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Let's be honest, Dataverse is the best data source for Power Apps. It has the best performance, most features, and the most delegable functions. But you started with SharePoint, like 99% of everyone else, because it was easy, and you had the license. No problem, I also started with SharePoint. 😎 But there comes a time you want to do more and Dataverse is usually the answer to doing more. So, let's learn how to get started with Dataverse. And to make it as easy as possible, I am going to explain things in SharePoint terms as much as possible. Leverage all of that knowledge you already have. Also, if you prefer to see things in motion then here is the video Getting Started with Dataverse . What is Dataverse? In simple terms, Dataverse is the underlying data platform for Power Apps , Power Automate , Copilot Studio , and the rest of the Power Platform . If you are looking to build your apps and solutions on the best platform, look no further, Dataverse is the answer. Not that it really matters but, under the hood, both Dataverse and SharePoint are built on top of SQL Server . With the biggest benefit of both is Microsoft worries about all of that database tuning and performance, you just use it. 😎 So what are some of the key components of Dataverse? Dataverse vs. SharePoint: Key Differences If you're a SharePoint user, think of Dataverse tables like SharePoint lists . However, Dataverse offers a more robust and scalable solution. Some of the key differences include: - Environments in Dataverse act like SharePoint site collections , isolating data, apps, and security settings. - Dataverse and SharePoint both support relationship management and complex data types , which allows for more sophisticated app development. Both have things like Lookup and Choice columns to help you build a solid data model and use similar terminology in most cases. - Dataverse’s performance and scalability far exceed what SharePoint can offer, making it the go-to option for apps with extensive data requirements. This is because SharePoint is a collaboration portal that we sometimes use as a database. Dataverse is built from the ground up to be a storage system for the Power Platform. Dataverse Tables Let’s jump into the practical side of things! One of the first things you'll do in Dataverse is create custom tables . This is very similar to creating a custom list in SharePoint. One of the biggest differences you may notice is there isn't different types. In SharePoint there are countless templates to start: Dataverse will always be the equivalent of choosing Blank list in SharePoint. Now to be fair, Dataverse is doing a lot to integrate Copilot so you can use words to create your first table or create a table from an existing data source like SharePoint, so you don't always have to start from blank but that is for another day. 😎 Different Column Types Dataverse and SharePoint have a lot of the same column types, not surprising, who doesn't need to store text or numbers? Below let's call out some key ones and talk about any differences you should know. Single Line of Text : Ideal for storing names, addresses, or other short text data. Defaults to 100 characters, can be increased to 4,000. Multiline can be increased to 1,000,000. SharePoint is 255 and ~64,000 and not adjustable. Number fields : With SharePoint you choose a number and it just works, decimals or not doesn't matter. With Dataverse there are Whole Numbers , Decimal , Float , and some other goofy ones. You do need to take a minute and make sure you choose the correct one. Date and time : SharePoint stores these always as full date and time, but has some UI options. In Dataverse, there is Date and time and Date Only + there are different options for how they are stored and returned. Make sure you spend a few minutes here. Lookup : These fields behave the same from a storage perspective in both. There is some coolness when referencing the data from Dataverse called polymorphic lookups, where you can dot (.) your way through the related record. Choice Fields : Same in both from a storage point of view. Filtering and other usage of Choice fields with Dataverse is clunky, I rarely use Choice fields for either product. Yes/No : Unlike SharePoint’s true/false columns, Dataverse uses a choice field for Yes/No values, which can be a bit confusing for SharePoint veterans. Boo! Currency : SharePoint is just a number field with a currency symbol in front of it. Dataverse... It has a robust system of fields and tables to build a currency conversion and rate system, not for the faint of heart but very cool if you need it and learn it. AutoNumber : Dataverse specific field with one thing of note. It is a text field, not a number, which can be confusing when working with it. But if you want an auto Invoice number like INV-0001 that is self-incrementing? This is it. File : Dataverse doesn't have document libraries 😢, so if you want to store files in Dataverse you need to use a File column, same for Images . They work but just not as convenient as a doc library from SharePoint. Formula : Dataverse's newest column let's use Power FX to create formula driven columns. Think of calculated columns on steroids, a very powerful win for Dataverse. Enjoying this? Do you like the way I explain things? You must, you are still reading. 😋 Be sure to check out my Power Platform Training Classes . Both live and on-demand class are available now! Dataverse Licensing: What You Need to Know Before you jump headfirst into Dataverse, it’s important to understand the licensing implications . Unlike SharePoint, which is included in most Microsoft 365 plans , Dataverse requires a premium license. This means that while you can build apps using Dataverse, your end users will need a premium license to access them. Conclusion: Is Dataverse Right for You? While Dataverse comes with licensing requirements, it’s by far the most powerful and scalable data source for Power Apps. Whether you're building simple apps or large enterprise solutions, Dataverse provides a level of performance and flexibility that surpasses SharePoint. If you’ve been frustrated with SharePoint’s limitations or you need to scale your apps to handle more data, then it’s worth exploring Dataverse. And now that you’ve seen how easy it is to create custom tables and integrate with Power Apps, you’re well on your way to mastering the Power Platform. To get help with this or any other Power Platform topic just scroll down the page a bit more and hit the Contact Us button. We are happy to help with anything from 30 minutes screen shares to long term projects. 😎

