Announcing the General Availability of the XML Parse and Compose Actions in Azure Logic Apps
The XML Operations connector We have recently added two actions for the XML Operations connector: Parse XML with schema and Compose XML with schema. With this addition, Logic Apps customers can now interact with the token picker during design time. The tokens are generated from the XML schema provided by the customer. As a result, the XML document and its contained properties will be easily accessible, created and manipulated in the workflow. XML parse with schema The XML parse with schema allow customers to parse XML data using an XSD file (an XML schema file). XSD files need to be uploaded to the Logic App schemas artifacts or an Integration account. Once they have been uploaded, you need to enter the enter your XML content, the source of the schema and the name of the schema file. The XML content may either be provided in-line or selected from previous operations in the workflow using the token picker. For instance, the following is a parsed XML: XML compose with schema The XML compose with schema allows customers to generate XML data, using an XSD file. XSD files need to be uploaded to the Logic App schemas artifacts or an Integration account. Once they have been uploaded, you should select the XSD file along with entering the JSON root element or elements of your input XML schema. The JSON input elements will be dynamically generated based on the selected XML schema. For instance, the following is a Composed file: Learnings from Transition from Public Preview to General Availability: Upon feedback received from multiple customers, we would love to share the following recommendations and considerations, that will you maximize the reliability, flexibility, and internationalization capabilities of XML Parse and Compose actions in Azure Logic Apps. Handling Array Inputs in XML Switch to array input mode when mapping arrays. By default, the Logic App Designer expects individual array items for XML elements with maxOccurs > 1. If you want to assign an entire array token, use the array input mode icon in the Designer. This avoids unnecessary For Each loops and streamlines your workflow. For instance, the following: Click the Switch to input entire array Enter your array token. Managing Non-UTF-8 Encoded XML Leverage the encoding parameter in XML Compose. Customers can specify the desired character encoding (e.g., iso-2022-jp for Japanese). This controls both the .NET XML writer settings and the output encoding, allowing for broader internationalization support. Example configuration: Use the XML writer settings property to set encoding as needed. Safe Transport of Binary and Non-UTF-8 Content Utilize the Logic App content envelope. The XML Compose action outputs content in a safe envelope, enabling transport of binary and non-UTF-8 content within the UTF-8 JSON payload. Downstream actions (e.g., HTTP Request) can consume this envelope directly. Content-Type Header Management XML Compose now specifies the exact character set in the Content-Type header. This ensures downstream systems receive the correct encoding information. For example, application/xml; charset=iso-2022-jp will be set for Japanese-encoded XML. Consuming XML Output in HTTP Actions Reference the XML output property directly in HTTP actions. The envelope’s content-type is promoted to the HTTP header, and the base64-encoded content is decoded and sent as the raw HTTP body. This preserves encoding and binary fidelity. Documentation and External References Consult official documentation for advanced scenarios: Support non-Unicode character encoding in Azure Logic Apps. Content-Type and Content-Encoding for clarifying header usage. Do not confuse Content-Type with Content-Encoding. Content-Type specifies character set encoding (e.g., UTF-8, ISO-2022-JP), while Content-Encoding refers to compression (e.g., gzip). Normalization and prefix and trailer trimming: Here is a sample that shows how XML normalization works for values, and how to achieve prefix and trailing trimming: XSD: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <xs:schema id="XmlNormalizationAndWhitespaceCollapsed" targetNamespace="http://schemas.contoso.com/XmlNormalizationAndWhitespace" elementFormDefault="qualified" xmlns="http://schemas.contoso.com/XmlNormalizationAndWhitespace" xmlns:mstns="http://schemas.contoso.com/XmlNormalizationAndWhitespace" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"> <!-- simple type that preserves whitespace (like xs:string) --> <xs:simpleType name="PreserveString"> <xs:restriction base="xs:string" /> </xs:simpleType> <!-- normalizedString collapses CR/LF/TAB to spaces, but preserves leading/trailing and repeated spaces --> <xs:simpleType name="NormalizedName"> <xs:restriction base="xs:normalizedString" /> </xs:simpleType> <!