One of SharePoint’s newer features is their Power Apps platform. Included in SharePoint Online plans, SharePoint Power Apps allows users to build custom forms and workflows usable mostly for mobile devices (but can also be added to a desktop site). Intended to eventually take the place of InfoPath and other third party tools, it also removes the requirement for back-end coding to develop slick and user-friendly forms. Today, we’re sharing a few tips on how to use Power Apps to take your lists to the next level.
Use SharePoint Power Apps to Create Custom Entry Forms
Say you have a SharePoint list that requires different users to add different information. In the past, you’d create several custom forms in SharePoint Designer, based on the content type. Say your initial form only needs Title, Date, and Comments, but the Approval form also needs Manager Comments. Now, you can use SharePoint Power Apps to create custom forms with select fields, and help users get to the right form without needing to use Designer at all.
Manage Invoices and Track Expenses
Microsoft has made Power Apps templates available to download and reuse. Simply hook up your data and the application will do the rest for you. One example of this is Managing Invoices and tracking expenses graphically using the Common data service.
Quickly Access your Knowledge Base
Another template available to use in Microsoft’s catalog relates to a Knowledge Base-type application. A knowledge base is a collection of articles and linked information that helps employees find data. Using Power Apps, users can search, filter, and locate content about anything in the knowledge base—even add additional data.
Manage Leave Requests
One of the most oft-requested SharePoint applications is the ability to track and manage leave requests. Using Power Apps, users are now able to fill out and submit their requests via their mobile devices. Now, your employees can submit their sick leave directly from their phone, routed through the approval process as if submitted on the desktop.
Combine SharePoint Power Apps with Flow to Create Automations
Microsoft Flow is another new service that automates data sharing between external third party programs (such as Dropbox, Twitter, Facebook), or even internal Microsoft programs (such as Outlook and SharePoint). Flow can be used to create a new item in a list when a Tweet is posted. Also, you can upload attachments to SharePoint when they arrive in an Outlook box. Paired with Power Apps, you can take the base notifications even further.
Since Power Apps is so new, we’ve merely scratched the surface of all the possible features and functionalities available. If you need a little help navigating this new feature, contact eSoftware Associates for a quote on how we can help you make the most out of Power Apps, and the rest of Microsoft’s catalog of services.