Welcome to our in-depth guide on leveraging SharePoint forms, Microsoft List, and Power Apps to enhance your data management processes. In our latest video, we dive into these tools, exploring their features, benefits, and limitations. Whether you're new to SharePoint or a seasoned user, this guide will provide you with valuable insights to optimize your workflows. If you want to see all of the tools in action this check out this video on Getting SharePoint Data? Use the right tool! SharePoint Or Microsoft Lists default form The Built in Experience When you create a SharePoint list whether through the SharePoint or Microsoft Lists experience, there is automatically an included experience to Create, Edit, and View your SharePoint data. With that default form you can make some tweaks by using JSON. It let's you make them look a little different but doesn't really change their functionality. Still, sometimes that is all you need and if so cool. It has literally worked for millions of people over the last 20 years. Understanding SharePoint Forms The New SharePoint Forms Button Recently, Microsoft introduced a new forms button in SharePoint, aimed at simplifying data collection. This feature is perfect for quickly setting up forms without needing extensive technical knowledge. However, while it's user-friendly, it comes with some limitations, such as lack of advanced customization and branching logic. Also, keep in mind these forms only work when you send someone the link. They don't change the default SharePoint experience. You cannot change the look and feel much but collecting data simply is where they shine. Use Cases and Limitations Quick Data Entry:  Ideal for simple data collection scenarios. Security Considerations:  Allows data entry without requiring users to have access to the entire list, which can be useful in controlled data collection environments. Leveraging Microsoft Forms for Data Collection Introduction to Microsoft Forms Microsoft Forms is a versatile tool within the Microsoft 365 suite, designed for creating surveys, quizzes, and forms. Unlike the other tools discussed, Microsoft Forms is not directly tied to SharePoint, but it offers a flexible and easy-to-use interface for collecting data from both internal and external sources. Features and Integration User-Friendly Interface:  Microsoft Forms provides a straightforward setup, allowing you to quickly create forms with various question types, including multiple choice, text, and more. External Access:  One of the standout features of Microsoft Forms is its ability to collect data from external users, making it ideal for public surveys or feedback forms. Data Storage:  Data collected through Microsoft Forms is stored in an Excel file, which can then be integrated into other tools or systems using Power Automate. Limitations and Considerations No Direct SharePoint Integration:  While Microsoft Forms is excellent for collecting data, it does not natively integrate with SharePoint lists. This means that additional steps, such as using Power Automate, are needed to transfer the data into SharePoint. Customization Limits:  While it offers basic customization, Microsoft Forms does not provide the same level of control and customization as Power Apps. Advanced Customization with Power Apps Power Apps Integration Power Apps is the go-to tool for creating highly customized forms and applications that interact with SharePoint data. It provides extensive capabilities, allowing users to create complex, multi-step workflows and custom interfaces. With Power Apps there are two ways to use it here. First, you can use it to make SharePoint better by replacing the SharePoint default form. This will replace that default SharePoint form with one you build in Power Apps. Making the SharePoint Browser experience better. Second, you can build a complete standalone custom app, and have it save data directly to SharePoint. This works great in those complex business scenarios. One of our specialties here at PowerApps911. Pros and Cons Customization:  Power Apps offers unparalleled customization, from simple color changes to complex data manipulation and workflow automation. Security Requirements:  Requires proper permissions for users, making it less accessible for broader, anonymous data collection. Choosing the Right Tool Choosing the right tool depends on your specific needs: For simple data collection:  The new SharePoint forms are quick and easy to set up. For a more user-friendly interface:  Microsoft List offers a clean and straightforward experience. For a flexible experience you can use anywhere: Microsoft Forms allow a host of security options, including anonymous but do require you to build a Power Automate flow to get data into SharePoint. For advanced customization:  Power Apps is the best choice, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for building sophisticated applications. Comparison Table To help you choose the right tool, we created a table comparing the options: Conclusion Our goal at PowerApps911 is to help you navigate the complexities of Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform. If you have any questions about these tools or need assistance with other Power Platform or Microsoft 365 solutions, we're here to help. Just scroll down and fill out the contact form, and one of our experts will be in touch!

