Logic Apps workflows via Terraform and Azure

Question

We have Terraform to create and deploy Logic Apps.

We also have created workflows in Logic Apps.

We want to automate the creations of both Logic Apps and workflows within it.

For example please see the workflows below:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/logic-apps/tutorial-build-schedule-recurring-logic-app-workflow

How to keep workflows when using Terraform to create and destroy the service? can you please explain this ? are you asking if logic app is destroyed then the workflows will be present ? — Ansuman Bal, Jan 21 '22 at 12:22
We want to automate the creations of both Logic Apps and workflows within it. — Pingpong, Jan 21 '22 at 13:15

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 24 '22 at 11:27

There is a limitation in terraform while deploying logic app work flows ,you can't create the api connections which are required in workflows , it can be only deployed through arm template or manually from portal and then need to be manually configured inside the workflow like bingsmap connection and outlook connection .

If you are starting to deploy logic apps from terraform then quick fix will be to refer the ARM template of a workflow after creating a workflow manually going to logic app code view, to get the idea how a custom action should be written in terraform .

OR

You can just deploy the logicapp from terraform and then use the code present in logic app code view to be deployed from terraform using azurerm_resource_group_template_deployment.

References:

Another SO thread where I have mentioned about configuring webapiconnections for logic app using ARM template

***Example provide by AZApril on how to use terraform to deploy logic app and then workflow using template deployment***

For deploying the logic app and workflow you can use something like below from terraform :

provider "azurerm" {
  features{}
}

data "azurerm_resource_group" "example" {
  name="ansumantest"
}

resource "azurerm_logic_app_workflow" "example" {
  name                = "workflow1"
  location           = data.azurerm_resource_group.example.location
  resource_group_name = data.azurerm_resource_group.example.name
}

resource "azurerm_resource_group_template_deployment" "apiconnections" {
  name                = "group-deploy"
  resource_group_name = data.azurerm_resource_group.example.name
  deployment_mode     = "Incremental"
  template_content = <<TEMPLATE
{
    "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
    "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
    "parameters": {
        "connections_bingmaps_name": {
            "defaultValue": "bingmaps",
            "type": "string"
        },
        "connections_office365_name": {
            "defaultValue": "office365",
            "type": "string"
        }
    },
    "variables": {},
    "resources": [
        {
    "type": "Microsoft.Web/connections",
    "apiVersion": "2016-06-01",
    "name": "[parameters('connections_bingmaps_name')]",
    "location": "eastus",
    "kind": "V1",
    "properties": {
        "displayName": "BingMapsConnection",
        "statuses": [
            {
                "status": "Connected"
            }
        ],
        "customParameterValues": {},
        "nonSecretParameterValues": {},
        "createdTime": "2022-01-24T08:26:56.8147674Z",
        "changedTime": "2022-01-24T08:28:05.4634315Z",
        "api": {
            "name": "[parameters('connections_bingmaps_name')]",
            "displayName": "Bing Maps",
            "description": "Bing Maps",
            "iconUri": "[concat('https://connectoricons-prod.azureedge.net/releases/v1.0.1538/1.0.1538.2619/', parameters('connections_bingmaps_name'), '/icon.png')]",
            "brandColor": "#008372",
            "id": "[concat('/subscriptions/<subscriptionId>/providers/Microsoft.Web/locations/eastus/managedApis/', parameters('connections_bingmaps_name'))]",
            "type": "Microsoft.Web/locations/managedApis"
        },
        "testLinks": []
    }
},
{
    "type": "Microsoft.Web/connections",
    "apiVersion": "2016-06-01",
    "name": "[parameters('connections_office365_name')]",
    "location": "eastus",
    "kind": "V1",
    "properties": {
        "displayName": "<emailid>",
        "statuses": [
            {
                "status": "Connected"
            }
        ],
        "customParameterValues": {},
        "nonSecretParameterValues": {},
        "createdTime": "2022-01-24T08:33:55.8159813Z",
        "changedTime": "2022-01-24T08:35:04.9083183Z",
        "api": {
            "name": "[parameters('connections_office365_name')]",
            "displayName": "Office 365 Outlook",
            "description": "Microsoft Office 365 is a cloud-based service that is designed to help meet your organization's needs for robust security, reliability, and user productivity.",
            "iconUri": "[concat('https://connectoricons-prod.azureedge.net/releases/v1.0.1538/1.0.1538.2621/', parameters('connections_office365_name'), '/icon.png')]",
            "brandColor": "#0078D4",
            "id": "[concat('/subscriptions/<subscriptionId>/providers/Microsoft.Web/locations/eastus/managedApis/', parameters('connections_office365_name'))]",
            "type": "Microsoft.Web/locations/managedApis"
        },
        "testLinks": [
            {
                "requestUri": "[concat('https://management.azure.com:443/subscriptions/<subscriptionId>/resourceGroups/ansumantest/providers/Microsoft.Web/connections/', parameters('connections_office365_name'), '/extensions/proxy/testconnection?api-version=2016-06-01')]",
                "method": "get"
            }
        ]
    }
}
    ],
    "outputs": {
        "bingmapid":{
            "type": "string",
            "value" : "[resourceId('Microsoft.Web/connections', parameters('connections_bingmaps_name'))]"
        } ,
        "officeid": {
            "type": "string",
            "value": "[resourceId('Microsoft.Web/connections', parameters('connections_office365_name'))]"
        }
    }
}
TEMPLATE
depends_on = [
  azurerm_logic_app_workflow.example
]
}
locals {
  bingmapconnectionid = jsondecode(azurerm_resource_group_template_deployment.apiconnections.output_content).bingmapid.value
  office365connectionid = jsondecode(azurerm_resource_group_template_deployment.apiconnections.output_content).officeid.value
}
resource "azurerm_logic_app_trigger_recurrence" "trigger" {
  name         = "Recurrence"
  logic_app_id = azurerm_logic_app_workflow.example.id
  frequency    = "Week"
  interval     = 1
  schedule {
    at_these_minutes=[0,15,30,45]
    at_these_hours =["8","9","7"]
    on_these_days=["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday","Sunday"]
  }
  depends_on = [
    azurerm_resource_group_template_deployment.apiconnections
  ]
}

