Announcing the BizTalk Server 2020 Cumulative Update 7
The BizTalk Server product team has released the Cumulative Update 7 for BizTalk Server 2020. The Cumulative Update 7 contains all released functional and security fixes for customer-reported issues for BizTalk Server 2020. Also, CU7 includes support for the following new Microsoft platforms: Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Microsoft SQL Server 2022 Microsoft Windows 11 BizTalk Server 2016 is currently out of support with its end of life in 2027. If you are running BizTalk 2016, or earlier versions of the product, you must upgrade to BizTalk Server 2020 CU6 or strongly consider migrating to Azure Logic Apps. Please fill this survey: https://aka.ms/biztalklogicapps. More Information about the CU7: This is an optional update only if you require VS 2022. If you don’t need VS2022, you can continue running on BizTalk Server CU6. CU7 requires that you re-create BizTalk groups for BizTalk Server instances that already were part of a BizTalk group before the installation. Existing BizTalk groups can't have different instances at different cumulative update level. We will provide support to our CU6 and CU7 customers. You can obtain the software from the Microsoft 365 admin center or the Visual Studio Subscriber site. For more information about the BizTalk Server 2020 CU7, read the Microsoft Knowledgebase article posted to https://aka.ms/BTS2020CU7KB .Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - December 2025
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group Community Playbook News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month December’s Ace Aviator: Daniel Jonathan What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? I’m an Azure Integration Architect at Cnext, helping organizations modernize and migrate their integrations to Azure Integration Services. I design and build solutions using Logic Apps, Azure Functions, Service Bus, and API Management. I also work on AI solutions using Semantic Kernel and LangChain to bring intelligence into business processes. Can you give us some insights into your day-to-day activities and what a typical day in your role looks like? My day usually begins by attending customer requests and handling recent deployments. Most of my time goes into designing integration patterns, building Logic Apps, mentoring the team, and helping customers with technical solutions. Lately, I’ve also been integrating AI capabilities into workflows. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? The community is open, friendly, and full of knowledge. I enjoy sharing ideas, writing posts, and helping others solve real-world challenges. It’s great to learn and grow together. Looking back, what advice do you wish you had been given earlier that you'd now share with those looking to get into STEM/technology? Start small and stay consistent. Learn the basics well—like messaging, retries, and error handling—before diving into complex tools. Keep learning and share what you know. What has helped you grow professionally? Hands-on experience, teamwork, and continuous learning. Working across different projects taught me how to design reliable and scalable systems. Exploring AI with Semantic Kernel and LangChain has also helped me think beyond traditional integrations. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? I’d add an “Overview Page” in Logic Apps containing the HTTP URLs for each workflow, so developers can quickly access to test from one place. It would save time and make working with multiple workflows much easier. News from our product group Logic Apps Community Day 2025 Playlist Did you miss or want to catch up on individual sessions from Logic Apps Community Day 2025? Here is the full playlist – choose your favorite sessions and have fun! The future of integration is here and it's agentic Missed Kent Weare and Divya Swarnkar session at Ignite? It is here for you to watch on demand. Enterprise integration is being reimagined. It’s no longer just about connecting systems, but about enabling adaptive, agentic workflows that unify apps, data, and systems. In this session, discover how to modernize integration, migrate from BizTalk, and adopt AI-driven patterns that deliver agility and intelligence. Through customer stories and live demos, see how to bring these workflows to life with Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps. Public Preview: Azure Logic Apps Connectors as MCP Tools in Microsoft Foundry Unlock secure enterprise connectivity with Azure Logic Apps connectors as MCP tools in Microsoft Foundry. Agents can now use hundreds of connectors natively—no custom code required. Learn how to configure and register MCP servers for seamless integration. Announcing AI Foundry Agent Service Connector v2 (Preview) AI Foundry Agent Service Connector v2 (Preview) is here! Azure Logic Apps can now securely invoke Foundry agents, enabling low-code AI integration, multi-agent workflows, and faster time-to-value. Explore new operations for orchestration and monitoring. Announcing the General Availability of the XML Parse and Compose Actions in Azure Logic Apps XML Parse and Compose Actions are now GA in Azure Logic Apps! Easily handle XML with XSD schemas, streamline workflows, and support internationalization. Learn best practices for arrays, encoding, and safe transport of content. Clone a Consumption Logic App to a Standard Workflow Clone your Consumption Logic Apps into Standard workflows with ease! This new feature accelerates migration, preserves design, and unlocks advanced capabilities for modern integration solutions. Announcing the HL7 connector for Azure Logic Apps Standard and Hybrid (Public Preview) Connect healthcare systems effortlessly! The new HL7 connector for Azure Logic Apps (Standard & Hybrid) enables secure, standardized data exchange and automation using HL7 protocols—now in Public Preview. Announcing Foundry Control Plane support for Logic Apps Agent Loop (Preview) Foundry Control Plane now supports Logic Apps Agent Loop (Preview)! Manage, govern, and observe agents at scale with built-in integration—no extra steps required. Ensure trust, compliance, and scalability in