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 SDKIntroducing Unit Test Agent Profiles for Logic Apps & Data Maps
I did some experimentation this week with GitHub Copilot custom agents and custom prompts. The result was a couple of agents to help with creation of unit tests for Logic Apps Standard workflows and data maps. These agent profiles are designed to keep test artifacts consistent and maintainable by separating discovery, specification, data generation, and implementation. Specifications serve as the single source of truth; generated code and data follow from the specs. Discover: Enumerate workflows/maps, triggers/actions, dependencies, and control flow to build a testability inventory. Spec (Speckit): Write reusable test specifications (intent, inputs/mocks, expected outcomes) stored in a predictable location. Cases: Design scenario catalogs with categories (Happy Path, Error Handling, Boundary Conditions, etc.). Test Data: Generate typed mocks (Logic Apps) or input/expected data files (Data Maps) per scenario. Implement: Produce MSTest code against the Automated Test SDK on net8.0, enforcing strict constraints for reliability. Project Batch: Run operations across all workflows/maps with pre-checks, scaffolding verification, and summary reporting. ℹ️ You can find this project on GitHub: https://github.com/wsilveiranz/logicapps-unittest-custom-agent. This is an example of how those agents can be created using what is available in GitHub Copilot, so feel free to fork it and adjust it to your own requirements. Agent Profiles Available Logic Apps Workflow Unit Test Author Specialist agent for authoring Logic Apps Standard workflow unit tests using MSTest (net8.0) and the Automated Test SDK. Produces spec-first test cases, typed mocks, and runnable MSTest implementations. How It Works Discover workflows: Locate workflow.json, summarize triggers/actions, and identify external dependencies to mock. Spec-first: Write reusable specs capturing intent, mock plan, inputs, and expected outcomes. Create cases: Build scenario catalogs (Happy Path, Error Handling, Boundary Conditions, etc.). Generate test data: Produce typed MockOutput and ActionMock classes instances mapped to action names. This step is optional, as implementation will create test data if not available. Implement tests: Generate MSTest code enforcing SDK constraints and required annotations. Validate: Build and run tests; refine specs and data as needed. Batch (optional): Apply the flow across all workflows once scaffolding is verified. Skill Description Prompt File Discover Workflows Discover workflow definitions, summarize triggers/actions, and produce a mock inventory. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-discover.prompt.md Create Test Cases Create unit test cases from a workflow definition; define intent, inputs, mock plan, and expected outcomes. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-create-cases.prompt.md Write Speckit Specs Write and maintain Speckit-style specification documents for reusable scenarios. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-speckit-specs.prompt.md Implement Tests Implement MSTest unit tests using the Automated Test SDK with enforced constraints. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-implement.prompt.md Generate Test Data Generate trigger/action mock payloads and typed outputs for success and failure variants. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-generate-test-data.prompt.md Project Batch Execute project-wide operations with scaffolding verification and roll-up reporting. .github/prompts/la-unit-tests-project-batch.prompt.md Logic Apps Data Map Unit Test Author Specialist agent for authoring Data Map unit tests from LML or XSLT using MSTest (net8.0). Produces spec-first test cases, sample input/expected data, and MSTest implementations. How It Works Discover data maps: Locate Artifacts/MapDefinitions/*.lml and Artifacts/Maps/*.xslt; summarize transformations and schema requirements. Spec-first: Write reusable specs capturing intent, input data, expected output, and validation criteria. Create cases: Build scenario catalogs (Happy Path, Empty/Missing, Boundary Values, Special Characters, Large Data, etc.). Generate test data: Produce representative input files and expected output files aligned to schemas and mapping rules. This step is optional, as implementation will create test data if not available. Implement tests: Generate MSTest classes using DataMapTestExecutor. Validate: Build and run tests; refine specs and data as needed. Batch (optional): Apply the flow across all maps; verify project scaffolding first. Skill Description Prompt File Discover Data Maps Discover LML/XSLT maps and schemas; summarize transformation structure and complexity. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-discover.prompt.md Create Test Cases Design scenarios covering happy path, edge cases, and error handling. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-create-cases.prompt.md Write Speckit Specs Write and maintain Speckit-style specs with mapping rules and validations. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-speckit-specs.prompt.md Implement Tests Implement MSTest suites using DataMapTestExecutor with required defaults. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-implement.prompt.md Generate Test Data Generate input and expected output files matched to map rules and schemas. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-generate-test-data.prompt.md Project Batch Execute project-wide operations with scaffolding and summary reporting. .github/prompts/dm-unit-tests-project-batch.prompt.md FAQ Why Speckit-style specs? Specs are human-readable contracts that drive consistent test implementation across teams and time. They decouple scenario design from code generation, improving reuse. Can I run batch operations? Yes. Use the project-batch profiles to orchestrate discovery and implementation across all workflows/maps once scaffolding is verified. What if scaffolding is missing? The Implement and Project Batch agents will stop and report the exact folders/files you need to create (via the Logic Apps Designer’s Create Unit Test command or manual steps).Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - January 2026
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group Community Playbook News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month January's Ace Aviator: Sagar Sharma What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? I’m a cross-domain Business Solution Architect specializing in delivering new business capabilities to customers. I design end-to-end architectures specially on Azure platforms and also in the Integration domain using azure integration services. My role involves marking architectural decisions, defining standards, ensuring platform reliability, guiding teams, and helping organizations transition from legacy integration systems to modern cloud-native patterns. 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 blends architecture work with hands-on collaboration. I review integration designs, refine patterns, help teams troubleshoot integration flows, and ensure deployments run smoothly through DevOps pipelines. A good part of my time is spent translating business needs into integration patterns and making sure the overall platform stays secure, scalable, and maintainable. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? The community has shaped a big part of my career. Many of my early breakthroughs came from blogs, samples, and talks shared by others. Contributing back feels like closing the loop. I enjoy sharing real-world lessons, learning from peers, and helping others adopt integration patterns with confidence. The energy of the community and the conversations it creates keep me inspired. 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? Focus on core concepts—messaging, APIs, security, and distributed systems—because tools evolve, but fundamentals stay relevant. Share your learning early, even if it feels small. Be curious about the “why” behind patterns. Build side projects, not just follow tutorials. And don’t fear a nonlinear career path—diverse experience is an asset in technology. What has helped you grow professionally? Hands-on customer work, strong mentors, and consistent learning habits have been key. Community involvement—writing, speaking, and collaborating—has pushed me to structure my knowledge and stay current. And working in environments that encourage experimentation has helped me develop faster and with more confidence. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? I’d love to see a unified, out-of-the-box business transaction tracing experience across Logic Apps, Service Bus, APIM, Functions, and downstream services. Something that automatically correlates events, visualizes the full journey of a transaction, and simplifies root-cause analysis. This would make operational troubleshooting dramatically easier in enterprise environments. News from our product group Microsoft BizTalk Server Product Lifecycle Update BizTalk Server 2020 will be the final release, with support extending through 2030. Microsoft encourages a gradual transition to Azure Logic Apps, offering migration tooling, hybrid deployment options, and reuse of existing BizTalk artifacts. Customers can modernize at their own pace while maintaining operational continuity. Data Mapper Test Executor: A New Addition to Logic Apps Standard Test Framework The Data Mapper Test Executor adds native support for testing XSLT and Data Mapper transformations directly within the Logic Apps Standard test framework. It streamlines validation, improves feedback cycles, and integrates with the latest SDK to enable reliable, automated testing of map generation and execution. Announcing General Availability of AI & RAG Connectors in Logic Apps (Standard) Logic Apps Standard AI and RAG connectors are now GA333, enabling native document processing, semantic search, embeddings, and agentic workflows. These capabilities let teams build intelligent, context‑aware automations using their own data, reducing complexity and enhancing decisioning across enterprise integrations. Logic Apps Labs The Logic Apps Labs, which introduces Azure Logic Apps agentic workflows learning path, offering guided modules on building conversational and autonomous agents, extending capabilities with MCP tools, and orchestrating multi‑agent workflows. It serves as a starting point for hands‑on labs covering design, deployment, and advanced patterns for intelligent automation. News from our