In today's post, we're diving into the world of text (or string) functions in Power Apps. If you're working with any kind of data, chances are you'll need to manipulate strings at some point. Whether it's reformatting text, cleaning up user inputs, or extracting specific data, these functions are a key ninja skill you should develop. 🥷 Below we will talk through 17 different Power FX functions that allow you to manipulate your Power Apps data in all ways regardless of if it comes from your users via inputs or from your data sources like Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL, or the other twelve hundred that are available. And because I am super nice there is a code example of each so you can see the practical example and easily cut and paste. 😁 Finally, if you want to see the examples and hear the more detailed explanation of using these Power FX functions, then check out my video on Power Apps Text Functions . It might not win an Emmy, but maybe a Golden Globe? Split, Last, and First Functions One of the most common text challenges you'll encounter is splitting and reformatting strings. A classic example is converting names from "Last, First" format to "First Last". Using the Split function, you can break a string into pieces based on a delimiter (like a comma). From there, the Last and First functions come into play, allowing you to rearrange and clean up the data as needed. Example : Suppose you have a name formatted as "Young, Shane." By splitting on the comma and using First and Last, you can easily reformat it to "Shane Young." Trim(Last(Split(TextInput1.Text, ",")).Value) & " " & First(Split(TextInput1.Text, ",")).Value Index Function Need to grab a specific part of a string, like a middle name? The Index function is your go-to tool. This function retrieves a specific row from a table created by a split function. Example : Splitting "Shane Dog Young" on the spaces between the words would create a table with three rows. The Index function allows you to pull out the second row, which would be "Dog" in this case. Index(Split(TextInput2.Text, " "),2).Value Right, Left, Mid, and Find Functions When you're working with structured text, like invoice numbers or IDs, you'll often need to extract a fixed number of characters. The Right and Left functions allow you to grab a specific number of characters from the end or beginning of a string. For more complex cases, the Mid function is a lifesaver. It lets you extract characters from anywhere in a string, based on a starting point and length. Combine it with the Find function to locate specific characters or patterns in your text. Example : Use Right to grab just the last four digits of a string that represent the invoice number. Or use Left to get the first view characters. This works best when you know the structure of the data, and know it will not change. Right(TextInput3.Text, 4) Left(TextInput3.Text, 3) Example :  Combining Mid and Find is another way to locate part of a string, like earlier when we used Split. The difference here is you might be finding a specific character(s) within the string to start from. Mid(TextInput5.Text,Find("-", TextInput5.Text) + 1, 3) Len Function Sometimes, you just need to know how long a string is. That's where the Len function comes in. This function counts the number of characters in a string and is particularly useful when validating inputs or calculating positions in more complex formulas. Example : Use Len to ensure that phone numbers or codes meet length requirements before processing them further. Len(TextInput6.Text) Upper, Lower, and Proper Functions Standardizing text case is crucial for data consistency. Whether you need everything in uppercase, lowercase, or proper case, these functions have you covered. The Upper function converts all characters to uppercase, Lower converts them to lowercase, and Proper capitalizes the first letter of each word. This is especially useful for normalizing names or email addresses to avoid case-sensitive issues. Example : Use Lower or Upper to standardize email addresses before comparing them, or Proper to clean up user-entered names. Upper(TextInput7.Text) Lower(TextInput7.Text) Proper(TextInput7.Text) Are you enjoying this learning style? Be sure to check out some of my Power Apps and Copilot Training classes . Both Live and On-demand courses available. Trim and TrimEnds Functions Whitespace can be a sneaky issue in user inputs, causing mismatches and errors in your app. The Trim function removes all extra spaces from a string, including those between words. TrimEnds , on the other hand, only removes spaces from the beginning and end of the string. These functions are perfect for cleaning up user inputs and ensuring data consistency, particularly when dealing with form fields or imported data. Those people writing Power BI reports from your data will thank you. Example : Use Trim to clean up a user-entered address or TrimEnds to remove accidental trailing spaces in email inputs. Trim(TextInput9.Text) TrimEnds(TextInput9.Text) Replace and Substitute Functions Sometimes, you need to swap out certain text in a string. The Replace and Substitute functions allow you to do just that, but with a key difference: Replace targets a specific position in the string and replaces it with new text. Substitute finds all occurrences of a specific text and replaces them. Example : Replace a specific word in a sentence or substitute all instances of a special character in a text field. Replace(TextInput8.Text,9,4,"really love") Substitute(TextInput8.Text,"like","🥰") Concat Function The Concat function is the opposite of Split we learned earlier. It takes a table of data and combines it into a single string. This is extremely useful when you need to generate lists from selected items, such as creating a list of email addresses from a Combo Box SelectedItems output. Example : Use Concat to combine multiple selected values into a semicolon-separated list for an email field. Concat(ComboBox1.SelectedItems,Value,"; ") String Interpolation Finally, let's talk about string interpolation – the newer, fancier way to concatenate strings in Power Apps. With this method, you use dollar signs ( $ ) and curly braces ( {} ) to embed dynamic content within your strings. While the old-school & (Ampersand) method still works just fine, string interpolation offers a cleaner and more intuitive way to build strings. Though, thanks to muscle memory, I still use the old way. 