the agentic era. Announcing General Availability of Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps Agent Loop transforms Logic Apps into a multi-agent automation platform, enabling AI agents to collaborate with workflows and humans. Build secure, enterprise-ready agentic solutions for business automation at scale. Agent Loop Ignite Update - New Set of AI Features Arrive in Public Preview We are releasing a broad set of Agent Loop new and powerful AI-first capabilities in Public Preview that dramatically expand what developers can build: run agents in the Consumption SKU ,bring your own models through APIM AI Gateway, call any tool through MCP, deploy agents directly into Teams, secure RAG with document-level permissions, onboard with Okta, and build in a completely redesigned workflow designer. Announcing MCP Server Support for Logic Apps Agent Loop Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps now supports Model Context Protocol (MCP), enabling secure, standardized tool integration. Bring your own MCP connector, use Azure-managed servers, or build custom connectors for enterprise workflows. Enabling API Key Authentication for Logic Apps MCP Servers Logic Apps MCP Servers now support API Key authentication alongside OAuth2 and Anonymous options. Configure keys via host.json or Azure APIs, retrieve and regenerate keys easily, and connect MCP clients securely for agentic workflows. Announcing Public Preview of Agent Loop in Azure Logic Apps Consumption Agent Loop now brings AI-powered automation to Logic Apps Consumption with a frictionless, pay-as-you-go model. Build autonomous and conversational agents using 1,400+ connectors—no dedicated infrastructure required. Ideal for rapid prototyping and enterprise workflows. Moving the Logic Apps Designer Forward Major redesign of Azure Logic Apps designer enters Public Preview for Standard workflows. Phase I focuses on faster onboarding, unified views, draft mode with auto-save, improved search, and enhanced debugging. Feedback will shape future phases for a seamless development experience. Announcing the General Availability of the RabbitMQ Connector RabbitMQ Connector for Azure Logic Apps is now generally available, enabling reliable message exchange for Standard and Hybrid workflows. It supports triggers, publishing, and advanced routing, with global rollout underway for robust, scalable integration scenarios. Duplicate Detection in Logic App Trigger Prevent duplicate processing in Logic Apps triggers with a REST API-based solution. It checks recent runs using clientTrackingId to avoid reprocessing items caused by edits or webhook updates. Works with Logic App Standard and adaptable for Consumption or Power Automate. Announcing the BizTalk Server 2020 Cumulative Update 7 BizTalk Server 2020 Cumulative Update 7 is out, adding support for Visual Studio 2022, Windows Server 2022, SQL Server 2022, and Windows 11. Includes all prior fixes. Upgrade from older versions or consider migrating to Azure Logic Apps for modernization. News from our community Logic Apps Local Development Series Post by Daniel Jonathan Last month I shared an article from Daniel about debugging XSLT in VS Code. This month, I bumped into not one, but five articles in a series about Build, Test and Run Logic Apps Standard locally – definitely worth the read! Working with sessions in Agentic Workflows Post by Simon Stender Build AI-powered chat experiences with session-based agentic workflows in Azure Logic Apps. Learn how they enable dynamic, stateful interactions, integrate with APIs and apps, and avoid common pitfalls like workflows stuck in “running” forever. Integration Love Story with Mimmi Gullberg Video by Ahmed Bayoumy and Robin Wilde Meet Mimmi Gullberg, Green Cargo’s new integration architect driving smarter, sustainable rail logistics. With experience from BizTalk to Azure, she blends tech and business insight to create real value. Her mantra: understand the problem first, then choose the right tools—Logic Apps, Functions, or AI. Integration Love Story with Jenny Andersson Video by Ahmed Bayoumy and Robin Wilde Discover Jenny Andesson’s inspiring journey from skepticism to creativity in tech. In this episode, she shares insights on life as an integration architect, tackling system challenges, listening to customers, and how AI is shaping the future of integration. You Can Get an XPath value in Logic Apps without returning an array Post by Luis Rigueira Working with XML in Azure Logic Apps? The xpath() function always returns an array—even for a single node. Or does it? Found how to return just the values you want on this Friday Fact from Luis Rigueira. Set up Azure Standard Logic App Connectors as MCP Server Video by Srikanth Gunnala Expose your Azure Logic Apps integrations as secure tools for AI assistants. Learn how to turn connectors like SAP, SQL, and Jira into MCP tools, protect them with Entra ID/OAuth, and test in GitHub Copilot Chat for safe, action-ready AI workflows. Making Logic Apps Speak Business Post by Al Ghoniem Stop forcing Logic Apps to look like business diagrams. With Business Process Tracking, you can keep workflows technically sound while giving business users clear, stage-based visibility into processes—decoupled, visual, and KPI-driven.Hybrid Logic Apps deployment on Rancher K3s Kubernetes cluster