-- token collapses runs of spaces and trims leading/trailing spaces --> <xs:simpleType name="TokenName"> <xs:restriction base="xs:token" /> </xs:simpleType> <!-- explicit whitespace collapse facet (equivalent to xs:token for this purpose) --> <xs:simpleType name="CollapsedName"> <xs:restriction base="xs:string"> <xs:whiteSpace value="collapse" /> </xs:restriction> </xs:simpleType> <xs:element name="root"> <xs:complexType> <xs:sequence> <xs:element name="header"> <xs:complexType> <xs:sequence> <xs:element name="id" type="xs:int" /> </xs:sequence> </xs:complexType> </xs:element> <xs:element name="row" maxOccurs="unbounded"> <xs:complexType> <xs:sequence> <xs:element name="id" type="xs:int" /> <!-- the three variants on whitespace handling for name and aliases --> <xs:element name="name" type="mstns:TokenName" /> <xs:element name="nameNormalized" type="mstns:NormalizedName" minOccurs="0" /> <xs:element name="nameCollapsed" type="mstns:CollapsedName" minOccurs="0" /> <xs:element name="namePreserved" type="mstns:PreserveString" minOccurs="0" /> </xs:sequence> </xs:complexType> </xs:element> </xs:sequence> </xs:complexType> </xs:element> </xs:schema> JSON: { ":Attribute:xmlns": "http://schemas.contoso.com/XmlNormalizationAndWhitespace", "header": { "id": 1002 }, "row": [ { "id": 1, "name": "cyckel1", "nameNormalized": " cyckel1 end ", "nameCollapsed": "cyckel1", "namePreserved": "cyckel1\r\n\tend" }, { "id": 2, "name": "cyckel2", "nameNormalized": "line1 line2 ", "nameCollapsed": "cyckel2", "namePreserved": "line1\nline2\t" }, { "id": 3, "name": "cyckel12", "nameNormalized": " tabs and lines", "nameCollapsed": "cyckel12", "namePreserved": "\ttabs\tand\r\nlines" } ] } XML: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <root xmlns="http://schemas.contoso.com/XmlNormalizationAndWhitespace"> <header> <id>1002</id> </header> <row> <id>1</id> <name>cyckel1 </name> <nameNormalized> cyckel1
	end </nameNormalized> <nameCollapsed>cyckel1 </nameCollapsed> <namePreserved>cyckel1
	end</namePreserved> </row> <row> <id>2</id> <name>cyckel2 </name> <nameNormalized>line1
line2	</nameNormalized> <nameCollapsed>cyckel2 </nameCollapsed> <namePreserved>line1
line2	</namePreserved> </row> <row> <id>3</id> <name> cyckel12</name> <nameNormalized>	tabs	and
lines</nameNormalized> <nameCollapsed> cyckel12</nameCollapsed> <namePreserved>	tabs	and
lines</namePreserved> </row> </root> Check this short video to learn more:Data Mapper Test Executor: A New Addition to Logic Apps Standard Test Framework
Why Does It Matter? Testing complex data transformations has always been a challenge for Logic Apps developers. With workflows relying on XSLT, Liquid templates, and custom maps, validating these transformations often required manual steps or external tools. The Data Mapper Test Executor changes that by bringing first-class support for map testing directly into the Logic Apps Standard Automated Test Framework. This means faster feedback loops, improved reliability, and a more streamlined developer experience. Key Highlights Native Support for Data Mapper Testing Execute unit tests for XSLT 1.0/2.0/3.0 and Logic Apps Data Mapper (.lml) files without leaving your development environment. Integrated with Automated Test Framework SDK Leverages the latest SDK capabilities for consistent test execution and reporting. Enhanced Validation Supports schema validation and transformation checks, ensuring your maps behave as expected across scenarios. Performance Optimizations Built-in caching and resource management for efficient test runs. How to Get Started Install and reference the Latest Automated Test Framework SDK Make sure you’re referencing the version 1.0.1 or higher of the framework to access the new executor class. You can find the latest version in the NuGet gallery. <PackageReference Include="Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.WebJobs.Tests.Extension" Version="1.0.1" /> Add the Data Mapper Test Executor to Your Test Project Include the new class in your unit test suite for Logic Apps workflows. Write Your First Test Check the sample code below with three different methods, highlighting the options that can be used with the DataMapTestExecutor using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Threading.Tasks; using Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.UnitTesting.Definitions; using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting; using la1.Tests.Mocks.Stateful1; using Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.UnitTesting; using System.IO; using System.Text; using Microsoft.Azure.Workflows.Data.Entities; using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq; namespace la1.Tests { /// <summary> /// The unit test class. /// </summary> [TestClass] public class DataMapTest { /// <summary> /// The map to test. /// </summary> public const string MapName = "source_order_to_canonical_order"; public string PathToMapDefinition { get; private set; } public string PathToCompiledXslt { get; private set; } public