resource "azurerm_logic_app_action_custom" "action1" {
  name         = "Get_route_and_travel_time_with_traffic"
  logic_app_id = azurerm_logic_app_workflow.example.id

  body = <<BODY
{
                            "runAfter": {},
                            "type": "ApiConnection",
                            "inputs": {
                                "host": {
                                    "connection": {
                                        "name": "${local.bingmapconnectionid}"
                                    }
                                },
                                "method": "get",
                                "path": "/V3/REST/V1/Routes/@{encodeURIComponent('Driving')}",
                                "queries": {
                                    "distanceUnit": "Mile",
                                    "optimize": "timeWithTraffic",
                                    "wp.0": "21930 SE 51st ,Issaugh,WA,98029",
                                    "wp.1": "3003 160th Ave,Bellevue,WA,98029"
                                }
                            }
                        }
BODY
depends_on = [
  azurerm_logic_app_trigger_recurrence.trigger
]
}
resource "azurerm_logic_app_action_custom" "action2" {
  name         = "Create_variable_to_store_travel_time"
  logic_app_id = azurerm_logic_app_workflow.example.id

  body = <<BODY
                       {
                "inputs": {
                    "variables": [
                        {
                            "name": "travelTime",
                            "type": "integer",
                            "value": "@div(body('Get_route_and_travel_time_with_traffic')?['travelDurationTraffic'],60)"
                        }
                    ]
                },
                "runAfter": {
                    "Get_route_and_travel_time_with_traffic": [
                        "Succeeded"
                    ]
                },
                "type": "InitializeVariable"
            }
BODY
depends_on = [
  azurerm_logic_app_action_custom.action1
]
}
resource "azurerm_logic_app_action_custom" "condition" {
  name         = "If_travel_time_exceeds_limit"
  logic_app_id = azurerm_logic_app_workflow.example.id

  body = <<BODY
{
                            "actions": {
                                "Send_email_with_travel_time": {
                                    "runAfter": {},
                                    "type": "ApiConnection",
                                    "inputs": {
                                        "body": {
                                            "Body": "<p>Add extra travel time (minutes): @{sub(variables('travelTime'),15)}</p>",
                                            "Subject": "Current travel time (minutes): @{variables('travelTime')}",
                                            "To": "admin@xxxxxxxxxx.onmicrosoft.com"
                                        },
                                        "host": {
                                            "connection": {
                                                "name": "${local.office365connectionid}"
                                            }
                                        },
                                        "method": "post",
                                        "path": "/v2/Mail"
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "runAfter": {
                                "Create_variable_to_store_travel_time": [
                                    "Succeeded"
                                ]
                            },
                            "expression": {
                                "and": [
                                    {
                                        "greater": [
                                            "@variables('travelTime')",
                                            15
                                        ]
                                    }
                                ]
                            },
                            "type": "If"
                        }
BODY
depends_on = [
  azurerm_logic_app_action_custom.action2
]
}

Output:

Every thing gets deployed but the api connection gives error in the logic app as not found so you will have to configure that manually or by the solution I have mentioned in the other SO thread.

thx, I will have a look and come back. The first solution is a bit complicated. Does this link have a simpler solution? https://azapril.dev/2021/04/12/deploying-a-logicapp-with-terraform/ — Pingpong, Jan 24 '22 at 14:03
@Pingpong, Yeah it's bit simpler if you have created a workflow manually then you can take the code from code view and do a template deployment . — Ansuman Bal, Jan 26 '22 at 14:02

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Feb 16 '22 at 14:22

You should look at Logic Apps (Standard). They provide a better development/deployment experience. You can create the Logic App Standard runtime using terraform and deploy your workflows using Azure CI/CD pipelines.

However, With Logic Apps (Standard) there are only three pricing tiers availabe: WS1, WS2 and WS3. You'll always have to pay even when your instance is idle. Logic Apps (Standard) will be hosted inside an App Service. The benefits: Your workflow code can be source controlled in git and you're able to develop/debug locally in VSCode.

So it comes down to this comparison:

Logic Apps Consumption

Pros

you only pay for what you use (consumption pricing model)
develop in VSCode locally, but no debug (imho) - VSCode just connects to Azure

Cons

automating deployment of workflows is currently really hard (see complex terraform scripts above)
provides no source control
your workflow defintion only lives in Azure
no CI/CD

Logic Apps (Standard)

Pros

Deployment through CI/CD pipelines is possible
source control by git for your workflows and connections
VSCode integration (develop and debug locally while using the portable workflow runtime)
Can be parameterized (also uses appsettings)

Cons

you have to run a full AppService for hosting
the cheapest pricing model is WS1, cost about $130 per month

Currently, we decided to run Standard model, because anything can be source-controlled an automated using CI/CD. However, we only run a small number of workflows, and costs are high. We would be better going the consumption way.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 21 '22 at 07:54

2

On top of the above answers you can now create API connections from terraform with

azurerm_api_connection These can then be used in the connections under parameter of workflow or body of custom action

answered Jun 21 '22 at 07:54

Ankit Kotnala

43
6

Logic Apps workflows via Terraform and Azure

3 Answers3

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