How to Build a Power App from a SharePoint List

In this training session, Jonathon Silva from Pragmatic Works walks through the process of creating a Power App directly from a SharePoint list. This tutorial is designed for beginners who are new to Power Apps and want a hands-on introduction to building canvas apps with little to no coding experience.

Starting with a SharePoint List

Jonathon begins with a simple SharePoint list he created for device orders. This list allows employees to request items such as laptops, monitors, or chairs. Traditionally, requests would be added manually or collected through forms, requiring someone to continuously update statuses in the list. By connecting this list to Power Apps, the entire process becomes easier, faster, and user-friendly without giving users direct access to the SharePoint site.

Navigating to Power Apps

To get started, users can navigate to make.powerapps.com or launch Power Apps from the Office 365 app launcher. Since Power Apps uses single sign-on, users with an Office 365 license already have access, along with Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams.

Using Copilot to Build the App

One of the newest features in Power Apps is AI-powered Copilot integration. This makes the app creation process even simpler for first-time users. Instead of manually configuring settings, users can:

• Select Start with data on the Power Apps home page.
• Choose the data source (SharePoint, SQL Server, Excel, etc.).
• Point to the correct SharePoint site and list (in this case, the “Device Order” list).
• Click Create app and let Power Apps generate the app automatically.

With a few clicks, a working application is ready without writing any code. The app connects seamlessly to the SharePoint list, displaying records and allowing edits or new entries instantly.

Previewing and Editing the App

After creation, users can preview the app in the design studio by selecting the play button. The automatically generated interface shows SharePoint records on the left side and detailed information on the right. From here, users can:

• Edit an existing request directly in the app. Changes sync instantly with the SharePoint list.
• Add a new request, complete with fields like device type, reason for request, cost, and status.
• Attach files and update statuses without manually editing the SharePoint list.

Jonathon demonstrates how quickly edits appear in SharePoint after refreshing the page, showing the real-time integration between the app and the list.

Cross-Device Compatibility

Another strength of Power Apps is that the application works across multiple devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Users can preview how the app will look on an iPhone or tablet directly from the design studio. The same functionality—adding, editing, or reviewing requests—remains consistent across all platforms, ensuring a smooth user experience whether at a desk or on the go.

Customizing and Publishing

While the generated app works right away, users can also customize it. For example, they can set default values such as auto-filling the request date or hard-coding an “In Progress” status for new requests. They can also remove features like the delete option if they don’t want end-users to have that capability.

Once satisfied with the design, users can:

1. Save the app with a chosen name (e.g., “Device Order App”).
2. Publish the app to make it available to others in the organization.
3. Share access with colleagues via email, similar to sharing an Excel or Word file.

This process allows organizations to roll out apps quickly without development bottlenecks, streamlining workflows and improving efficiency across teams.

Final Thoughts

Jonathon emphasizes that creating a Power App from a SharePoint list is accessible to everyone, even those with no coding background. With built-in AI assistance, automatic data integration, and cross-device support, organizations can empower employees to work smarter and faster. For those ready to go beyond the basics, Pragmatic Works offers additional training to deepen knowledge in Power Apps, Canvas Apps, and the broader Microsoft Power Platform.

Don't forget to check out the Pragmatic Works' on-demand learning platform for more insightful content and training sessions on SharePoint and other Microsoft applications. Be sure to subscribe to the Pragmatic Works YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on the latest tips and tricks.