K3s is a lightweight Kubernetes distribution, certified by the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) and originally developed by Rancher. It is optimized for on-premises environments with limited resources, making it ideal for edge computing and lightweight hybrid scenarios. Unlike a full Kubernetes distribution, K3s reduces overhead while maintaining full Kubernetes API compatibility. This makes K3s an ideal choice for hosting Logic Apps Standard near your data sources—such as on-premises SQL Server or local file shares—when you have lightweight workloads. There are 5 steps which are followed to setup the Hybrid Logic Apps including infrastructure which is illustrated in the following diagram. Most of these 5 steps are same as discussed in the Hybrid Logic Apps doc except the K3s Setup part Set up your own infrastructure for Standard logic app workflows - Azure Logic Apps | Microsoft Learn. Step 1: Prepare the K3s Cluster Docker desktop setup - In this case, the host machine is Windows 11 so decided to user Docker with WSL2 to setup the containers. Install the docker desktop using WSL2 Docker Desktop: The #1 Containerization Tool for Developers | Docker and make sure we select WSL2 Install K3s on your infrastructure and create single node cluster using k3d. #Install choco , kubectl and Helm Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force; [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol = [System.Net.ServicePointManager]::SecurityProtocol -bor 3072; iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1')) powershell choco install kubernetes-cli -y choco install kubernetes-helm -y choco install k3d -y k3d cluster create "k3d-rancher" # open in new powershell window powershell k3d cluster create # deleting the default load balancer Traefik as it conflicts with 80 and 443 port - we can configure the load balancer to other ports if needed kubectl delete svc traefik -n kube-system kubectl delete deployment traefik -n kube-system Next two steps are same as given Set up your own infrastructure for Standard logic app workflows - Azure Logic Apps | Microsoft Learn Step 2: Connect the Kubernetes cluster to Azure Arc Step 3: Setup the Azure Container Apps extension and environment You need to skip the core DNS setup required for Azure Local as given in Update CoreDNS Step 4: Conduct the Storage Configuration for SQL and SMB SQL Database (Runtime Store): Hybrid Logic Apps use SQL database for runtime operations and run history. In this scenario I used on-premise SQL server using SQL Authentication. I setup the SQL Server 2022 on the Windows host machine, enabled SQL server authentication and added new SQL admin user. Please follow the link for more details.. The SQL connection string can be validated using following PowerShell script $connectionString = "Server=<server IP address>;Initial Catalog=<databaseName>;Persist Security Info=False;User ID=<sqluser>;Password=<password>;MultipleActiveResultSets=False;Encrypt=True;TrustServerCertificate=True;Connection Timeout=30;" try { $connection = New-Object System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection $connection.ConnectionString = $connectionString $connection.Open() Write-Host "✅ Connection successful" $connection.Close() } catch { Write-Host "❌ Connection failed: $($_.Exception.Message)" } SMB is used as local file share on Windows host machine; it is advised to use a new user for the Windows SMB share $Username = "k3suser" $Password = ConvertTo-SecureString "<password complex>" -AsPlainText -Force $FullName = "K3s user" $Description = "Created via PowerShell" # Create the user New-LocalUser -Name $Username -Password $Password -FullName $FullName -Description $Description Add-LocalGroupMember -Group "Users" -Member $Username Once the above user is created you can use Windows hosted machine to create Artifacts folder and allow read and write access. Please follow the link for more details Step 5: Create your Logic App (Hybrid) With all prerequisites and infrastructure in place for creating Hybrid Logic Apps, the next step is to build the Logic Apps using the specified connection string and SMB share path. This can be accomplished through the Azure Portal, as outlined below. Now you can create Logic Apps workflows using the designer and execute the Logic Apps workflow.Introducing the RabbitMQ Connector (Public Preview)
We are pleased to announce the introduction of the RabbitMQ Connector in Logic Apps (Standard) which allows you to both send and receive messages between Logic Apps and RabbitMQ. RabbitMQ is a robust, open-source message broker widely used for building reliable, scalable, and flexible messaging solutions. It is trusted across industries such as financial services, e-commerce, IoT, telecommunications, and cloud-native microservices. Our RabbitMQ connector allows messaging scenarios on-premises using Logic Apps hybrid. Benefits of Using RabbitMQ Reliability: RabbitMQ ensures message delivery with strong durability and acknowledgment mechanisms. Flexible Routing: Supports complex routing logic via exchanges (direct, topic, fanout, headers). Clustering & High Availability: Offers clustering and mirrored queues for fault tolerance. Management & Monitoring: Provides a user-friendly management UI and extensive monitoring capabilities. Extensibility: Supports plugins for authentication, federation, and more. Our current connector offering supports both triggers (receive) and sending (publish) within Logic Apps. Receiving Messages To enable a trigger, we need to search for the RabbitMQ connector within our designer. We will discover an operation called When the queue has messages from RabbitMQ show up as a built-in connector. We also have a peek lock operation for non-destructive reads. Search for Trigger and click on this operation to add the trigger to your design surface. Configure the trigger by providing the Queue Name. You can use the payload from your trigger in downstream actions. For example, you might place the payload within a Compose action for further processing. Publishing Messages To send a message, search for the RabbitMQ connector in your design experience. You’ll find an operation called Send a message. Add this operation to your design surface and Provide the following: Queue Name Message Body Exchange Name (if routing is required) Routing Key Once configured, you can run messages through your solution. To see this in action, refer to the demonstration video (No link found). Completing Messages To Complete messages, in scenarios using peek-lock, search for the RabbitMQ connector within the Logic Apps designer. You’ll find an operation called Complete message as a built-in connector. Search for the action and click on this operation to add the action to your design surface. Provide: Delivery tag Consumer tag Acknowledgment (Complete or Reject) You can use the payload from your trigger in downstream actions. For example, you might place the payload within a Compose action for further processing. You can also create queues as well, with the Create a queue action. Please see the following video with further details on the configuration of this connector: Supported Regions We are rolling out this connector worldwide, with some regions receiving it before others.Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - October 25
