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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Apps / two-screen app writes ...
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two-screen app writes only one of two People-based fields to SharePoint list

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Posted on by 155

I have a 2-screen app where the last screen has 2 combo boxes based on SharePoint list People columns. One is called Employee Name and the other is called Manager name. Both have their Items property based on Choices, list name, and column name. Example:

Choices([@'New Service Request List'].EmployeeName)

But only one of the combo boxes writes to the list. 

I have a backup testing app where everything is on one screen, and both combo boxes write to the list just fine. So I have to wonder if it's about data collection across screens, or Patch formula? Not sure. All other properties are identical for these 2 combo boxes.  Any ideas? See below for my setup:

 

On the Start a New Request button's OnSelect property on the first screen, I have : 

Set(VarFormData,Defaults('New Service Request List'));Navigate(BasicInfoForm); NewForm(BasicInfoForm)
 
On the Submit Request button on the 2nd screen, I have:

 

Patch(           'New Service Request List',
            VarFormData,
            BasicInfoForm.Updates,
            MoreInfoForm.Updates
        );
        Notify("Success", NotificationType.Success);
        Navigate(SuccessScreen)
   


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  • MarkRahn Profile Picture
    1,424 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

    Hi @OneWinPlease 

     

    Try changing your Start a New Request button's OnSelect property to include "NewForm(MoreInfoForm)":

     

    Set(VarFormData,Defaults('New Service Request List'));
    Navigate(BasicInfoForm); 
    NewForm(BasicInfoForm);
    NewForm(MoreInfoForm);

     

    -Mark

    If I've answered your question or solved your problem, please mark this question as answered. This helps others who have the same question find a solution quickly via the forum search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up.

     

  • OneWinPlease Profile Picture
    155 on at

    @MarkBandR I would love to report that this helped, but unfortunately no go.

    (But as you suggested, the formula was missing that 2nd screen's new form, which seems important  - but it was saving all other fields on both forms just fine, so maybe not...)

  • MarkRahn Profile Picture
    1,424 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

    Hi @OneWinPlease ,

     

    I created a SharePoint List to duplicate what you have. My List just has a Title, EmployeeName (People Picker), and ManagerName (People Picker). I created the basic Power App with the BrowseScreen, DetailScreen, and EditScreen. I split the "EditScreen" into two screens with "BasicInfoForm" and "MoreInfoForm".

     

    What is the Item Property set to for the "MoreInfoForm"? Is it set to "VarFormData"?

     

    For the Screen with "MoreInfoForm", I set the "Save/Submit" button/icon to:

     

    If(
     //Check if Forms are Valid
     BasicInfoForm.Valid && MoreInfoForm.Valid,
     If(
     IsError(
     Patch(
     'New Service Request List',
     VarFormData,
     BasicInfoForm.Updates,
     MoreInfoForm.Updates
     );
     ),
     // On failure
     Notify(
     "Error: the item could not be created",
     NotificationType.Error
     ),
     // On success
     Notify(
     "Success",
     NotificationType.Success
     );
     Navigate(SuccessScreen);
     ResetForm(BasicInfoForm);
     ResetForm(MoreInfoForm);
     ),
     Notify(
     "Error with form",
     NotificationType.Error
     );
     
    );

     

     

    Maybe one of the other fields is required in the list and is blocking the Patch. Or an Error is occurring.

     

    Matthew Devaney has an article on error handling:

    https://www.matthewdevaney.com/power-apps-coding-standards-for-canvas-apps/power-apps-error-handling-guidelines/#Patch-Function-Error-Handling

     

    Based on Matthew's article, you may want to try to add this to the OnError of the App:

     

    // unexpected error notification message
    Notify(
     Concatenate(
     "Error: ",
     FirstError.Message,
     "Kind: ",
     FirstError.Kind,
     ", Observed: ",
     FirstError.Observed,
     ", Source: ",
     FirstError.Source
     ),
     NotificationType.Information 
    );

     

     

    Just comment that out when you go to Production.

     

    I hope this helps find the source of the issue.

     

    -Mark

    If I've answered your question or solved your problem, please mark this question as answered. This helps others who have the same question find a solution quickly via the forum search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up.

  • OneWinPlease Profile Picture
    155 on at

    Thanks @MarkBandR . To answer your question What is the Item Property set to for the "MoreInfoForm"? Is it set to "VarFormData"? - yes it is. 

     

    Unfortunately, the app is currently in production; I just added one field that had been missing from my form. Of course it's the one field that is causing problems! Also unfortunately, I do not have any error handling formulas set up right now, as my hundreds of tests were working fine to write to the list, until now.  I am a strict beginner and adding your error formulas at the moment I fear would throw the rest of the app into a tailspin, not to mention my ability to know how to adjust it if needed.  My team is depending on its current working status to keep going for now. I will bookmark this in case I can add it in later though. I have put in a ticket to my organization's IT team for now.  Thank you for your help!

  • MarkRahn Profile Picture
    1,424 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

    Hi @OneWinPlease 

     

    You should be able to test it without Publishing. Part of the issue might be that the field is newly added. Did you refresh the data source?

     

    MarkBandR_0-1718304020824.png

    I suspect you did as you were able to add the new field.

     

    If you test the form from Power Apps Studio, you can also use Monitor to see what is sent.

    MarkBandR_1-1718304915178.png

    Just test your form and click your Save button as normal. Then you can look at the Monitor window as see what was sent back and forth.

    MarkBandR_2-1718305024507.png

    If you click on the "createRow" item, then over to the top right of the screen there is an Arrow with "Properties" written. You can click on the Arrow and it will open up the call.

     

    There will be 4 tabs. The "Formula" one will show the Power App formula that was called. The "Request" one will show the Request sent to SharePoint. In the "body" of the Request there will be the fields sent to be updated.

    MarkBandR_3-1718305292317.png

    This might help track down what is happening.

     

    You could also use "Save As" to create a copy of your app to play with these changes without affecting Production.

    MarkBandR_4-1718305547531.png

     

     

    Good luck when you get time to check it again.

     

    -Mark

    If I've answered your question or solved your problem, please mark this question as answered. This helps others who have the same question find a solution quickly via the forum search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up.

     

  • OneWinPlease Profile Picture
    155 on at

    thank you @MarkBandR  - after talking with my IT unit, it appears this may be a bug created when I switched on the "modern" control in settings when learning the app, and then turned it back off. For our organization, apparently Modern is still in 'preview', though it wasn't terribly obvious.

    We will keep plugging away and I will post back here if we end up using your Monitor suggestion. (And yes, I have refreshed a lot, plus added the field back in several times....) 

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