Error "Cannot start unpublished flow. Authenticate the flow connections and resave the flow to activate." after importing a flow

[aggggg1]

I built a flow inside a solution and everything is working as expected.  I export the solution and then re-import the solution into the same environment.  Now the flow is disabled.   If I try to enable it I get the message

         "Cannot start unpublished flow. Authenticate the flow connections and resave the flow to activate."

Even thou the connection for the flow shows a green checkmark.   The only why I can get it running again is to edit the flow and go into each action that uses the connection (don't have to change anything just look at it) then I can save and enable the flow.

a) this doesn't seem right, why can't I just enable the flow

b) is there a way to automate this process (eg deployment from DevOps build)

[yashag2255]

Hey @aggggg1 

This is the expected behavior for flow exported as a part of a solution or exported individually too. 

In the ones that are exported individually, you just have to provide the connections at the beginning. But the ones that are a part of a solution needs to have the connections updated on the actions itself. 

Currently there is no way to automate this process (automating deployment from a devops build has been recently added for entire solutions in PowerApps but there is too less you can do about the connections)

You can try creating an idea post or upvote already existing similar ones in regard to this over  here: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

Hope this Helps!

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[aggggg1 · Accepted solution]

When you build a flow from a solution you need to pick the 'Common Data Service (Current Environment)' connector.  Do NOT pick 'Common Data Service' connector. 

These are two different connectors and they behave completely differently.   The former will allow you to import without having to re-authentication and status of the flow will be 'On'.  

NOTE: 'Common Data Service' does let you set the Environment to '(Current)'  don't be fooled by this, you will still need to re-authentication the actions that use this after an solution import.

NOTE:  the trigger for the 'Common Data Service (Current Environment)' connector is a bit flaky if you edit the flow, toggling the scope normally fixed it for me.