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month October Ace Aviator: Robin Wilde Business and Marketing Manager @Contica What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? My role is Business and Marketing Manager at Contica. My main responsibility is helping our customers translate business challenges into technical solutions. I come from a technical background as a BizTalk and Azure developer and architect, so I have one foot in the technical world and the other in the business side. Can you give us some insights into your day-to-day activities and what a typical day in your role looks like? On any given day, I’m improving our customer offerings, diving into project challenges with colleagues, and exploring new technologies with Ahmed Bayoumy to find better ways of working. If I’m lucky, we’re recording a new episode of Integration Love Story with a community member/friend and learning from their life and tech experience. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? The community itself. Since I started working with integration, I’ve always felt that people genuinely want to share their knowledge and experience. The people behind the blog posts that helped me grow as a junior integration developer have turned out to be some of the most humble and generous individuals I’ve met. Everyone is open to sharing their experiences in a kind and respectful way, and that’s incredibly motivating. Looking back, what advice do you wish you had been given earlier that you'd now share with those looking to get into STEM/technology? Everyone has been a beginner. Don’t be afraid to reach out, ask for help and most importantly, stay curious and lean into new technology. “The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.” And that’s the beauty of it! What has helped you grow professionally? Curiosity and the drive to keep learning. I've been something of a "Yes man" when it comes to new challenges. And being in an environment where the people around you accept you for who you are, every day, that’s a recipe for real growth. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? A built-in AI-powered "next action suggestion” in your Logic App workflow based on other designs in your resource group or predefined business process in the same logic app standard that you are working one. A feature that would help me be more productivity! News from our product group Logic Apps Live September 2025 Missed Logic Apps Live in September? You can watch it here. We shared our latest updates in AI, including the latest refresh on Agent Loop and the introduction of Logic Apps MCP support. Logic Apps Community Day 2025 We are bringing Logic Apps Community Day again this year, on October 30, 2025 (Pacific Time) and we want you to join us as we host a full day of learning where you will be the star! Check the agenda register for this must watch event. Logic Apps - MCP Demos Explore how Azure Logic Apps and API Center simplify building MCP servers to integrate with Salesforce, Dataverse, SharePoint, ServiceNow, and even Copilot Studio. Introducing Logic Apps MCP servers (Public Preview) Microsoft has launched public preview support for building MCP servers using Azure Logic Apps (Standard). This enables developers to turn connectors into modular, reusable tools for scalable agent creation. Two approaches are supported: streamlined setup via Azure API Center and custom configuration for advanced control. Both methods simplify integration across enterprise systems. Announcement! Python Code Interpreter in Logic Apps is now in Public Preview Logic Apps now support Python code execution via Azure Container Apps, enabling users to analyze data, generate insights, and automate tasks using natural language. This feature empowers business users to explore data without writing code, streamlining workflows across sales, finance, and operations. Azure Logic Apps: Ushering in the Era of Multi-Agentic Business Process Automation Microsoft has transformed Azure Logic Apps into a multi-agentic automation platform, introducing features like Agent Loop for AI-driven workflows, Python Code Interpreter for custom logic, and Foundry Agent Service for model integration. These enhancements enable intelligent, collaborative automation with conversational agents, advanced orchestration, and enterprise-grade security and observability. Calling Logic Apps MCP Server from Copilot Studio Microsoft’s Azure Logic Apps now supports MCP Server integration with Copilot Studio, enabling secure and scalable access to enterprise data assets. Using API Center and Logic Apps Standard, developers can expose workflows and connectors as MCP tools, authenticated via Entra ID and Managed Identity. This setup allows conversational agents in Copilot Studio to interact with enterprise systems efficiently and securely. News from our community What Every Developer Needs to Know about AI! Post by Stephen W. Thomas AI is rapidly transforming integration development, and this guide offers a practical roadmap for developers to stay relevant. It emphasizes three focus areas: building foundational AI knowledge, boosting productivity with tools like GitHub Copilot, and mastering enterprise-ready skills through APIs, Microsoft tools, MCP, and agents. With curated resources and expert recommendations, developers can confidently navigate the evolving AI landscape and apply it effectively in business scenarios. BizTalk to Logic Apps with Harold Campos: Standard or Hybrid, what changes & what maps Video by Ahmed Bayoumy Migrating from BizTalk to Azure? In this conversation with Harold Campos, Principal PM - Azure Logic Apps at Microsoft, Ahmed unpacks Logic Apps Hybrid and Logic apps options. What it is, when to use it, and how it helps teams modernize without losing on-prem control. Determinism vs Nondeterminism Post by Håkan Åkerblom Determinism or nondeterminism, two concepts that shape everything from science to philosophy. But what