string PathToXsltTestInputs { get; private set; } /// <summary> /// The data map test executor. /// </summary> public TestExecutor TestExecutor; [TestInitialize] public void Setup() { this.TestExecutor = new TestExecutor("Stateful1/testSettings.config"); this.PathToMapDefinition = Path.Combine(this.TestExecutor.rootDirectory, this.TestExecutor.logicAppName, "Artifacts", "MapDefinitions", $"{DataMapTest.MapName}.lml"); this.PathToCompiledXslt = Path.Combine(this.TestExecutor.rootDirectory, this.TestExecutor.logicAppName, "Artifacts", "Maps", $"{DataMapTest.MapName}.xslt"); this.PathToXsltTestInputs = Path.Combine(this.TestExecutor.rootDirectory, "Tests", "la1", "Stateful1", "DataMapTest", "test-input.json"); } /// <summary> /// Sample comparing compiled XSLT to generated XSLT using map name. /// </summary> [TestMethod] public async Task DataMapTest_GenerateXslt() { var dataMapTestExecutor = this.TestExecutor.CreateMapExecutor(); var xsltBytes = await dataMapTestExecutor .GenerateXslt(mapName: DataMapTest.MapName) .ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false); Assert.IsNotNull(xsltBytes); Assert.AreEqual(expected: File.ReadAllText(this.PathToCompiledXslt), actual: Encoding.UTF8.GetString(xsltBytes)); } /// <summary> /// Sample comparing compiled XSLT to generated XSLT using map content. /// </summary> [TestMethod] public async Task DataMapTest_GenerateXsltWithMapContent() { var mapContent = File.ReadAllText(this.PathToMapDefinition); var generateXsltInput = new GenerateXsltInput { MapContent = mapContent }; var dataMapTestExecutor = this.TestExecutor.CreateMapExecutor(); var xsltBytes = await dataMapTestExecutor .GenerateXslt(generateXsltInput: generateXsltInput) .ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false); Assert.IsNotNull(xsltBytes); Assert.AreEqual(expected: File.ReadAllText(this.PathToCompiledXslt), actual: Encoding.UTF8.GetString(xsltBytes)); } /// <summary> /// Sample running data map using map name and test inputs. /// </summary> [TestMethod] public async Task DataMapTest_RunMap() { var dataMapTestExecutor = this.TestExecutor.CreateMapExecutor(); var mapOutput = await dataMapTestExecutor .RunMapAsync( mapName: DataMapTest.MapName, inputContent: File.ReadAllBytes(this.PathToXsltTestInputs)) .ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false); Assert.IsNotNull(mapOutput); Assert.IsTrue(mapOutput.Type == JTokenType.Object); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "FC-20250603-001", actual: mapOutput["orderId"]); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "VIP-789456", actual: mapOutput["customerId"]); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "NEW", actual: mapOutput["status"]); } /// <summary> /// Sample running data map using generated XSLT content and test inputs. /// </summary> [TestMethod] public async Task DataMapTest_RunMapWithXsltContentBytes() { var dataMapTestExecutor = this.TestExecutor.CreateMapExecutor(); var mapContent = File.ReadAllText(this.PathToMapDefinition); var generateXsltInput = new GenerateXsltInput { MapContent = mapContent }; var xsltContent = await dataMapTestExecutor .GenerateXslt(generateXsltInput: generateXsltInput) .ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false); var mapOutput = await dataMapTestExecutor .RunMapAsync( xsltContent: xsltContent, inputContent: File.ReadAllBytes(this.PathToXsltTestInputs)) .ConfigureAwait(continueOnCapturedContext: false); Assert.IsNotNull(mapOutput); Assert.IsTrue(mapOutput.Type == JTokenType.Object); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "FC-20250603-001", actual: mapOutput["orderId"]); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "VIP-789456", actual: mapOutput["customerId"]); Assert.AreEqual(expected: "NEW", actual: mapOutput["status"]); } } } The default TestExecutor should be updated with a new method, so you can use the same class to create UnitTestExecutor and DataMapTestExecutor instances: public DataMapTestExecutor CreateMapExecutor() { // Set the path for workflow-related input files in the workspace and build the full paths to the required JSON files. var appDirectoryPath = Path.Combine(this.rootDirectory, this.logicAppName); return new DataMapTestExecutor(appDirectoryPath: appDirectoryPath); } Note: This feature is available starting with the latest SDK release. Update your dependencies before making changes to your code, to get full intelisense support. Limitations Loop Structures: Dynamic execution within repeating structures is not yet supported. Non-Mocked Connectors: All actions in the execution path should be mocked. Unsupported Actions: Integration Account maps, custom code actions, and EDI encode/decode remain out of scope for this release. Preview Caveats: If you’re using private preview components, expect limited testing compared to GA releases. Learn More Logic Apps Standard Automated Test Framework SDKLogic 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.
