Add schemas to use with workflows with Azure Logic Apps

Applies to: Azure Logic Apps (Consumption + Standard)

Workflow actions such as Flat File and XML Validation require a schema to perform their tasks. For example, the XML Validation action requires an XML schema to check that documents use valid XML and have the expected data in the predefined format. This schema is an XML document that uses XML Schema Definition (XSD) language and has the .xsd file name extension. The Flat File actions use a schema to encode and decode XML content.

This article shows how to add a schema to your integration account. If you're working with a Standard logic app workflow, you can also add a schema directly to your logic app resource.

Prerequisites

• An Azure account and subscription. If you don't have a subscription yet, sign up for a Azure account.

• The schema file that you want to add. To create schemas, you can use the following tools:

  • Visual Studio 2019 and the Azure Logic Apps Enterprise Integration Tools Extension.

  • Visual Studio 2015 and the Azure Logic Apps Enterprise Integration Tools for Visual Studio 2015 2.0 extension.

  Note

  Don't install the extension alongside the BizTalk Server extension. Having both extensions might produce unexpected behavior. Make sure that you only have one of these extensions installed.

  On high resolution monitors, you might experience a display problem with the map designer in Visual Studio. To resolve this display problem, either restart Visual Studio in DPI-unaware mode, or add the DPIUNAWARE registry value.

• Based on whether you're working on a Consumption or Standard logic app workflow, you'll need an integration account resource. Usually, you need this resource when you want to define and store artifacts for use in enterprise integration and B2B workflows.

  Important

  To work together, both your integration account and logic app resource must exist in the same Azure subscription and Azure region.

  • If you're working on a Consumption logic app workflow, you'll need an integration account that's linked to your logic app resource.

  • If you're working on a Standard logic app workflow, you can link your integration account to your logic app resource, upload schemas directly to your logic app resource, or both, based on the following scenarios:

    • If you already have an integration account with the artifacts that you need or want to use, you can link your integration account to multiple Standard logic app resources where you want to use the artifacts. That way, you don't have to upload schemas to each individual logic app. For more information, review Link your logic app resource to your integration account.

    • The Flat File built-in connector lets you select a schema that you previously uploaded to your logic app resource or to a linked integration account, but not both. You can then use this artifact across all child workflows within the same logic app resource.

    So, if you don't have or need an integration account, you can use the upload option. Otherwise, you can use the linking option. Either way, you can use these artifacts across all child workflows within the same logic app resource.

Limitations

• Limits apply to the number of artifacts, such as schemas, per integration account. For more information, review Limits and configuration information for Azure Logic Apps.

• Based on whether you're working on a Consumption or Standard logic app workflow, schema file size limits might apply.

  • If you're working with Standard workflows, no limits apply to schema file sizes.

  • If you're working with Consumption workflows, the following limits apply:

    • If your schema is 2 MB or smaller, you can add your schema to your integration account directly from the Azure portal.

    • If your schema is bigger than 2 MB but not bigger than the size limit for schemas, you'll need an Azure storage account and a blob container where you can upload your schema. Then, to add that schema to your integration account, you can then link to your storage account from your integration account. For this task, the following table describes the items you need:

      Item	Description
      Azure storage account	In this account, create an Azure blob container for your schema. Learn how to create a storage account.
      Blob container	In this container, you can upload your schema. You also need this container's content URI later when you add the schema to your integration account. Learn how to create a blob container.
      Azure Storage Explorer	This tool helps you more easily manage storage accounts and blob containers. To use Storage Explorer, choose a step: - In the Azure portal, select your storage account. From your storage account menu, select Storage Explorer. - For the desktop version, download and install Azure Storage Explorer. Then, connect Storage Explorer to your storage account by following the steps in Get started with Storage Explorer. To learn more, see Quickstart: Create a blob in object storage with Azure Storage Explorer.

      To add larger schemas, you can also use the Azure Logic Apps REST API - Schemas. For Standard workflows, the Azure Logic Apps REST API is currently unavailable.

• Usually, when you're using an integration account with your workflow, you add the schema to that account. However, if you're referencing or importing a schema that's not in your integration account, you might receive the following error when you use the element xsd:redefine:

  An error occurred while processing the XML schemas: ''SchemaLocation' must successfully resolve if <redefine> contains any child other than <annotation>.'.

  To resolve this error, you need to use the element xsd:import or xsd:include instead of xsd:redefine, or use a URI.

Considerations for adding schemas

• If you're working with a Consumption workflow, you must add your schema to a linked integration account.

• If you're working with a Standard workflow, you have the following options:

  • Add your schema to a linked integration account. You can share the schema and integration account across multiple Standard logic app resources and their child workflows.

  • Add your schema directly to your logic app resource. However, you can only share that schema across child workflows in the same logic app resource.

Add schema to integration account

1. In the Azure portal, sign in with your Azure account credentials.

2. In the main Azure search box, enter integration accounts, and select Integration accounts.

3. Select the integration account where you want to add your schema.

4. On your integration account's menu, under Settings, select Schemas.

5. On the Schemas pane toolbar, select Add.

Add schemas to logic app

Edit a schema

To update an existing schema, you have to upload a new schema file that has the changes you want. However, you can first download the existing schema for editing.

Delete a schema

Next steps

• Validate XML for workflows in Azure Logic Apps
• Transform XML for workflows in Azure Logic Apps