Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

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Posted on 3 May 2023 23:06:41 by Jandal_Power

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Hello friends,

The purpose of my app is for my colleagues to enter in details and submit the results to a SharePoint list.
This is fine for a singular item, but then we all quickly realized they do this for multiple items, resulting in entering the same data over and over again.

So I am looking at a way to duplicate most of the data from the last entry, but as a separate record that will be edited by the user before then submitting the new entry to the list.
I tried experimenting with Last.Submitted and Patch but then had to revert to the single record method so they could use a somewhat working app.

Any ideas would be great.

Regards,
Jandal_Power

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WarrenBelz 151,631 Most Valuable Professional on 03 May 2023 at 23:51:08

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Hi @Jandal_Power ,

You could set a Variable OnSuccess of the Form

UpdateContext({varRecord: Self.LastSubmit})

and then have the Default of the control (I am assuming you only use the Form in New Mode) - example for Text Input with actual field name

varRecord.FieldName

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Jandal_Power 101 on 04 May 2023 at 01:39:19

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Thank you @WarrenBelz I think that might be working. 😀
Does it only work for the Text Inputs and not possible for look ups and choice fields also?

Also, never used variables before. Question, so we are creating a variable called "Record" and we want varRecord: to "UpdateContext" based off the Self.LastBubmitted entry?

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WarrenBelz 151,631 Most Valuable Professional on 04 May 2023 at 02:13:06

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Hi @Jandal_Power .

Close - the Variable is called varRecord (you can call it whatever you want) and in this case contains the entire record you have just submitted in a one-line Table with all the fields and their values.

In the case of Choice fields (I assume single choice and you are using a Combo Box) the Default would be

{Value: varRecord.YourFieldName.Value}

Lookup fields will work the same, but you are going to have issues with the Update of the Data Card - you really do not need this field type (I do not use it at all) and I would encourage to simply get the values directly ffomr the other list in Power Apps.

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Jandal_Power 101 on 04 May 2023 at 03:15:50

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

I agree with what you said above.
I would like not to use look ups at all, and want to do things the best practice way.
I am willing to start my app again from scratch if there are better ways of achieving success.

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Jandal_Power 101 on 05 May 2023 at 03:02:17

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Hi @WarrenBelz,

Question, when you say "I would encourage to simply get the values directly from the other list in Power Apps"
Do you mean I should ditch the edit form all together and just manually place the fields on my app?
Then that way I an get the data directly from the source somehow and when it all displays on one screen, use the patch function to save all the information to the data source?

I am looking into starting again from scratch.

Regards,
Jandal_Power

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WarrenBelz 151,631 Most Valuable Professional on 05 May 2023 at 04:51:47

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Hi @Jandal_Power ,

I was referring to Lookup fields in that comment.

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Jandal_Power 101 on 07 May 2023 at 20:47:57

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Currently reading through your Blog site, it is very helpful 🙂

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Jandal_Power 101 on 10 May 2023 at 22:23:01

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Update - My work around solution.
As I first created the App with the Power Apps creator, I started with a Home Screen, Browse, Detail and Edit Screen.
Obviously you go to the edit screen, enter in your details and Submit the form to get an entry.
But my question to myself was, how do I keep this previous data, make some changes and write it back to the data source as a separate entry? (Submit Form just edits the current entry).

Then it hit me, the details screen opens your summitted record back into the edit form to modify then submit. If I use a patch command it writes all the data back as a separate record.

Solution -
I copied the edit screen (to keep the possibility of editing a record separate).
Added a button on edit screen (Copy) to take me to my new cloned "Copy"screen.
The copy screen is a clone of the edit screen, with a modified additional edit form clone, hide some fields that do not change, and change the submit button to a patch command.
Patch( 'YourDataSource', Defaults('YourDataSource'), EditForm2.Updates //Note*EditForm2 was my EditForm clone (now my copy form) ); Notify( "Operation Successful", NotificationType.Success, 1000 );
Hope that makes sense. A real rude way to do it, but it works. I know it now lacks the security features of required fields etc, but limiting the options on my copy form should minimize data loss.

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WarrenBelz 151,631 Most Valuable Professional on 10 May 2023 at 22:58:48

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Re: Adding multiple entries into SharePoint list - Trying to find a solution to multiple entry rather than only single item

Hi @Jandal_Power ,

Yes - a bit of a workaround, but you are doing something unusual

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