🚀 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 - August 25
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month August Ace Aviator: Jenny Anderson What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? I’m an Integration Architect at Tietoevry Tech Services, where I work with large enterprise customers to develop integration solutions. For the past two years my main focus has been on cloud and hybrid integrations. I design integration architectures, advise on best practices including security and the chosen architecture, and collaborate closely with development teams to implement and maintain these solutions. Can you give us some insights into your day-to-day activities and what a typical day in your role looks like? My days usually start with scrum meetings across ongoing projects, which help me stay updated on progress, align with teams and prioritize my tasks for the day. After that, I often have customer meetings where I advise on integration strategies, provide architectural guidance or work on pre-sales engagements to scope out potential solutions. Recently, a big focus has been on BizTalk migrations, helping customers modernize their integration platforms by moving to Azure-based solutions. I try to dedicate my afternoons to hands-on technical work, which I really enjoy. Lately, that’s involved working with the new hybrid capabilities in Logic Apps. It’s a great mix of strategic consulting and deep technical implementation, which keeps the role dynamic and rewarding. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? I’ve always received a lot of support from the community especially when I was starting out in my career and I still benefit from it today. That generosity and openness made a big impact on me, so I feel it’s important to give back whenever I can. For me it’s a way to pay it forward and stay connected to a network that has helped me grow both technically and professionally. 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? Don’t overthink it, just start doing! In the beginning of my career, I assumed that everyone else knew everything, and that I couldn’t contribute or be part of certain areas because I didn’t know enough. But the truth is, no one knows everything, and that’s completely okay. The best way to learn is by doing and taking on challenges, making mistakes and growing from experience. I believe confidence comes from action, not from waiting until you feel “ready.” What has helped you grow professionally? One thing that has really helped me grow is surrounding myself with people who have different experiences or areas of expertise, whether at work, in communities, or through networking. I’ve learned a lot simply by asking questions, even the ones that might seem obvious. I also try to say yes to new opportunities, especially when they push me outside my comfort zone. Being an overthinker, I’ve developed a personal mantra: “Think 40%, do 60%.” It reminds me not to get stuck in planning or doubt, but to take action and learn along the way. That mindset has really helped me move forward. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? If I could use a bit of magic in Logic Apps, I’d want AI to automagically handle all the data mappings. It’s honestly my least favorite part of integration work. It takes forever, it’s a bit dull and yet it’s always important. So, if AI could just step in and quietly take care of it, I wouldn’t complain. I’ve also heard a few customers ask for a disconnected control plane that can be hosted on-premises. That would be a big win for scenarios where cloud access is limited or compliance rules are extra strict. News from our product group Logic Apps Live July 2025 Missed Logic Apps Live in July? You can watch it here. We had a sneak peek into Logic Apps MCP Servers and Python support for Agent loop. Excinting topics and worth a watch! Troubleshoot Az Module within Logic App Standard Learn how to resolve Az Module installation failures in Logic Apps due to network restrictions or storage limits. Quick tests and fixes included to keep your workflows running smoothly. Introducing API Management Support in the Azure SRE Agent Azure’s SRE Agent now supports API Management, offering real-time diagnostics, backend health visualization, and intelligent remediation to keep your APIs reliable and scalable. Launch Your Private MCP Registry with Azure API Center. Discover how to create a secure, governed, and