do they mean for system integration? Track Down and Delete Unused Logic Apps in Azure Post by Dieter Gobeyn Azure Logic Apps (Consumption) charge per execution, but even inactive ones can still cost money. Triggers like polling or timers may continue to run, leading to hidden costs. Cleaning up unused Logic Apps improves governance and supports FinOps goals. Handling “When a Blob is Added or Modified” Trigger Limitation and Pick Files from Subfolders with File Extension Filters Post by Prashant Singh Learn how to overcome Logic Apps’ limitations with blob triggers in subfolders and file filters in this Post from Prashant, learn about trigger conditions and Event Grid options to make your workflows smarter and more scalable. Consume an MCP Endpoint from Azure Logic Apps — with an Agent Loop Post by Daniel Jonathan In this post, Daniel shows how to use Azure Logic Apps with an Agent Loop to discover MCP tools, select the right one, and invoke it—all in one flow. Perfect for building smart, dynamic integrations with MCP servers. Logic Apps ❤️ MCP — Expose Arithmetic Tools (Add & Subtract) Post by Daniel Jonathan And Daniel is in a roll. In this post, Daniel shows how to expose simple arithmetic operations—like add and subtract—as MCP tools using Logic Apps. With Postman support, testing these agent-ready workflows is now easier than ever. Logic Apps & MCP - Leverage Your Existing Integration Platform Post by Pim Simons and Michel Pauwels Learn how to turn existing Logic Apps into MCP servers, enabling secure access for AI agents to your APIs, workflows, and data—without changing your architecture. A smart way to future-proof your integrations. Building Approval Workflows with Logic Apps, Adaptive Cards, and Microsoft Teams Post by Saroj Kumar Learn how to build secure, reusable approval workflows using Azure Logic Apps, Adaptive Cards, and Microsoft Teams. Approvers stay in Teams, while automation handles the rest—fast, transparent, and scalable. Microsoft Introduces Logic Apps as MCP Servers in Public Preview Post by Steef-Jan Wiggers In this InfoQ article, Steef-Jan introduces the public preview support for Azure Logic Apps as MCP servers, enabling scalable, secure integration with AI agents and enterprise systems. Build reusable tools and workflows that agents can discover and invoke with ease. The 56 Resubmits Trap in Logic App Standard Post by Luis Rigueira Logic App Standard limits bulk resubmissions to 56 runs every 5 minutes. This post shows how to bypass that using callback URLs for faster, parallel recovery—ideal when dealing with thousands of failed runs. Stop Using Azure Logic Apps for Data Integration Post by Al Ghoniem Workflow tools like Azure Logic Apps aren’t built for heavy data processing. This post explains why ETL/ELT tools are better for data integration—and how to combine both for scalable, reliable pipelines. Integration Love Story with Tom Canter Video by Ahmed Bayoumy and Robin Wilde In this episode of 'Integration Love Story,' Ahmed and Robin interview the legendary Tom Cantor. He discusses his early involvement and long-standing focus on integration, dating back to 1998. Tom emphasizes the community-centric nature of the integration field, recounting personal stories that highlight the value of trust and collaboration among peers.
🚀 General Availability: Enhanced Data Mapper Experience in Logic Apps (Standard)
We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of the redesigned Data Mapper UX in the Azure Logic Apps (Standard) extension for Visual Studio Code. This release marks a major milestone in our journey to modernize and streamline data transformation workflows for integration developer. What's new The new UX, previously available in public preview, is now the default experience in the Logic Apps Standard extension. This GA release reflects direct feedback from our integration developer community. We’ve resolved blockers that we heard from customers and usability issues that impacted performance and stability, including: Opening V1 maps in V2: Seamlessly open and edit existing maps you have already created with latest visual capabilities. Load schemas on Mac: Addressed schema-related crashes on macOS for a smoother experience. Function documentation updates: Improved guidance and examples for built-in collection functions that apply on repeating nodes. Stay connected We would love to hear your feedback. Please use this form link to let us know if there are any missing gaps or scenarios that are not yet coveredLogic Apps Aviators Newsletter - September 25
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group Community Playbook News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month September’s Ace Aviator: Kritika Singh Integration Architect & Sr. Consultant at Capgemini Norge AS What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? I work as an Integration Architect & Sr. Consultant at Capgemini Norge AS. In my role I assist clients in addressing a wide range of integration challenges, with a particular emphasis on modernizing legacy systems, such as BizTalk, by transitioning them to cloud-native Azure iPaaS solutions. I’m responsible for architecting secure and scalable integration landscapes, designing and developing solutions, mentoring team members, and engaging with stakeholders and cross-functional teams. I work extensively with technologies such as Azure Logic Apps, Azure Functions, API Management, Service Bus, App Service Environment(ASEv3), Virtual Networks and CI/CD pipelines using GitHub. One of my proudest achievements was successfully delivering a complex BizTalk modernization project to Azure that required deep technical expertise and strategic coordination. Can you give us some insights into your day-to-day activities and what a typical day in your role looks like? As part of a distributed team across different locations and countries, my day starts with stand-ups involving both offshore and onshore team members to review progress and assign tasks. I spend time with developers, helping them navigate technical challenges and mentoring them through dedicated sessions—this has helped improve delivery quality and team confidence. I collaborate closely with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to align on requirements and solution design. Throughout the day, I work on resolving issues, improving existing solutions, work on innovation ideas and managing tasks. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? I am deeply passionate about technology—having worked with BizTalk throughout my career and, for the past 5+ years, diving into Azure iPaaS. Microsoft products evolve constantly, and that sparks my curiosity to explore, learn, and innovate every day. What truly drives me is the opportunity to give back to the community by sharing my learnings, challenges, and even failures. It’s all about growing together and inspiring others along the way. Looking back, what advice do you wish you had been given earlier that you'd now share with those looking to get into STEM/technology? Curiosity and consistency matter more than perfection. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, experiment, and fail, that’s where the real learning happens. Also, find a community that supports you; sharing your journey, both wins and setbacks, can inspire others and help you grow faster. What has helped you grow professionally? My professional growth has been shaped by a blend of curiosity, courage, and the right opportunities. Starting with BizTalk and evolving into Azure iPaaS, I’ve embraced every challenge as a chance to learn. What’s made the biggest difference is having the boldness to take on responsibility, the willingness to take risks, and the drive to keep growing. Sharing my journey with the community has not only helped others but also deepened my own learning. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? If I had a magic wand to enhance Logic Apps, I’d bring in three powerful features to supercharge developer productivity and solution resilience: Seamless Version Control & Rollback Having Git-like capabilities built into Logic Apps—track every change, compare versions, and roll back instantly when needed. This would empower teams to experiment confidently and collaborate more effectively without fear of breaking production workflows. Effortless Disaster Recovery Setup Setting up DR should be as simple as a few clicks. A built-in, automated DR configuration for AIS would ensure business continuity, reduce downtime, and give developers peace of mind—especially in mission-critical environments. Native JSON Mapper(Not Liquid) A visual, intuitive JSON mapping tool would simplify complex data transformations, reduce manual coding, and speed up development. This would be a game-changer for integration scenarios, especially when working with dynamic schemas and APIs. Simplified Authorization like ClaimChecks for Logic Apps Standard (Beyond EasyAuth) A more developer-friendly authorization setup that minimizes manual configurations and integrates seamlessly with identity providers. This would make securing Logic Apps faster, easier, and more consistent across environments. News from our product group Logic Apps Live August 2025 Missed Logic Apps Live in August? You can watch it here. We had a recap on Logic Apps Hybrid, our special guest Kritika Singh talking about her learnings with BizTalk Migration to AIS, and updates on Data Mapper GA and Logic Apps Standard Deployment Center. Logic Apps Community Day 2025 We are bringing Logic Apps Community Day again this year, on October 30, 2025 (Pacific Time) and we want you to join us as we host a full day of learning where you will be the star! Call for Speakers is still open until September 07, 2025 – so hurry and submit your session! General Availability: Enhanced Data Mapper Experience in Logic Apps (Standard) We’re excited to announce the General Availability (GA) of the redesigned Data Mapper UX in the Azure Logic Apps (Standard) extension for Visual Studio Code. This release marks a major milestone in our journey to modernize and streamline data transformation workflows for integration developer. Announcing: Setup CD in Azure Logic Apps Standard with Deployment Center Looking to automate your Azure Logic Apps code deploymentsin a faster way? Deployment Center - a built-in feature in Azure Logic Apps Standard - in now available, with built-in support on your VS Code projects, making it easier to deploy Logic Apps from your source control repository. Deployment Center is designed to make deploying, updating, and managing your Logic Apps workflows simple and straightforward. Hybrid Logic Apps deployment on Rancher K3s Kubernetes cluster Explore how Hybrid Logic Apps run effortlessly on K3s—delivering the power of Hybrid Logic Apps without the complexity and heavy infrastructure demands of a full Kubernetes cluster! News from our community What gets returned to the LLM by my Logic App Agent Loop tool? Video by Michael Stephenson Michael has been experimenting with Logic App Agent loop and, following a discussion with Kent Weare about the interaction between the workflow and the LLM, aimed to understand what data is returned to the model, since the number of tokens influences cost. He summarizes his findings from that conversation in this brief video. SOAP 1.2 Calls from Logic Apps – Fixing Unsupported Media & WS-Addressing Errors Post by Prashant Singh Struggling with SOAP 1.2 in Azure Logic Apps? Learn how to fix Unsupported Media errors, decode MTOM responses, and handle WS-Addressing headers for seamless integration in this post by Prashant. Demystifying AI Agent Loops in Logic Apps: The Future of Integration (But Not Everywhere) Post by Al Ghoniem Explore how AI Agent Loops enhance Azure Logic Apps for non-deterministic tasks like anomaly detection and IT Ops triage—while knowing when traditional workflows are the better fit. Can I use AI to create and deploy an Azure Logic Apps with Business Central connector? Post by Stefano Demiliani Stefano is testing the boundaries of what AI can do, so you don’t have to – he ran a blind test showing that AI can deploy Azure resources well—but struggles with external connectors like Business Central. Learn what worked, what didn’t, and why better prompts matter. How to use ChatGPT Agent Mode with Azure! Video by Stephen W. Thomas And looks like August was the month to