Add a new column to the sharepoint list from powerapps

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Posted on by AhmadRaza

Hi,
i want to add a new column to the sharepoint list from powerapps. could you tell me how i can do this?

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RandyHayes 76,299 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@AhmadRaza

You cannot add columns to your lists or change them from PowerApps. This would cause issues with the schemas used in the app itself.

Is there a use case for what you are trying?

I hope this is helpful for you.

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AhmadRaza 9 on at

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Hi @RandyHayes
I have a sharepoint list and i want to create an app to collect records from users but the records could be "n" number of columns. so they cannot be from sharepoint there should be a option to edit/modify/create new list columns. could you tell me any method how it can be possible like using power automate or something else?

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RandyHayes 76,299 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@AhmadRaza

There are connectors for PowerAutomate that will create columns, but they are designed for admin functions. Your problem that you will have is that PowerApps does not reevaluate the datasource schema every time it runs in such a way that you would ever be able to use them in your app.

You are much better off creating a parent/child related list. Then you will never be constrained by columns.

Example...

Primary list:

{ID, Title}

Child list:

{ID, Title, ParentID}

Then instead of trying to store as columns, you will store as rows in the child list with the reference to the primary list ID as the ParentID.

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AhmadRaza 9 on at

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@RandyHayes
Seems to be Good. Let me try this then i will tell you

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RandyHayes 76,299 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@AhmadRaza

Very good.

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exploringG 82 on at

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Hi @RandyHayes ,
could you please elaborate more about this parent/child related list? I'm also trying to ' add columns' into a sharepoint list. My main purpose for this sharepoint list is to export it later and plot some diagrams.
I want my users to be able to create new columns in PowerApps. One thing I need to maintain is the structure of my SharePoint list. The columns are user name and project names. Users will enter data accordingly based on different project names and data will be stored as rows. I want my users to have the ability to add more project names and enter data with respect to the newly added project name.
If I use this Parent/Child related list, the newly added column for parent list will be stored in the child list. However, the structure of the child list will be changed, is it?

Best,
exploringG

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ClayCollins 61 on at

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Did anyone have any further input on this? I'm trying to create an app with many inspection types (30 different inspection types), and quite a few have many data points (over 200 different questions). In building just one of these inspections has been a lot of work, and I'm about halfway through the 3rd of 30. But now I've started to wonder if I'm going about it the best way.
My basic approach thus far:
I've created a SharePoint List for each inspection, with each column being one of the data points to track (with abbreviated names). Obviously this is quite tedious to create 200+ columns. Then, in the Edit Form side, I'm using DataCards and customizing the names to be more clear as to the question.
And I'm creating a different Form, depending on which Inspection type was selected from the drop-down.
With Delegation concerns in mind I'm also following this approach when answering the questions. ( https://www.practicalpowerapps.com/delegation/power-apps-delegation-sharepoint/ )

Since Building a SharePoint List from importing an Excel table makes for further PowerApps building a nightmare (it doesn't call the columns what you named them in Excel, but rather they're referenced as "field_01", "field_02", etc) I thought maybe some approach wherein the questions are based off a SharePoint List would be time efficient (since you can be copy and paste from Excel to SP List, when in Edit Grid View, without issues like above).

I went through the tutorial today to learn about making a dynamic form as described here: https://www.matthewdevaney.com/power-apps-dynamic-forms-generate-forms-from-a-questions-list/
But I'm wondering if this is going to be effective for recording an inspection, since it looks like each answer gets placed on a separate line of the SP List. So would that mean that each inspection performed would need its own SP List??

Please any input on this would be appreciated, and a little more direction about whether Parent -> Child setup is best practice here. And if so, what resources you'd recommend to help me comprehend and implement.

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StecklowGlobo 25 on at

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I need the same. How to do that?

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D.Cayanan 71 on at

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You can utilize Power Automate for this task. First, establish a connection between your Automate and PowerApp. PowerApp will capture information like column names and types, and then send that information to Automate. Automate will use a SharePoint HTTPS request to create a new column for your list. Finally, notify PowerApp that the task is complete in order to initiate a refresh of the data source.

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