enterprise-ready MCP registry using Azure API Center—empowering AI innovation while maintaining control and visibility. Perform video analysis by using Azure Machine Learning and Computer Vision Replace manual video review with a scalable, AI-powered pipeline using Azure Machine Learning, Logic Apps, and Computer Vision. Boost accuracy and efficiency across industries like agriculture, traffic control, and manufacturing. Bringing Azure Logic Apps to on-prem, private, or public cloud with new Hybrid model | Azure Friday In this video Scott Hanselman and Harold Campos discuss the new Logic Apps Hybrid deployment model that allows customers to run their integration workloads in their own Kubernetes environments. This is ideal for customers initiating their journey to the cloud and hosting multiple on-premises workloads, who need to meet industry regulations, who wants to reuse their own Kubernetes infrastructure, or to avoid the natural latency introduced in hybrid configurations. News from our community Exposing Logic Apps as MCP Server in Azure API Management Video by Kent Weare On top of his PM work, Kent also finds time to keep his personal YouTube channel quite active. This time, he shows a walkthrough of creating an MCP Server using Logic Apps and API Management. The initial explanation of MCP and the various protocols alone make this video a great watch! Integration Love Story - Divya Swarnkar Video by Ahmed Bayoumy and Robin Wilde In this short episode of Integration Love Story, Ahmed and Robin chat with our own Divya Swarnkar, Product Manager at Microsoft who's been on an incredible journey from using Logic Apps as a customer to now helping build the product with the team behind the scenes. From BizTalk to Azure: A Guide for the Slightly Terrified Post by Sandro Pereira Explore the risks, timelines, and migration strategies as BizTalk nears end-of-life. Sandro shares the webinar recording – another tool to help you decide whether to stay or move to Azure Integration Services—without losing sleep. Azure Logic Apps Naming Conventions whitepaper Post by Sandro Pereira Boost clarity, scalability, and collaboration in Azure Logic Apps with this whitepaper. Learn best practices for naming triggers, actions, variables, and more - essential for automation, CI/CD, and long-term maintainability. You can create and use your own personal templates in Azure Logic Apps Post by Sandro Pereira It is not a newsletter, without at least a Friday Fact from Sandro! In this post, you can learn how to build, manage, and share reusable templates for consistent, efficient integration across projects. Speed up automation and standardize workflows you’re your own personal templates in Logic Apps.Lesson Learned #521: Query Performance Regression with Multiple Execution Plans in Azure SQL
Some days ago, we were working on a service request where our customer asked why a query had degraded in performance. One possible issue could be that more than one execution plan is being used for a specific query. So I would like to share the steps we followed using QDS with DMVs. First, we executed this query to identify any queries that had more than one plan_id, which is often a sign that the optimizer has compiled multiple strategies to run the same query: SELECT q.query_id, qt.query_sql_text, q.query_hash, COUNT(DISTINCT p.plan_id) AS num_plans, STRING_AGG(CAST(p.plan_id AS VARCHAR), ', ') AS plan_ids FROM sys.query_store_query_text qt JOIN sys.query_store_query q ON qt.query_text_id = q.query_text_id JOIN sys.query_store_plan p ON q.query_id = p.query_id GROUP BY q.query_id, qt.query_sql_text, q.query_hash HAVING COUNT(DISTINCT p.plan_id) > 1 ORDER BY num_plans DESC; We got a list of queries and after some analysis, we found the one the customer was referring to. The query in question was a simple aggregate with a parameter: (@N int)SELECT count(Name),name FROM Notes where ID<@n group by Name As we found that they query has two plans, we executed the following TSQL to obtain the details of the executions. SELECT rs.execution_type_desc, rs.avg_duration / 1000 AS avg_duration_ms, rs.avg_cpu_time / 1000 AS avg_cpu_ms, rs.last_duration / 1000 AS last_duration_ms, rs.count_executions, rs.first_execution_time, rs.last_execution_time, p.plan_id, p.is_forced_plan, TRY_CONVERT(XML, p.query_plan) AS execution_plan_xml FROM sys.query_store_runtime_stats rs JOIN sys.query_store_plan p ON rs.plan_id = p.plan_id