in the exam.)
- **Misconception:** A custom connector is just a way to rename an existing connector. **Reality:** A custom connector is built from scratch by defining your own API endpoints, authentication, and actions. It is for services that have no pre-built connector at all. (People confuse 'customising' a prebuilt connector with 'creating' a completely new one from an API definition file (like OpenAPI).)
- **Misconception:** Connectors and APIs are the same thing. **Reality:** An API is the raw, technical interface of a service. A Connector is a user-friendly, pre-built wrapper around that API that makes it easy to use in Power Platform without writing code. (The terms are related and often used interchangeably in casual conversations, but the exam distinguishes them: connectors are part of the Power Platform, APIs are a broader concept.)
- **Misconception:** Power Automate flows can only use one connector per flow. **Reality:** A single Power Automate flow can use multiple connectors in sequence. For example, a flow might use the SharePoint connector to get data, then the Outlook connector to send an email, and then the Salesforce connector to update a record. (People misunderstand 'flow' as a single pipeline, but it is a sequence of multiple steps using different connectors.)

## Key takeaways

- A Connector is a pre-built, code-free wrapper that allows Power Platform apps (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI) to talk to external services like SharePoint, Salesforce, or SQL Server.
- Standard connectors cover common services and are generally included with your Power Platform licence; Premium connectors require a separate, additional licence for each user or flow.
- The On-premises Data Gateway is a separate software component that enables connectors to securely access data stored on a company's own internal servers, bridging cloud and local environments.
- An API (Application Programming Interface) is the underlying technical method an app uses to request data, but a connector provides a simplified, graphical interface to that API.
- Custom connectors allow you to create a connection to any service that has a public API but does not have a pre-built connector, requiring you to define its actions and authentication.
- Automating data entry with connectors and flows replaces manual copy-paste work, reducing errors and saving significant time by enabling instant, rules-based data transfer between systems.

## FAQ

**What is the difference between a Standard and a Premium connector in Power Platform?**

Standard connectors connect to common services like SharePoint, Outlook, and Dropbox and are usually included with your Power Apps or Power Automate licence. Premium connectors connect to more powerful services like SQL Server, Salesforce, or custom APIs and require an additional per-user or per-flow licence.

**Do I need to know how to code to use connectors in Power Automate?**

No. Connectors are designed to be code-free. You add them to your flow using a visual interface, selecting actions and mapping fields by clicking and dragging. However, if a connector for your service doesn't exist, you might need to create a Custom Connector, which requires some understanding of APIs.

**Can Power Apps connect to data on my company's own server (on-premises)?**

Yes, but you need to install and configure an On-premises Data Gateway. This gateway acts as a secure bridge between the cloud-based Power Platform and your local database (like SQL Server) or file system. The connector then communicates through this gateway.

**What happens if the service my data is in doesn't have a pre-built connector?**

You can create a Custom Connector. You provide the API definition (often in OpenAPI or Postman format) that describes the service's endpoints, and Power Platform builds a connector based on that. This is more advanced but allows integration with virtually any publicly available API.

**Can I use multiple connectors in a single Power Automate flow?**

Absolutely. A flow can have multiple steps, each using a different connector. For example, you can have a flow triggered by a new email, then use a SharePoint connector to save an attachment, and then use a Twitter connector to post a message about the new file.

**Do I need a separate licence for every connector I use?**

No. The licensing is per user or per flow for Premium connectors, not per individual connector. If you have a Premium licence, you can use any Premium connector (like SQL Server, Salesforce) within that licence. Standard connectors are covered by the base Power Apps or Power Automate licence.

## Check your understanding

1. **What is the primary purpose of a Connector in Power Platform?**

   Answer: A Connector is a pre-built wrapper around an API that allows Power Platform tools to easily and securely access data from external services without needing custom code.

2. **What is the key difference between a Standard and a Premium connector?**

   Answer: Standard connectors connect to common services and are included in the basic licence, while Premium connectors connect to enterprise databases (like SQL Server) and require an additional per-user or per-flow licence.

3. **You need to bring data from a public Twitter feed into a Power BI report. Which type of connector would you most likely use?**

   Answer: You would use a Standard connector (the Twitter connector) because Twitter is a popular, common service and its connector is typically part of the standard set.

4. **True or False: A single Power Automate flow can only use one connector per workflow. Explain why.**

   Answer: False. A single flow can use multiple connectors in sequence, for example, getting data from a SharePoint list (SharePoint connector) and then creating a contact in Salesforce (Salesforce connector).

5. **What is the On-premises Data Gateway, and when would you need it?**

   Answer: The On-premises Data Gateway is a software component that securely bridges the cloud-based Power Platform to data stored on your company's own local servers (on-premises). You need it when your connector needs to access a database like SQL Server that is not in the cloud.

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Interactive version with quiz and diagrams: https://courseiva.com/learn/pl-900/power-platform-connectors