Dig Deeper Into PowerApps Forms #1

Let’s just start with the punchline. Check out this video and watch the green box as we click the “Save” button.

(Refresh this page to watch the video again.)

Notice how each comment is appended to the previous comment along with some info about the user and the date/time the save button was clicked? It’s a good trick and has all sorts of uses.

I have had conversations with other PowerApps developers and read blogs about the virtues of using the Patch() function over using PowerApps forms. Most insist they are more flexible they and how limiting forms are, and on and on. I agree that there are many things you can do with Patch() that are impossible to do with forms. A great example of that is UpdateIf() used to change multiple records at once. But there are some important things that forms can do, that Patch() cannot. Consider the LastSubmit functionality that can return the ID of a newly created record.

I say, “use the right tool for the right job”!

There are times when you just want to use forms. And for these times, it’s nice to know some ways to customize functionality. We will focus on customizing a data card and the controls within it.

To begin with, I will call out some key properties to get familiar with. Some of these exist only at the data card level and not at the control level.

So here is how I was able to accomplish this customization:

And that’s all there is to it!

OK, time for an anecdote…

I remember, when I was younger, hearing from many of my friends and family members about the virtues about driving a stick shift. (aka cars with standard transmissions). They would say things like “you get more control”, “you can’t jump start an automatic”, “if your brakes aren’t that good, a standard will get you out of trouble by downshifting” (yikes!), “it’s just more fun!”.

I learned to drive a standard shift car. This belonged to the owner of a local pharmacy, who hired me to deliver for the store. He asked if I knew how to drive a standard shift. I said “sure”. This was a lie. And the first time I left the parking lot for a delivery, he must have watched from the front window and laughed his head off. He never said anything, and neither did I. I worked there for a few months and learned to drive a stick shift that first day on the job!

The car looked something like this:

My own first cars also had standard transmissions. (Don’t ask me about the brakes!)?But eventually I grew weary of them and started driving automatics. I never went back to driving a standard if I could help it.

All I can say is, use the right tool for the right job!

Rob