experiment with Azure Resources. Stephen did some research too and shows you how easily ChatGPT-5 Agent Mode can auto-provision resources in Azure. This video demonstrates how to use a single prompt to build a logic app and create a resource group. Follow his video along to see how to get ChatGPT-5 agent working for you! Integration Love Story - Andrew Wilson Video by Ahmed Bayoumy and Robin Wilde In this special fast-paced episode recorded at INTEGRATE, Ahmed and Robin sit down with the brilliant Andrew, newly awarded Microsoft MVP and Logic Apps Ace Aviator, to talk about his journey, passions, and why integration is the powerhouse behind every digital experience. Tips for Migrating SAP IDoc Reception Workloads from BizTalk to Azure Logic Apps Post by Francois Malgreve Learn how to reuse BizTalk XSLTs in Azure Logic Apps! In this post by Francois, you will learn hot to configure the SAP trigger with the right IDoc format and namespace settings—minimizing code changes and easing migration. Query Azure DevOps work items with Logic App and Managed Identity Post by Michael Stephenson Learn how to use a reusable Logic App and a user-assigned managed identity to securely query Azure DevOps work items using WIQL—ideal for building scalable, secure workflows. Understand Agent Loops in Azure Logic Apps Video by Srikanth Gunnala In this video, Srikanth explore Azure Logic Apps AI Agents — also known as Agent Workflows or Agent Loops — and how they’re redefining workflow automation with Azure OpenAI. You’ll learn what an AI agent is in Azure Logic Apps, how it works, and see a live demo of building an AI-powered, adaptive workflow. Automate Microsoft Fabric Cost Savings with Logic Apps Post by Sherry L. Robinson Learn how to pause and resume Microsoft Fabric capacity using Azure Logic Apps—cutting costs during off-hours with minimal code and seamless integration via REST API or Resource Manager, in this insightful post by Sherry. Use Graph API to send Emails in Logic Apps Post by Şahin Özdemir In this post, Şahin shows your hot to use Microsoft Graph API with service principals to securely send emails from Logic Apps using app registrations and access policies. This will be quite useful in cases where you can’t associate the calls to a user account, which is a requirement for the Office 365 connector.🧩 Use Index + Direct Access to pull data across loops in Data Mapper
When working with repeating structures in Logic Apps Data Mapper, you may run into situations where two sibling loops exist under the same parent. What if you need to access data from one loop while you’re inside the other? This is where the Direct Access function, used in combination with Index, can save the day. 🧪 Scenario In this pattern, we’re focusing on the schema nodes shown below: 📸 Source & Destination Schemas (with loops highlighted) In the source schema: Under the parent node VehicleTrips, we have two sibling arrays: Vehicle → contains VehicleRegistration Trips → contains trip-specific values like VehicleID, Distance, and Duration In the destination schema: We're mapping into the repeating node Looping/Trips/Trip It expects each trip’s data along with a flattened VehicleRegistration value that combines both: The current trip’s VehicleID The corresponding vehicle’s VehicleRegistration The challenge? These two pieces of data live in two separate sibling arrays. 🧰 Try it yourself 📎 Download the sample files from GitHub Place them into the following folders in your Logic Apps Standard project: Artifacts → Source, destination and dependency schemas (.xsd) Map Definitions → .lml map file Maps → The .xslt file generated when you save the map Then right-click the .lml file and select “Open with Data Mapper” in VS Code. 🛠️ Step-by-step Breakdown ✅ Step 1: Set up the loop over Trips Start by mapping the repeating Trips array from the source to the destination's Trip node. Within the loop, we map: Distance Duration These are passed through To String functions before mapping, as the destination schema expects them as string values. As you map the child nodes, you will notice a loop automatically added on parent nodes (Trips->Trip) 📸 Mapping Distance and Duration nodes (context: we’re inside Trips loop) 🔍 Step 2: Use Index and Direct Access to bring in sibling loop values Now we want to map the VehicleRegistration node at the destination by combining two values: VehicleID (from the current trip) VehicleRegistration (from the corresponding vehicle) ➡️ Note: Before we add the Index function, delete the auto-generated loop from Trips to Trip To fetch the matching VehicleRegistration: Use the Index function to capture the current position within the Trips loop 📸 Index setup for loop tracking Use the Direct Access function to retrieve VehicleRegistration from the Vehicle array. 📘 Direct Access input breakdown The Direct Access function takes three inputs: Index – from the Index function, tells which item to access Scope – set to Vehicle, the array you're pulling from Target Node – VehicleRegistration, the value you want This setup means: “From the Vehicle array, get the VehicleRegistration at the same index as the current trip.” 📸 Direct Access setup 🔧 Step 3: Concatenate and map the result Use the Concat function to combine: VehicleID (from Trips) VehicleRegistration (from Vehicle, via Direct Access) Map the result to VehicleRegistration in the destination. 📸 Concat result to VehicleRegistration ➡️ Note: Before testing, delete the auto-generated loop from Vehicle to Trip 📸 Final map connections view ✅ Step 4: Test the output Once your map is saved, open the Test panel and paste a sample payload. You should see each Trip in the output contain: The original Distance and Duration values (as strings) A VehicleRegistration field combining the correct VehicleID and VehicleRegistration from the sibling array 📸 Sample Trip showing the combined nodes 💬 Feedback or ideas? Have feedback or want to share a mapping challenge? Open an issue on GitHubTransform Your Integration Strategy with Azure Integration Services
