Power Platform Solution Layering

In the Power Platform ecosystem, solution layering is a best practice that ensures scalability, maintainability, and flexibility for your applications. By structuring solutions into logical layers, you can isolate customizations, minimize conflicts, and streamline updates.

What is Solution Layering?

Solution layering involves organizing Power Platform solutions into multiple layers, each serving a specific purpose or functionality. Each layer builds upon the previous one, allowing for modular development and easier management of updates or customizations.

The Layers in a Solution Architecture

1. Base Solution (Core Solution)
   • The foundation of your application.
   • Contains out-of-the-box configurations, default data models, and reusable components.
   • Should be stable and rarely modified.
   Example: Common Data Model tables, standard configurations for Power Apps and flows.
2. Extension Solution
   • Adds features or customizations specific to your organization or project.
   • Built on top of the base solution to extend its capabilities without altering its core components.
   Example: Custom business rules, additional fields in tables, or custom flows.
3. Customization Solution
   • Tailored to meet specific requirements of a business unit or team.
   • These are often customer-specific configurations that override or supplement previous layers.
   Example: Custom views, forms, or workflows for a department.
4. Patch Solutions
   • Small, incremental updates or bug fixes to an existing solution.
   • Applied without disrupting the entire solution, making deployment quick and efficient.
   Example: Fixing a formula in a canvas app or updating a Power Automate flow trigger.
5. Managed Solutions
   • Used in non-development environments (e.g., Test, UAT, and Production).
   • Deployed as sealed, non-editable solutions to ensure controlled updates and prevent unintended changes.

Benefits of Solution Layering

1. Improved Maintainability:
   • Modular layers allow for easier updates and debugging.
   • Isolates core components from customizations to reduce the risk of breaking existing functionality.
2. Enhanced Collaboration:
   • Teams can work on separate layers simultaneously without conflict.
   • Clear ownership of each layer promotes accountability.
3. Scalability:
   • New features can be added in extension layers without altering the core solution.
   • Supports large-scale deployments with multiple customizations.
4. Controlled Updates:
   • Managed solutions ensure only authorized changes are deployed to production environments.
   • Patches can address issues without redeploying the entire solution.
5. Governance and Security:
   • Layering aligns with organizational governance policies.
   • Prevents direct changes to base solutions by enforcing managed layers.

Best Practices for Solution Layering

1. Start with a Solid Foundation:
   • Design a robust base solution with reusable components that can be extended.
2. Use Managed Solutions in Production:
   • Always deploy managed solutions to production environments for stability and control.
3. Avoid Direct Edits:
   • Never edit base or extension solutions directly in production environments. Use overlays or customization layers instead.
4. Leverage Source Control:
   • Store all solution layers in a source control system (e.g., GitHub or Azure DevOps) for versioning and collaboration.
5. Implement Naming Conventions:
   • Use consistent naming conventions for solutions and layers to avoid confusion.
   Example: OrgName_Base, OrgName_Extension, OrgName_Customization_TeamA.
6. Automate ALM Processes:
   • Use tools like Azure DevOps or Power Platform Build Tools for CI/CD pipelines to manage solution exports, imports, and deployments.

Adopting a layered approach to Power Platform solutions is essential for maintaining scalability, governance, and efficiency. By structuring your solutions into base, extension, and customization layers, you can manage complexity, avoid conflicts, and deliver high-quality applications.