🤷 Example : Use interpolation to dynamically insert user names, dates, or other variables into your strings with minimal fuss. As you can see, both ways produce the same output, really just a matter of what works best for you. $"The user {User().FullName} typed {TextInput10.Text} in the box." "The user " & User().FullName & " typed " & TextInput10.Text & " in the box." Wrapping up Power Apps Text Functions Text manipulation is a fundamental skill in Power Apps, enabling you to clean, structure, and transform your data with ease. Whether you're working on a simple form or a complex data process, mastering these text functions will make your apps more robust and reliable. I hope this guide helps you tackle your text challenges with confidence! As always, feel free to reach out if you need assistance, whether it’s a quick fix or a more involved project. Need Power Apps String Function Help? If you need help with this or any other Power Platform topic we are here to help. We can do everything from a quick 30-minute fix to a 30-year project. We also have lots of training classes. (I really want to say 30 courses to stick with the 30 theme but I'm not sure that is true. 🤣 I guess I should count them.)

A lot of businesses are trying to find ways to pilot AI in their organization and for many of them trying out chat bots seem to be the answer. And of course, in the Microsoft ecosystem that means Copilot Studio, formerly Power Virtual Agents. The reason for the popularity of these tools now is their ability to use Generative AI. So instead of going in and defining 100 Human Resources questions and the answers manually now you can point it at your documentation and let it answer the questions using a large language model (LLM). Since most businesses have things like HR policies and procedures, PTO policies, and the Employee Handbook available to all employees in a SharePoint site today building a Copilot can be done in literally minutes. But the fun doesn’t stop there. The latest iteration of these chatbots can also easily include actions. You add actions for things like submitting a request for time off or requesting a meeting and the AI can take those actions for you. This allows for an interactive and action-oriented conversation, a drastic improvement from the wall of text people are used to getting from HR documents. Is it Copilot or Chatbot? Yes. 😊 To build these things we traditionally called chatbots you use Copilot Studio. In Copilot Studio you build a copilot, which we used to call a chatbot. So for this context Copilot and Chatbot are interchangeable. I use both throughout the article to hopefully drive home they are synonymous. Demo of an HR Copilot with Generative AI Since we receive a lot of requests for this specific use case, I built a demo bot to show off some of the cool. Below I will walk you through the key features with screenshots. If you want to see the Copilot in action, then check out this video demo I did HR Assistant Copilot using Copilot Studio  for all of the fun. For this Copilot I built and published the bot as a Teams app. Copilot Studio can be used to publish to many different channels that are both publicly and privately accessible. But in case where you are looking to use internal content, like SharePoint, and you want to have authentication then publishing to Teams is the path of choice. Answering HR questions with Copilot Studio Alright, let's ask this bot something. How about an important question like “Can I bring my dog to the office?” Now in this case we have never trained the bot on this topic but the fine folks in HR have addressed it in our employee handbook. So, when the question is asked the Copilot looks through the handbook, finds our pet policy and responds with the appropriate answer. Notice the blue colored 1s at the end of the response. These are the links to the documents that Copilot referenced to come up with this response. So, if you want to dig in deeper or just validate things before you purchase your pup some business attire you can click the link and you will be taken to the document. Now you can see where the pot belly pig stuff came from, not AI’s imagination but from the actual policy. 🤣 Maybe I shouldn’t be in charge of HR. Fun pigs aside, this is really powerful. By just giving Copilot access to the proper content, it is able to provide accurate answers to random questions and provide attribution so you can validate those responses. And look, all I did to set it up was give the Copilot a link to the SharePoint site and made sure everyone had access. That was it. And while SharePoint seems to be the default in our Microsoft 365 based world, there are a lot of other supported data sources in preview right now. Providing a structured response via Topics Now sometimes you don’t want Generative AI to provide an answer, you want to specify exactly how a conversation goes when they ask about a specific subject. In this case you will provide a topic. When a user asks a question topics to take precedence over generative AI. In this case, if they ask anything about getting a raise, I want to simply redirect them to the manager or HR. With topics you can go anywhere from this simple response to full on multi-step conversation with conditions and actions. You could ask them for additional info, you could trigger a flow or action to get more information or submit a ticket, etc. All of the traditional chat bot activities. Add a new employee with a Power Automate action Okay, so far, we have just gotten information but what if we want to take action. You can add actions and/or Power Automate cloud flows to your copilot. When you add them you give it a description of what the action can do and then Copilot will use AI to determine when to invoke to action and how to get the inputs the action may require. For the example of creating a new employee I wanted to add a record to my SharePoint list. I started by creating a flow that is triggered by Copilot and has 4 inputs. These inputs will be used as dynamic content within the flow. Now we add a SharePoint Create Item action, configure the site and list, and then fill in the fields with the Dynamic content. And finally, we set the flow to respond with a message back to Copilot to let it know you are done. Perfect, the