Still on Microsoft BizTalk Server or other legacy integration solutions? If you're relying on BizTalk or other legacy systems, you're already feeling the pain: rising costs, performance bottlenecks, and limited scalability. These outdated systems are holding you back, but the good news? The time to modernize is NOW and we’ve got the event that will show you how. Join us at "Unleash AI Innovation with a Modern Integration Platform and an API-First Strategy", where industry leaders like Visa, LyondellBasell, and Metcash share how they reimagined their integration landscape with Azure. This is your blueprint for moving beyond the limitations of legacy systems and unlocking innovation with a cloud-native, AI-ready approach. By attending, you’ll gain exclusive insights into how leading organizations have turned integration challenges into competitive advantages, positioning themselves for future growth with Azure. Real Stories, Real Impact Visa: Revolutionizing Operations with Azure Logic Apps Visa’s journey from BizTalk to Azure Logic Apps isn’t just a story of modernization—it’s a game-changer. By automating complex workflows and managing over 100 HR systems, Visa reduced manual intervention and slashed infrastructure costs by 95%. With Azure, Visa is now set to scale operations and leverage AI for continued growth. Discover the details of how Visa is preparing for tomorrow’s challenges today. LyondellBasell: Scaling Beyond BizTalk LyondellBasell, a global leader in chemicals, broke free from BizTalk’s limitations. Azure Integration Services empowered them with hybrid connectivity and real-time visibility, enabling them to streamline workflows and boost developer efficiency by 50%. Learn how they unlocked faster decision-making and stronger business outcomes. Brisbane City Council: From Legacy to API-First Agility Brisbane City Council, Australia’s largest local government, faced limitations with legacy integration solution. With Azure, they cut data processing times from 1 hour to under 5 minutes. The shift to an API-first approach future-proofed their strategy. Find out how this local government innovated without disruption. Metcash: Peak Retail Performance, Zero Downtime After moving to Azure Integration Services, Metcash, an Australian wholesaler, processed 8.65 million API calls in 48 hours during a major retail event without a single minute of downtime. With Azure, they achieved unrivaled resilience and scalability, all while slashing costs. See how Metcash’s transformation can serve as your blueprint for success. What You’ll Learn: How to cut costs and modernize your integration landscape Ways to scale with cloud-native solutions and AI-driven automation Strategies to secure every API with enterprise-grade governance Real-world migration paths from BizTalk and other platforms Choose Your Region and Register Now US/Canada: Reserve your seat today! Day 1: Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT Day 2: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT Australia/New Zealand: Reserve Your Seat Today! Day 1: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM AEDT Day 2: Thursday, 1 May 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM AEDT Europe: Reserve Your Seat Today! Day 1: Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 9:00am – 12:30pm BST Day 2: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00am – 12:30pm BSTFive reasons to join us on April 29–May 1 at our upcoming event on APIs and Integration
AI is reshaping the way businesses operate from streamlining processes through intelligent automation to enabling real-time, data-driven decisions. But to fully unlock its potential, you need a strong, connected foundation; one that brings together your data, applications, and AI services across environments. That’s exactly what you’ll explore at our upcoming two-day virtual event Unleash AI Innovation with a Modern Integration Platform and an API-First Strategy. 📅 April 29–30 (Americas/Europe) | April 30–May 1 (ANZ) 🖥️ Free, virtual, and streamed live across multiple time zones Whether you're modernizing from BizTalk, building an intelligent automation strategy, or scaling and securing AI-powered APIs, this event will equip you with practical insights, expert guidance, and real customer strategies to help you move forward with confidence. Here are the top five reasons to attend: 1. Be inspired by enterprise success stories Learn how organizations like Visa, Transcard, Heineken, Moneris, DocuSign, LyondellBasell, Metcash, Brisbane City Council, and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield are using Azure Integration Services and Azure API Management to build scalable, future-ready strategies. 2. Hear from top industry analysts Get strategic insight from IDC’s Shari Lava and Forrester’s Andrew Nadler alongside Microsoft product leaders on where integration and APIs are headed and how to prepare your business for what’s next. 3. Modernize your integration platform Still using BizTalk or another legacy system? Discover how others are migrating to Azure, simplifying operations, reducing technical debt, and unlocking new agility for AI-powered transformation. 4. Embed AI into your workflows See how Azure Logic Apps help you bring AI into your business processes using Azure OpenAI, Document Intelligence, and Azure AI Search. You’ll walk away with real use cases you can apply immediately. 5. Scale and secure your AI-powered APIs Your APIs are the front door for AI. Learn how Azure API Management helps you manage and secure them supporting zero-trust security and fast, consistent developer experiences. Join us to shape what’s next! This is your opportunity to learn from peers, partners, and experts who are redefining what's possible with integration, APIs, and AI. Whether you're an architect, developer, IT pro, or business technologist—there’s something here for you. US/Canada: Reserve your seat today! Day 1: Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT Day 2: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM PDT Australia/New Zealand: Reserve Your Seat Today! Day 1: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM AEDT Day 2: Thursday, 1 May 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM AEDT Europe: Reserve Your Seat Today! Day 1: Tuesday, 29 April 2025 | 9:00am – 12:30pm BST Day 2: Wednesday, 30 April 2025 | 9:00am – 12:30pm BST