community Handling Empty SQL Query Results in Azure Logic Apps Post by Anitha Eswaran If a SQL stored procedure returns no rows, you can detect the empty result set in Logic Apps by checking whether the output’s ResultSets object is {}. When empty, the workflow can be cleanly terminated or used to trigger alerts, ensuring predictable behavior and more resilient integrations. Azure Logic Apps MCP Server Post by Laveesh Bansal Our own Laveesh Bansal spent some time creating an Azure Logic Apps MCP Server that enables natural‑language debugging, workflow inspection, and updates without using the portal. It supports both Standard and Consumption apps, integrates with AI clients like Copilot and Claude, and offers tools for local or cloud‑hosted setups, testing, and workflow lifecycle operations. Azure Logic Apps: Change Detection in JSON Objects and Arrays Post by Suraj Somani Logic Apps offers native functions to detect changes in JSON objects and arrays without worrying about field or item order. Using equals() for objects and intersection() for arrays, you can determine when data has truly changed and trigger workflows only when updates occur, improving efficiency and reducing unnecessary processing. Logic Apps Standard: A clever hack to use JSON schemas in your Artifacts folder for JSON message validation (Part 1) Post by Şahin Özdemir Şahin outlines a workaround for using JSON schemas stored in the Artifacts folder to validate messages in Logic Apps Standard. It revisits integration needs from BizTalk migrations and shows how to bring structured validation into modern workflows without relying on Integration Accounts. This is a two part series and you can find part two here. Let's integrate SAP with Microsoft Video by Sebastian Meyer Sebastian has a new video out, and in this episode he and Martin Pankraz break down SAP GROW and RISE for Microsoft integration developers, covering key differences and integration options across IDoc, RFC, BAPI, SOAP, HTTPS, and OData, giving a concise overview of today’s SAP landscape and what it means for building integrations on Azure. Logic Apps Initialize variables action has a max limit of 20 variables Post by Sandro Pereira Logic Apps allows only 20 variables per Initialize variables action, and exceeding it triggers a validation error. This limit applies per action, not per workflow. Using objects, parameters, or Compose actions often reduces the need for many scalars and leads to cleaner, more maintainable workflows. Did you know that? It is a Friday Fact!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:Logic Apps Aviators Newsletter - November 2025
In this issue: Ace Aviator of the Month News from our product group News from our community Ace Aviator of the Month Novembers’s Ace Aviator: Al Ghoniem What's your role and title? What are your responsibilities? As a Senior Integration Consultant, I design and deliver enterprise-grade integration on Microsoft Azure, primarily using Logic Apps Standard, API Management, Service Bus, Event Grid and Azure Functions. My remit covers reference architectures, “golden” templates, governance and FinOps guardrails, CI/CD automation (Bicep and YAML), and production-ready patterns for reliability, observability and cost efficiency. Alongside my technical work, I lead teams of consultants and engineers, helping them adopt standardised delivery models, mentor through code reviews and architectural walkthroughs, and ensure we deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes across projects. I also help teams apply decisioning patterns (embedded versus external rules) and integrate AI responsibly within enterprise workflows. Can you give us some insights into your day-to-day activities and what a typical day in your role looks like? Architecture and patterns: refining solution designs, sequence diagrams and rules models for new and existing integrations. Build and automation: evolving reusable Logic App Standard templates, Bicep modules and pipelines, embedding monitoring, alerts and identity-first security. Problem-solving: addressing performance tuning, transient fault handling, poison/DLQ flows and “design for reprocessing.” Leadership and enablement: mentoring consultants, facilitating technical discussions, and ensuring knowledge is shared across teams. Community and writing: publishing articles and examples to demystify real-world integration trade-offs. What motivates and inspires you to be an active member of the Aviators/Microsoft community? The community continuously turns hard-won lessons into reusable practices. Sharing patterns (and anti-patterns) saves others time and incidents, while learning from peers strengthens my own work. Microsoft’s product teams also listen closely, and seeing customer feedback directly shape the platform is genuinely rewarding. 