WHERE p.query_id = 2 ORDER BY rs.last_execution_time DESC; We got the following results: We could see the execution plan number 2 was executed less time but taking more time in average. Checking the execution plan XML we were able to identify an automatic update statistics was executed causing a new execution plan. Trying to give insights about possible causes, we wrote the following TSQL giving us when the statistics were updated directly from the execution plan XML. ;WITH XMLNAMESPACES (DEFAULT 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/2004/07/showplan') SELECT p.plan_id, stat.value('@Statistics', 'VARCHAR(200)') AS stats_name, stat.value('@LastUpdate', 'DATETIME') AS stats_last_updated, stat.value('@SamplingPercent', 'FLOAT') AS stats_sampling_percent FROM sys.query_store_plan AS p CROSS APPLY ( SELECT CAST(p.query_plan AS XML) AS xml_plan ) AS x OUTER APPLY x.xml_plan.nodes(' /ShowPlanXML/BatchSequence/Batch/Statements/StmtSimple/QueryPlan/OptimizerStatsUsage/StatisticsInfo' ) AS t(stat) WHERE p.query_id = 2; Well, we found another way to query directly the execution plan and include other information from Query Data Store. Enjoy!🧩 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 GitHubSumming it up: Aggregating repeating nodes in Logic Apps Data Mapper 🧮
Logic Apps Data Mapper makes it easy to define visual, code-free transformations across structured JSON data. One pattern that's both powerful and clean: using built-in collection functions to compute summary values from arrays. This post walks through an end-to-end example: calculating a total from a list of items using just two functions — `Multiply` and `Sum`. 🧾 Scenario: Line Item Totals + Order Summary You’re working with a list of order items. For each item, you want to: Compute Total = Quantity × Price Then, compute the overall OrderTotal by summing all the individual totals 📥 Input { "orders" : [ { "Quantity" : 10, "Price" : 100 }, { "Quantity" : 20, "Price" : 200 }, { "Quantity" : 30, "Price" : 300 } ] } 📤 Output { "orders" : [ { "Quantity" : 10, "Price" : 100, "Total" : 1000 }, { "Quantity" : 20, "Price" : 200, "Total" : 4000 }, { "Quantity" : 30, "Price" : 300, "Total" : 9000 } ], "Summary": { "OrderTotal": 14000 } } 🔧 Step-by-step walkthrough 🗂️ 1. Load schemas in Data Mapper Start in the Azure Data Mapper interface and load: Source schema: contains the orders array with Quantity and Price Target schema: includes a repeating orders node and a Summary → OrderTotal field 📸 Docked schemas in the mapper 🔁 2. Recognize the repeating node The orders array shows a 🔁 icon on <ArrayItem>, marking it as a repeating node. 📸 Repeating node detection 💡 When you connect child fields like Quantity or Price, the mapper auto-applies a loop for you. No manual loop configuration needed. ➗ 3. Multiply Quantity × Price (per item) Drag in a Multiply function and connect: Input 1: Quantity Input 2: Price Now connect the output of Multiply directly to the Total node under Orders node in the destination. This runs once per order item and produces individual totals: [1000, 4000, 9000] 📸 Multiply setup ➕ 4. Aggregate All Totals Using Sum Use the same Multiply function output and pass it into a Sum function. This will combine all the individual totals into one value. Drag and connect: Input 1: multiply(Quantity, Price) Input 2: <ArrayItem> Connect the output of Sum to the destination node Summary → OrderTotal 1000 + 4000 + 9000 = 14000 📸 Sum function ✅ 5. Test the Output Run a test with your sample input by clicking on the Open test panel. Copy/paste the sample data and hit Test. The result should look like this: { "orders": [ { "Quantity": 10, "Price": 100, "Total": 1000 }, { "Quantity": 20, "Price": 200, "Total": 4000 }, { "Quantity": 30, "Price": 300, "Total": 9000 } ], "Summary": { "OrderTotal": 14000 } } 🧠 Why this pattern works 🔁 Repeating to repeating: You’re calculating Total per order 🔂 Repeating to non-repeating: You’re aggregating with Sum into a single node 🧩 No expressions needed — it’s all declarative This structure is perfect for invoices, order summaries, or reporting payloads where both detail and summary values are needed. 📘 What's coming We’re working on official docs to cover: All functions including collection (Join, Direct Access, Filter, etc.) that work on repeating nodes Behavior of functions inside loops Real-world examples like this one 💬 What should we cover next? We’re always looking to surface patterns that matter most to how you build. If there’s a transformation technique, edge case, or integration scenario you’d like to see explored next — drop a comment below and let us know. We’re listening. 🧡 Special thanks to Dave Phelps for collaborating on this scenario and helping shape the walkthrough.🔁 Public Preview Refresh: More Power to Data Mapper in Azure Logic Apps
