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1st Form - Not sure how to begin or what type of form to build

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Posted on by Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee

I have watched over 25 hours of tutorial videos on YouTube from various instructors and I still have not got a foundation to build my own form for production. I have several samples I have done while watching the videos but I seem to be missing pieces to complete any one of them for production.

Data Source is an existing SharePoint List with many fields that I want to present in a minimum of 2 maybe 3 'tabs' or 'screens' or 'buttons' or '???' - that's part of my dilemma! No video teaches vocabulary or defines the hierarchy - they all assume that basic knowledge is known but I cannot determine if I need to work in a Gallery or a Screen or a Form or a Container, yada yada yada! I don't know if I should start from scratch with a blank Canvas or try to let a wizard build my form from a template (least preferred option because I know I want to customize it).

MS Access was so much more user-friendly and customizable - one would think by now this type of app would be an improvement since Access is so outdated, but I just can't embrace this yet and my company uses SharePoint so I have no choice.

ANY ADVICE to get started?

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Building Power Apps

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RandyHayes 76,299 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Anonymous

Yes...first off, once you embrace PowerApps you will find it vastly easier than Access. However, Access is a database application whereas PowerApps is only an interface. So keep that in mind.

I will make two more video suggestions for you - one is a comprehensive overview of EditForms - everything you ever wanted to know. The next is specifically about Splitting forms PROPERLY as you mention you want to do.

Take a look over these two videos that are solely focused on forms and let me know if you have any further questions on it.

I hope this is helpful for you.
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thank you kindly for the suggested videos - will watch those today.
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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OK, off to a good start until 9:10 - you say "let's connect to a data source and you do it with no explanation" and then you say "it's connected" but I don't see it on the screen. And what is a Connector? I thought this was going to give me the vocabulary I need to understand all the different components. Why can't somebody make a true "PowerApps 101" video that starts at those basic building blocks by defining what parts are involved? I'm very frustrated here.
RandyHayes 76,299 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Anonymous

Yes, there is definitely a level of pre-understanding needed for those videos as they tackle subjects past the point of basic understanding.

In general, you are connecting to your datasource - your list. You do this through a SharePoint connector, that you can bring up in the datasource list with a search for SharePoint. Then, once you have that, you connect then to the site and the list. Once you have that connected to your app, it is all fairly smooth sailing (well, perhaps).

Try that out and see where you get. I'd be happy to assist with additional questions or things you run into.

I do recall from a long time ago feeling that frustration of "where to begin". It quickly passes once you do it once or twice, so hang in there...you'll be a pro in no time.
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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THANK YOU for your patience and understanding. I got it after the 4th time I rewound and watched your screen more closely and noticed you clicked the Data icon in the navigation pane finally. I'm little further in now (near 20 minute mark of the 2-1/2 hours!) I honestly think I'm gonna get it from yours - I LOVE your presentation skills and you are explaining things I have been missing until now (Data Card for example) and difference between FORM and SCREEN - those basics help tremendously. Now I am able to map it in my head to my Access knowledge and start making the crosswalk I need. THANKS AGAIN.
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Randy - it has taken me all day to get through 1/2 hour of your video! But my form is working as yours is (and I'm using my own SharePoint table - just mimicking your steps). I'm stuck now though understanding DEFAULT value.

I want default values to be NULL - I am creating a data entry form that my staff will use to enter data the underlying SharePoint table stores. All of these videos seem to be approaching forms that need to display values - how the heck do I just create a UI for data entry that defaults blank (i.e.: "NEW MODE")?