Showing the current environment name in the PowerApps Canvas App Header Info

[sthota]

We have our PowerApps Canvas app deployed into multiple environments such as Dev, QA and PROD. However, it is very confusing at times which app is running in the browser as a developer.

Is there a way we can display the environment name that the app currently resides in the PowerApps header. We are using environment variables feature in PowerAutomate to get these details. Is there any such inbuilt functionality with canvas apps by any chance instead of invoking another flow from the App.

Regards,
Srinivas

[Pstork1 · Accepted solution]

The only way to do it with Power Apps alone is using environment variables.  However, you can call a flow from the app when it starts up.  Power Automate flows can see some system level variables automatically when using solutions.  One of those is the environment name.  So you can call the flow once at startup and return the environment name as a string.

One other thing to add.  Accessing environment variables directly in Power Apps requires a Dataverse connector, which is premium.  Getting the environment from a flow only uses a standard connector license.

[rampprakash]

Hi @sthota,

If Sharepoint use List and if Dataverse use table to store the Environment name  and populate.

Not sure this can help, just my suggesstion.

[sthota]

@Pstork1 Thank you so much for your reply. We are actually looking for some in-built functionality, but if there's no other way, I am sure that the approach you proposed works as expected. We have implemented similar approach for SharePoint connector earlier using environment variables in the flow.

[sthota]

@rampprakash Thanks for an alternative approach. I think using environment variables would be more reliable than inserting those details manually into Dataverse table.

[Pstork1 · Accepted solution]

My point was that access to these objects and variables is built-in to Power Automate.  IT is not currently built-in to Power Apps.  To access Environment information or variables in Power Apps you need to use a Dataverse connector, which is premium.  But if licensing isn't an issue then using a Dataverse connector to read the Environment variable is the best approach in Power Apps.

[sthota]

Thank you. As you mentioned, if we have a premium DataVerse connection it's simple in PowerApps.

• Create an environment variable inside a solution package.
• Update the following code in App.OnStart so that you can use it in a header across the application

/* To display the current environment name that the app currently resides in the PowerApps header */
Set(
    gblCurrentEnvironmentName,
    LookUp(
        'Environment Variable Values',
        'Environment Variable Definition'.'Display Name' = "Current Environment Name"
    ).Value
);​

• For more information please refer to Daniel Christian's YouTube video here.
  https://youtu.be/0SH6pT5lJ-M
  

[rahul1406sk]

When I try to output an 'env' text , dynamic content showing nothing regarding environment.

[Pstork1]

They don't come up if you search for environment, but they should be listed in the dynamic content at the top of the list.  See the screenshot below.  There are other ways to do this in the thread, but they all require access to Dataverse which is a Premium license.  This can be done with just a Microsoft 365 "Seeded" license.

[FeierCiprian]

Hi, this will help you solve the problem.

Display the environment name in your Canvas App in Power Apps (sharepains.com)