flow is ready. Now you add it as an action to your Copilot. As part of adding it you will then tell it how to get the information for each of the inputs. The default, let Copilot figure it out and prompt the user as needed, works great. If you need more, there is extensive customization options available. Same deal with output. You can configure a message saying “Success” or let AI generate the appropriate response or just not respond with anything if it isn’t necessary. Now that you have configured the action the chatbot will call it as necessary. Here you can see I asked it to create an employee and since I provided no other context Copilot asked for the inputs. If you are enjoying this, then be sure to check out our training classes for both Copilot and Power Platform . We have both on-demand and live classes available to help you learn. But, if I ask it to create a new employee and provide all of the context it needs, then it will just do the action.   I think the coolest part of that is it understood that Buddy Young was the full name, and it broke it into First name and Last name properly when it created the record in SharePoint. 😲 Remember, I didn’t write any logic or explain to copilot this was what to do. It understood the context and did it itself. This is the power of generative AI at its finest for me. Conclusion Using Copilot Studio to build a copilot or chatbot from existing content today is a powerful first step into bringing AI to your business. And the flexibility of generative AI, topics, and actions allows you to build so much more than we could before. Even if you are thinking “I am not ready to do this yet” I encourage you to dig into Copilot Studio. I think it will play a big role in our AI futures and those of us who have already embraced low code tools like Power Platform are primed to lead that charge. If you need help with this or anything else Copilot or Power Platform related let us know. Just scroll down and fill out the contact us form below. We have free help, quick help, dedicated resources, or traditional project services, all designed to help you be more awesome!

This week we are having the PowerApps911 annual get together. Our team is made up of people from all over and we all come together once a year for some good ole fashioned fun. One of the team building things we do is build a solution as a small team. This year, the challenge is to build something that makes the company better. Could be something we sell or something that improves an internal process. Me and a few others are responsible for judging these solutions and grading them across a range of criteria. And to keep it fair, we want each judge to score the event on their own by assigning points to the different criteria. And of course, we want things to be as flexible as possible so we can use it with different criteria or judges all while not having to rework the app. If this sounds interesting to you then follow along and I will give you a closer look. Or if you want to see then there is a full video walkthrough of this app here . In the video, I dive deep into each feature and functionality, showing you how to set it up step-by-step. Key Features of the Event Scoring App Below you will find a list of the various screens and some of their functions. Security The app is configured so only the Event Organizer, and the Judges have access. The Event Organizer has full access to all functionality while the Judges can only see the Score screen, they cannot see what other judges have scored the event nor can they see a team's total, just the scores they entered. Judges Setup The app allows you to configure judges using Azure AD Security Groups. This simplifies the process of granting access to judges, making it easy to manage permissions. By adding someone to the group, they automatically get access to the app. Scoring Criteria Configuration Setting up scoring criteria is a breeze with this app. You can define the criteria and their descriptions, as well as the maximum points available for each category. This ensures that all judges have a clear understanding of the scoring metrics. Team Management The app lets you manage teams by listing all team members and adding any relevant comments. This is particularly useful for keeping track of who is on which team, especially during large events. Both the Criteria and Teams screen are just simple Galleries and Forms, easy data = easy screen. Scoring This screen is kind of complicated to build so it is easy to use for the users. I had to go through a few testing passes with Nicola to get it to her liking. 😻 You start by choosing a team and click Start. This loads the criteria, and any past scores you entered into a collection. This part had to be very dynamic, if someone adds a new criteria everything must work, no hard coding. We do this with collections and a gallery to make an editable grid. All fields automatically update using OnChange so no saving required. There is also validation to make sure you don't award too many points. Once you are done scoring a team you hit Submit and it is pushed back to the data source, which is Dataverse for this app. Lots of little details shown in the video, this screen took the most time to build for me. Results Reporting Now we need to know who won. This screen is made up of a Chart control and then and HTML control. Making the HTML table in the bottom right also dynamic was very tricky, required nested Concat functions and a lot of elbow grease. 😎 In no shock to anyone who has been to the site before, the dogs won by a lot! Mobile Version Because I am a judge, and I want to score from my phone, I built a simple one screen app for scoring only. I built it in less than 10 minutes but literally copying and pasting from the desktop scoring screen and then just resizing. 🤩 Not beautiful but super easy! Get the App You can download this app and start using it for your own events. Just head over to our YouTube library  and sign up to get access to the solution package. It includes all the necessary tables, security roles, and both versions of the app. Need Help? If you need any assistance with this app or any other Power Apps project, PowerApps911 is here to help. Just scroll down to the contact form on our website and get in touch. Whether it's training, consulting, or mentoring, our team is ready to support you.

