There is a brand new, super easy way of customizing SharePoint Online list forms now, replacing the way that we used to do it in InfoPath. Now, not only can we quickly customize a list form in the browser using PowerApps, but once we do that, that customized form becomes the default form on the list! So, when end users add, edit, or view items right in the list, they are automatically using the customized form!! HUGE. For all of those of you out there who were waiting for this, waiting for PowerApps to be more integrated into your lists, well it has arrived!
First of all, here’s how to do it. This only exists in the modern look, so if your list is still classic, you won’t see this. Also, as of right now, it’s still rolling out, so some tenants don’t have it yet.
When you click PowerApps, and Customize forms (see above screenshot), it takes you to PowerApps. This is a different kind of PowerApp than you get when you click Create an App. When you customize a list form, it isn’t going to be an app that will show in your list of apps, or on your phone. But, when you use the SharePoint mobile app, and go to your list to fill out a form, it *will* be this custom PowerApp form.
*To make it visible to end users, click File -> Save, then Publish to SharePoint. You can click Back to SharePoint at the top left, to go back out of PowerApps, to your list.
Also, when you go to your list settings, and Form settings, that’s where you can switch back to the default SharePoint form and/or delete your customized form if you change your mind.
Once you are in your new form in PowerApps, here are a couple of things to notice. On the left, click SharePoint Integration, and on the right, click Advanced.
By default, your app will only have one screen. These settings above are where you can determine what happens when the form is edited, created, or opened from the SharePoint list. During SharePoint Power Hour this week, I did a demo of this, and showed my recommended actions to add to the defaults, and the reasons.
In my demo, I created a different screen and an EditForm, and re-configured the advanced settings.
Another very common thing, is to make the form a bit bigger, so that it takes up more of the page, which is great for forms that have a lot of fields. Here is what the form looks like by default:
To make it wider, in your PowerApp, click File -> App Settings
For Screen size & orientation, orientation, choose Landscape. Once you have more area to work with in your app, you can set up your form to have multiple columns, and just have more room to work.
There are a few other things to notice and be aware of with these SharePoint-integrated forms. When you click to select a form control, when you look at the properties, you’ll see that there are a bunch of built in settings for things like the form mode and the Item property. I recommend that you not remove those settings, because these are related to the correct item opening up when it’s selected in the SharePoint list.
Here is my hour long video demo of customizing a list form with PowerApps:
To learn all about PowerApps, check out my PowerApps courses.