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? Optimise for learning speed, not titles. Choose problems that stretch you and deliver in small, measurable increments. Master the fundamentals. Naming, idempotency, retries and observability are not glamorous but make systems dependable. Document everything. Diagrams, runbooks and ADRs multiply your impact. Understand trade-offs. Every decision buys something and costs something; acknowledge both sides clearly. Value collaboration over heroics. Ask questions, share knowledge and give credit freely. What has helped you grow professionally? Reusable scaffolding: creating golden templates and reference repositories that capture best practice once and reuse it everywhere. Feedback loops: leveraging telemetry, post-incident reviews and peer critique to improve. Teaching and mentoring: explaining concepts to others brings clarity and strengthens leadership. Cross-disciplinary curiosity: combining architecture, DevOps, FinOps and AI to address problems holistically. If you had a magic wand that could create a feature in Logic Apps, what would it be and why? "Stateful Sessions and Decisions” as a first-class capability: Built-in session state across multiple workflows, durable correlation and resumable orchestrations without external storage. A native decisioning activity with versioned decision tables and rule auditing (“why this rule fired”). A local-first developer experience with fast testing and contract validation for confident iteration. This would simplify complex, human-in-the-loop and event-driven scenarios, reduce custom plumbing, and make advanced orchestration patterns accessible to a wider audience. News from our product group Logic Apps Community Day 2025 Did you miss or want to catch up again on your favorite Logic Apps Community Day videos – jump back into action on this four hours long learning session, with 10 sessions from our Community Experts. And stay tuned for individual sessions being shared throughout the week. Announcing Parse & Chunk with Metadata in Logic Apps: Build Context-Aware RAG Agents New Parse & Chunk actions add metadata like page numbers and sentence completeness—perfect for context-aware document Q&A using Azure AI Search and Agent Loop. Introducing the RabbitMQ Connector (Public Preview) The new connector (Public Preview) lets you send and receive messages with RabbitMQ in Logic Apps Standard and Hybrid—ideal for scalable, reliable messaging across industries. News from our community EventGrid And Entra Auth In Logic Apps Standard Post by Riccardo Viglianisi Learn how to use Entra Auth for webhook authentication, ditch SAS tokens, and configure private endpoints with public access rules—perfect for secure, scalable integrations. Debugging XSLT Made Easy in VS Code: .NET-Based Debugging for Logic Apps Post by Daniel Jonathan A new .NET-based extension brings real debugging to XSLT for Logic Apps. Set breakpoints, step through transformations, and inspect variables—making XSLT development clear and productive. This is the 3 rd post in a 5 part series, so worth checking out the other posts too. Modifying the Logic App Azure Workbook: Custom Views for Multi Workflow Monitoring Post by Jeff Wessling Learn how to tailor dashboards with KQL, multi-workflow views, and context panes—boosting visibility, troubleshooting speed, and operational efficiency across your integrations. Azure AI Agents in Logic Apps: A Guide to Automate Decisions Post by Imashi Kinigama Discover how GPT-powered agents, created using Logic Apps Agent Loop, automate decisions, extract data, and adapt in real time. Build intelligent workflows with minimal effort—no hardcoding, just instructions and tools. How to Turn Logic App Connectors into MCP Servers (Step-by-Step Guide) Post by Stephen W. Thomas Learn how to expose connectors like Google Drive or Salesforce as MCP endpoints using Azure API Center—giving AI agents secure, real-time access to 1,400+ services directly from VS Code. Custom SAP MCP Server with Logic Apps Post by Sebastian Meyer Learn how to turn Logic Apps into AI-accessible tools using MCP. From workflow descriptions to Easy Auth setup and VS Code integration—this guide unlocks SAP automation with Copilot. How Azure Logic Apps as MCP Servers Accelerate AI Agent Development Post by Monisha S Turn 1,400+ connectors into AI tools with Logic Apps Standard. Build agents fast, integrate with legacy systems, and scale intelligent workflows across your organization. Designing Business Rules in Azure Logic Apps: When to Go Embedded vs External Post by Al Ghoniem Learn when to use Logic Apps' native Rules Engine or offload to Azure Functions with NRules or JSON RulesEngine. Discover hybrid patterns for scalable, testable decision automation. Syncing SharePoint with Azure Blob Storage using Logic Apps & Azure Functions for Azure AI Search Post by Daniel Jonathan Solve folder delete issues by tagging blobs with SharePoint metadata. Use Logic Apps and a custom Azure Function to clean up orphaned files and keep Azure AI Search in sync. Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Conversational Agent in Azure Logic Apps Post by Stephen W. Thomas Use Azure AI Foundry and Logic Apps Standard to create chatbots that shuffle cards, answer questions, and embed into websites—no code required, just smart workflows and EasyAuth. You can hide sensitive data from the Logic App run history Post by Francisco Leal Learn how to protect sensitive data like authentication tokens, credentials, and personal information in Logic App, so this data don’t appear in the run history, which could pose security and privacy risks.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.Logic 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.Summing 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.
