Power Automate JSON Import/Export Workflow

Guide for IT Consultants

How to export Power Automate flows as JSON files, import them into other environments, and when to use this approach instead of building manually.

Why use JSON export/import?

• Backup - Save a copy of your flow before making changes
• Version control - Store in Git to track changes over time
• Reuse - Build once, deploy to multiple environments
• Sharing - Send a flow to a colleague or client
• Documentation - The JSON shows exactly what the flow does

How to export a flow

1. Open Power Automate (make.powerautomate.com)
2. Go to My flows
3. Click the three dots (...) next to your flow
4. Select Export → Package (.zip)
5. Give it a name and click Export

The .zip file contains your flow as JSON plus any connection references.

Alternative: Copy the JSON directly

For quick backups or version control:

1. Open your flow in edit mode
2. Click the three dots (...) in the top right
3. Select Export → Get flow source code
4. Copy the JSON and save it to a .json file

This is raw JSON without the packaging—useful for Git storage.

How to import a flow

1. Open Power Automate
2. Go to My flows
3. Click Import → Import Package (.zip)
4. Upload your .zip file
5. Configure the connections (you'll need to sign in again)
6. Click Import

When to build manually vs import

Build manually when:

• Creating something new from scratch
• Learning how flows work
• Making small one-off automations

Use import when:

• Deploying a tested flow to production
• Restoring from backup
• Setting up the same flow for multiple clients
• Sharing a template with colleagues

Storing flows in Git

Save your JSON exports in a Git repository:

/BCM/PowerAutomate/
  ├── BCM-Laptop-Release-Form.json
  ├── BCM-Data-Release-Auth.json
  └── BCM-HR-Notification.json

Commit after each change with a message describing what changed.

Next steps

We can set up a folder structure for your BCM Power Automate flows and create a workflow for exporting after each change.