We’re back with a Public Preview refresh for the Data Mapper in Azure Logic Apps (Standard) — bringing forward some long-standing capabilities that are now fully supported in the new UX. In our initial announcement, we introduced a redesigned experience focused on usability, error handling, and improved mapping for complex schemas. As we continue evolving the tool, we’re working to bring feature parity with the classic experience, while layering in modern enhancements along the way. With this update, several existing capabilities from the legacy Data Mapper are now available in the new preview version — so you can bring your advanced scenarios forward with confidence. 🛠️ Run XSLT Inside Your Data Map The ability to apply XSLT has long been a powerful feature in Logic Apps, and we’re excited to bring Run XSLT support into the new UX. You can now invoke reusable transformation logic from your map, including: Enterprise-grade XSLT Predefined templates or logic from your BizTalk workflows How to try it out: Create a new data map. Right-click on the MapDefintions or Maps folder and click Create new data map Store the XSLT file under Artifacts -> DataMapper/Extension -> InlineXslt. Open the data map and search for Run XSLT in the functions panel. Select the function and simply select the function you want to run from the dropdown Connect to desired destination node. In my case, the function simply adds a "Placeholder" value for the Name node at destination, alongside an "EmployeeType" node. Note that you do not need to connect any source node to the XSLT function given this is custom XSLT logic that will be applied directly at destination node. Upon testing the map, right value is generated in the destination schema 🔍 Execute XPath to Extract Targeted Values Execute XPath is now supported in the new experience, giving you control to extract specific values from nested XML structures. This function is particularly useful for: Accessing attributes and nested elements Applying logic based on the structure or content of incoming data How to try it out: Search for Execute XPath in the functions panel. Select the function and add the expression you want to extract Map it to destination node. Here is what the map will look like: The test payload correctly creates multiple Address nodes at destination based on the Address node at source. 🧩 Use Custom XML Functions Custom XML functions allow you to define and reuse logic across your map. This helps reduce duplication and supports schema-specific transformations. Now that support is available in the new UX, you can: Wrap complex logic into manageable components Handle schema-specific edge cases with ease How to try it out: Add the .xml function file under Artifacts -> DataMapper/Extension -> Functions Open the data map and under Utility category of functions, select the new function. In our case, the xml function is called Age Connect function input to Date_of_Birth node at source and output to Age node at destination. The map will look something like this Test the map and notice that the age is calculated correctly at the destination node 🌒 Dark Mode Support in VS Code The new UX now respects Dark Mode in VS Code, giving you a visually cohesive and low-contrast authoring experience — perfect for long mapping sessions. No extra steps needed — Dark Mode works automatically based on your VS Code theme settings. ⚙️ How to Enable the New Experience If you haven’t yet tried the new UX: Open your Logic Apps (Standard) project in VS Code Go to Logic Apps (Standard) extension → Settings → Data Mapper Select Version ~2 You’ll find detailed walkthroughs in the initial preview announcement blog. 💬 We’d Love Your Feedback We’re continuously evolving the Data Mapper, and your feedback is key to getting it right — especially as we bring more advanced transformation scenarios into the new experience. 👉 Submit your feedback here 🐛 Found an issue or have a specific feature request? Let us know on GitHub Issues Thanks again for being part of the journey — more updates coming soon! 🚀