The challenge so many organizations face is that out-of-the box programs simply don’t meet their unique needs. Yet the cost and time build solutions from scratch is often prohibitive.  So is there a middle-of-the-road option where a company can benefit from customization without the from-scratch price tag? Pre-built PowerApps customized for your organization Pre-built PowerApps developed by PowerApps911 offer the best of both worlds, where an organization can benefit from the economies of scale offered by purchasing a pre-built solution while enjoying the benefits of customization. A perfect example is our newly redesigned Bookings App which we’ve just released for deployment to YOUR Power Platform environment! It builds on the solid foundation of the original version released in 2023, with an updated user interface that is both familiar and innovative, providing time grid and list views that let users quickly visualize availability while also being able to filter resources based on location, amenities, capacity, and more.     Our goal in creating this resource was to make it heavily customizable for both large and small organizations.  You can adjust work hours; set up multiple locations, each with as many spaces as needed; assign amenities; and more!  A photo gallery of each space can help users identify and confirm that the space they’re booking meets their needs.   One of the great benefits of Power Apps is the ability to create custom solutions that are on brand, and we were sure to include that functionality even in a pre-built solution like our Bookings App. From the title of the app itself to your logo and color scheme, all are customizable so that your users enjoy the experience of a fully-customized solution while the organization benefits from a budget-friendly solution that’s available for immediate deployment. PowerApps911 offers several pre-built solutions like this one, such as our newly-released Expense Reporting solution that allows management of expense reports and receipts while providing customization options for approval thresholds and spending categories. Integrated Power Automate flows email those in the approval pipeline and various options for storage are available, including SharePoint (no premium licenses required) as well as Azure Blob Storage and SQL Server. You can learn more about these pre-built solutions, as well as our other products by contacting our sales team here  or learn more about the Booking App in particular here .

Do you want to make invoices or keep record of something in Power Apps? This video will teach you how to make HTML, utilize Flow and OneDrive, and send information from Power Apps directly to a PDF. In this video you will learn about: HTML generation The Concat function The DataUri expression Link to the video on YouTube: Power Apps PDF Generator using Microsoft Flow PDF Converter Link to the video for Curated Library subscribers: Power Apps PDF Generator using Microsoft Flow PDF Key timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:04 Demo of the solution Shane demonstrates the PDF solution that he is going to build throughout the video which includes an image and Chewy’s Dog Food Report 3:08 Write the HTML, add it to Flow, and utilize the Concat function Write the HTML for Chewy’s Dog Food Report and create a new flow. A file is created within the flow and the Concat function is selected for the file contents. HTML is added within the parenthesis of the Concat function. The flow is run. An action is added to the flow to get the image onto the PDF. 9:21 Convert the file format and utilize the DataUri expression A variable is created that has the converted version of the file via the Initialize Variable flow. The DataUri expression is selected as the value and the file content of the image is added within the parenthesis of the expression. The flow is run. 14:35 Edit the flow and convert the HTML file to a PDF The OneDrive Convert a file using path action and the OneDrive Create file action are added to the flow in order to convert the HTML file to a PDF file. The flow is run. 17:33 Add the flow to Power Apps An app is created in Power Apps and a button is added to run the flow. The manual trigger is deleted from the flow and the Power Apps connector is added. HTML is updated to include the data from Power Apps. The flow is added to the button in Power Apps. 23:32 Generate a PDF from Power Apps The app is previewed and a PDF is generated directly from Power Apps. Additional learning: Video: Power Apps PDF from table data Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .

In part 1 of Shane’s video series on repeating tables, you will learn how to build an expense report using SharePoint lists as the data source. This demo lays the groundwork for using cascading menus to display results and adding custom functionality in later videos. In this video you will learn about: Power Apps Forms The NewForm function The Collect and ClearCollect functions The ForAll function Link to the video on YouTube: Power Apps Repeating Tables like InfoPath Part 1 - Enter the data Link to the video for Curated Library subscribers: Part 1 - Create the repeating table Key timestamps: 0:00 Intro 2:19 Demo of the solution Shane demonstrates the functionality of his expense report app. The user is able to enter and save expenses by navigating the app with the tab and space bar keys, rather than having to click on each line item. Total expense is automatically calculated. 8:23 Create the solution in Power Apps and insert a form A new app is created in Power Apps and a form is added to display the expense report from SharePoint. 11:32 Put the form in new form mode using the NewForm function and create a new collection using the ClearCollect function The NewForm function is added to the ‘create new expense’ button so that the form is able to be edited. The ClearCollect function is added to the button after the NewForm function in order to create a new collection for every new expense. 13:39 Insert a gallery and use the Patch and Collect functions A gallery is added to display the expense collection. The gallery can be edited and saved through the use of text inputs and icons. The save icon utilizes the Patch, Value, and Collect functions to update the expense collection. 19:33 Add a save button to submit the form to SharePoint using the Patch function The SubmitForm function is added to the ‘save’ button. The ForAll function is added to the OnSuccess for the form. 24:01 Save to SharePoint and demo of the final solution The app is previewed and expenses are saved to SharePoint. Additional learning: Video: Power Apps Repeating Tables like InfoPath Part 2 - View and edit the data Video: Power Apps Repeating Tables like InfoPath Part 3 - Inline editing Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .

Did you know that you can recreate the SharePoint LookUp Column functionality in Power Apps and avoid all the problems? Learn how to recreate this functionality and do even more with Shane’s demo. In this video you will learn about: The DropDown control The SortByColumns function The LookUp function Link to the video on YouTube: Power Apps SharePoint LookUp Column Link to the video for Curated Library subscribers: Recreate SharePoint LookUp Column like functinality - Relationships Key timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:06 Open Customize forms in Power Apps directly from SharePoint The Customize forms creates a single screen app with a form. Fields that are not needed are removed from the form. 3:34 Insert a Drop down control in the form and add data from a different SharePoint site collection In the Edit screen, the Department card is unlocked and the field is deleted. A Drop down control is added to the Department card to create LookUp-like functionality. The data source for the Department card is a SharePoint list from a different site collection. Shane troubleshoots two error messages. 8:14 Set the default value and use the SortByColumns function The default value is updated to display different departments. The SortByColumns function is added to alphabetize the data in the Department Drop down control. 10:56 Add a new record to the master list using a dash A new record is added to the master list. The title and manager fields are set to ‘-’ to mimic a blank value. An If function is inserted in the default of the Department Drop down control. 14:53 Open an additional Customize forms in Power Apps directly from SharePoint A label is inserted in the Department card. The LookUp function is added to display a related column. 18:51 Add a button and use the Launch and Lookup functions A button is added outside the form. The Launch and LookUp functions are added to open a record form another list. 21:23 Demo of how to hide the label and button if the form mode is new Shane demonstrates how an If function can be added to either display or hide the label and button depending on the mode of the form. 22:42 Demo of how to switch the custom form back to a default SharePoint form and delete the form Shane demonstrates how to navigate to list settings and form settings to switch the form back to a default SharePoint form or delete the form entirely. Additional learning: Video: Power Apps Lookup Function Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .

