Reference an existing Azure Automation Account in a different Resource Group - azure

Question

I need to use an existing Azure Automation Account in ARM Templates to create a new compilation job. I know how to do this when the Automation Account is in the same Resource Group where I'm deploying, but I can't figure it out when it's an existing Automation Account in a different Resource Group.
for example:
Parent Template (Resource)
{
"name": "dscCompile",
"type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
"apiVersion": "2016-09-01",
"dependsOn": [
"[resourceId('Microsoft.Resources/deployments', 'newGuid')]"
],
"properties": {
"mode": "Incremental",
"templateLink": {
"uri": "[variables('templates').dsc]",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0"
},
"parameters": {
"compile-settings": {
"value": {
"configurationData": "[concat('{\"AllNodes\": [{\"NodeName\":\"*\",\"PSDscAllowPlainTextPassword\":true,\"RetryIntervalSec\":30,\"RetryCount\":20},{\"Nodename\":\"localhost\",\"domainName\":\"', parameters('extn-settings').domain, '\",\"adminCreds\":\"', parameters('adminPassword'), '\",\"Role\":\"DC\"}]}')]",
"configurationName": "createPDC",
"location": "Australia Southeast",
"name": "[reference('newGuid').outputs.guid.value)]"
}
},
"tag-values": {
"value": "[parameters('tag-values')]"
}
}
}
Child Template
$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2015-01-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
"contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
"parameters": {
"compile-settings": {
"type": "object",
"metadata": {
"description": "These are settings for a DSC Compile"
}
},
"tag-values": {
"type": "object",
"metadata": {
"description": "These are the Tag values"
}
}
},
"resources": [
{
"name": "[parameters('compile-settings').jobGuid]",
"type": "Microsoft.Automation/automationAccounts/compilationjobs",
"apiVersion": "2015-10-31",
"location": "[parameters('compile-settings').location]",
"tags": "[parameters('tag-values')]",
"dependsOn": [],
"properties": {
"configuration": {
"name": "[parameters('compile-settings').configurationName]"
},
"parameters": {
"ConfigurationData": "[parameters('compile-settings').ConfigurationData]"
}
},
"resources": []
}
],
"outputs": {}
}
Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Okay, so this wasn't even possible until recently, you can do it with cross resource group deployment.
Basically, you create a template inside a template (aka nested\child template) and pick a different resource group (using the resourceGroup property for that template. no other way.
{
"apiVersion": "2017-05-10",
"name": "nestedTemplate",
"type": "Microsoft.Resources/deployments",
"resourceGroup": "crossResourceGroupDeployment",
"properties": { }
}