With Shane’s super simplified solution, learn how to create a button that uploads a file directly to your SharePoint document library from Power Apps. Includes PDFs, word docs, excel files, images and more. In this video, you will learn about: The Attachment control The Image control The Set function The JSON function base64ToBinary flow formula The EasyUpload.Run action Link to the video on YouTube: Power Apps upload file to SharePoint document library Link to the video and the app download for Curated Library subscribers: Upload a file to SharePoint Document Library Key Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:54 Demo of the solution Shane demonstrates the functionality of his ‘Upload a file to a SharePoint Document Library’ app. The button displays all files, rather than a select group of files. 3:51 Create the solution in Power Apps and add the Attachment and Image controls An Attachment control is added to the app and gives users the ability to access all files. An Image control is added to the app and the Last function is used to display the image that has been selected by the user. 6:20 Add a button to the app and utilize the Set and JSON functions A button is added to the app. The Set and JSON functions are added to the button in order to upload a file directly to a SharePoint document library. 9:16 Perform text manipulation to isolate the base64 The Mid, Find, and Len functions are added to the button to isolate the base64. 13:53 Write a flow to get the base64 into SharePoint A base64ToBinary expression is written to reencode the strings. 18:05 Perform additional text manipulation The EasyUpload.Run action is added to the button. 20:07 Demo of the final solution Shane demonstrates the functionality of the final solution by uploading a PDF from the app to the SharePoint document library. He then verifies that the varFileLink has a valid URL. 21:25 Simplify the appearance of the app The code is rearranged and the only remaining visible item on the app is the Attachment control. Additional learning: Video: Power Apps Flow Intro Upload an image to SharePoint using Flow Video: Power Apps upload a file to SharePoint and set the metadata Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .

A full demo of all of the different capabilities when sending an email directly from Power Apps using the Office 365 Outlook connector. This video includes everything from formatting to sending complex emails with attachments. In this video you will learn about: The Office 365 Outlook connector and the SendEmailV2 action Setting To, From, Cc, Bcc, Importance, and more Sending a deep link Sending a dynamic table Sending a signature, image, and logo Link to the video on YouTube: PowerApps Send email - Everything you need to know about sending mail via Outlook and Power Apps Link to the video and the app download for Curated Library subscribers: 8/1/2020 - Power Apps Send Email with the Outlook Connector - EVERYTHING Key timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:27 Demo of the solution Shane demonstrates the functionality of his app that sends emails with a number of different components. 3:13 Create the solution in Power Apps and add the Office 365 Outlook connector A new screen is created in Power Apps. A button is inserted on the screen and the Microsoft 365 Outlook connector is added to the button. 7:07 Set the To, Subject, and Body Shane demonstrates how to send an email to two people. The subject line can include variables, data lookups, and more. The body of the email can include HTML. 9:03 Set the Bcc, Cc, Importance, and From Shane demonstrates how to set the Bcc, Cc, Importance, and From. The importance defaults to low, and can be changed to normal or high. In order to send an email on behalf of a different email, the user must have the permissions to do so. 12:05 Walkthrough of the buttons in the solution The ‘Send email based on inputs + attachments’ button uses the Concat function. The attachments is an Attachment Control copied from a SharePoint list and allows users to attach a file to an email. 20:28 Walkthrough of the ‘Send a deep link’ button The ‘Send a deep link’ button sends a link that directly opens an app in Power Apps. 22:14 Walkthrough of the ‘Send a dynamic table and signature with image’ button The body of the ‘Send a dynamic table and signature with image’ button is a hard coded link to HTML in an HTML control. The user that clicks this button will have their signature and image, or company logo, included in the email. Additional Learning: Video: PowerApps Email Attachments with the office 365 connector and attachment control Video: Create nested data tables with the PowerApps Concat Function Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .

Learn how to connect your existing Power App to a SharePoint list and an Excel workbook. By the end of this video your app will utilize Drop down controls with multiple data sources. In this video you will learn about: Adding Drop down controls with different data sources Link to the video on YouTube: PowerApps Multiple Data Sources Link to the video for Curated Library subscribers: Power Apps Multiple Data Sources Key timestamps: 0:00 Intro 1:06 Demo of the solution and remove the Drop down controls and data sources Shane demonstrates the functionality of his employees app. The app includes two Drop down controls. He then removes both Drop down controls and the corresponding data sources 4:05 Add the data sources back to the app An Excel workbook and a Sharepont list are added as data sources. 6:36 Add a Drop down control to the Department card and set the default value In the Edit screen, the Department card is unlocked and the field is deleted. A Drop down control is then added to the Department card. The data source for the Department card is an Excel workbook. Shane troubleshoots two error messages. An If function is inserted in the default of the Department Drop down control. 12:56 Add a Drop down control to the Favorite Color card and set the default value In the Edit screen, the Favorite Color card is unlocked and the field is deleted. A Drop down control is then added to the Favorite Color card. The data source for the Favorite Color card is a SharePoint list. An If function is inserted in the default of the Favorite Color Drop down control. Shane troubleshoots two error messages. 18:52 Demo of the final solution Shane demonstrates the functionality of his employees app with the two Drop down controls that were just created. Additional learning: Video: Learn to connect: PowerApps Excel Spreadsheet hosted in OneDrive Do you want to become a Power Apps Rockstar? Check out our different full length training classes at https://training.PowerApps911.com or you can download a working version of the app we built today by subscribing to the Curated Library .