cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply
TorreyFalconer
Helper IV
Helper IV

Unique ID (sharepoint list) BEFORE submit

Hey all, 

 

Super frustrated here. Basically I need a unique ID number to be created when someone starts a new form. My data source is a sharepoint list and so I was hoping to use the "ID" column for this feature as it does give you a unique ID for every new entry. The problem is that it only generates the ID after you click submit and I need it to display the ID beforehand. 

 

Currently I have the text property of the datacard "ID" set to If('Form3-table2'=New, Last('CompanyName- Incident Reports').ID+1, Parent.Default), however that doesn't seem to be working, even though I do have previous entries in that list so it should be able to calculate the next ID. 

 

I also tried making a second column in the Sharepoint List with a calculated column to copy the ID column with the formula [ID], but as soon as an entry it completed then that column changes to =ID and stops copying the ID column. 

 

Basically all I require is upon opening a new form, that form to auto-calculate a unique number that is from a Sharepoint list. Someone please help me! Thank you!

3 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

Accepted Solutions
iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hiya!

 

You can't set the ID column, it's auto-generated, that's why you're having issues trying to calculate it and set it! Cat Surprised

 

Two ways around this (sort of)

  1. Submit to create the row on screenload, then use lastsubmit fucntion to determine it's ID, navigate to a new page where another form patches that existing record that was just created.
    • problem with this is if they cancel there will be a blank row unless you delete it
    • If they dont cancel and just close out of the app then it wont do the delete function
  2. Create a new number field, have it increment by one each time the New Thing screen loads, that way the likelihood of getting a duplicate is very unlikely.

 

What I'd recommend instead is to have a follow-up screen after you've submitted that uses the form's LastSubmit function to get the ID, and then have it in large "Please take note of your item's ID" with a tickbox to confirm they have taken note of the ID.

 

If the above doesn't help you at all could you share a bit more about your intended implementation?

 

Thanks!

Sancho


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


View solution in original post

iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

@TorreyFalconer are you using FormXYZ.LastSubmit.ID? I've not tried it with a calculated column, and would normally just reference the ID directly as it will always be unique

 

Just did a quick test using ID of Last submitted item:

image.png


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


View solution in original post

I thought I would chime in...I had the same issue.  My fix was pretty plain...

I created a list  "Index" in SharePoint with Title Column only.   That column I give my Unique ID number.  Then I hide that list from all to see and never look at it again FOREVER.

In powerapps....when you want to open your form, run something like this...

Set(varWorksheetID, First(Filter(Index,Title = "WorksheetID")).Index);Patch(Index,First(Filter(Index,Title = "WorksheetID")),{Index: Value(varWorksheetID)+1});Navigate(NewDailyWorksheetScreen)

 

 

any way...hope that helps. 

View solution in original post

18 REPLIES 18
iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hiya!

 

You can't set the ID column, it's auto-generated, that's why you're having issues trying to calculate it and set it! Cat Surprised

 

Two ways around this (sort of)

  1. Submit to create the row on screenload, then use lastsubmit fucntion to determine it's ID, navigate to a new page where another form patches that existing record that was just created.
    • problem with this is if they cancel there will be a blank row unless you delete it
    • If they dont cancel and just close out of the app then it wont do the delete function
  2. Create a new number field, have it increment by one each time the New Thing screen loads, that way the likelihood of getting a duplicate is very unlikely.

 

What I'd recommend instead is to have a follow-up screen after you've submitted that uses the form's LastSubmit function to get the ID, and then have it in large "Please take note of your item's ID" with a tickbox to confirm they have taken note of the ID.

 

If the above doesn't help you at all could you share a bit more about your intended implementation?

 

Thanks!

Sancho


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


Anonymous
Not applicable

I did this with an excel table but it should be the same. Make sure the "Default" and "Update" properties are set correctly on the dataCard. Default sets up the property value for display but Update is what commits it to the source 

 

Also it looks like your if statement may be missing the ".Mode" property for the conditon.

 If('Form3-table2'.Mode=New, Last('SaskEnergy- Incident Reports').ID+1, Parent.Default)

 

BTW, if Sharepoint supports AutoID, you may not want to update ID and treat last()+1 as a refernce for display purposes then get/use the acutal ID value after the save is done. I am using excel so I had to do set the ID manually and really had now choice. Another idea could be to always append a blank row, use a context variable to hold the "new record" that the form shows and use patch instead of submit. That way their would be no contention over the ID number.

@iAm_ManCat 

Thanks for this. Though I wasn't trying to calculate the ID column, I was trying to copy the already auto-generated one with a calculated column.

 

I like your idea of changing it so that after they hit submit, they are presented with their ID and have to take note of it. I am trying to do this with the auto-generated ID column once it is submitted but am having trouble getting the number to display. Do you have any thoughts on this? Once they submit the form, I have the ID portion on the success screen, it is in display mode but still not showing. Any thoughts?

iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Heya @Anonymous,

 

Just a quick one on this - if you use Last(something).ID+1 for anything and let's say five people open the form but don't save it immediately, and then all go to submit, they will all have the same Last(something).ID+1 Cat Surprised as you can imagine this will end up in chaos when someone says "but I have ID 5; no I do; so do I; and me!" Cat Happy

 

SharePoint generates unique ID's with every row submission, but @TorreyFalconer is correct in that it generates them once submitted only, and you can't create them manually (except using methods I outlined above) - Excel does allow us to do this manually as you stated, however we need to be careful of timing to avoid getting into the situation I mentioned 🙂

 

Cheers,

ManCat


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


Anonymous
Not applicable

If you mean displaying as per your original post, not the missing "mode" or "displaymode" property missing in the if statement. This may explain why the conditon is hitting the false case which shows the default/blank value.

 

If you mean in the new approach of creating an update in an existing record, an approach to try would be to

1) patch in a blank record,

2)set a context to the return value of the patch,

3) fill in the variable based on the values you want in there (or copied off another record),

4)have the form's "item" property point to the context varible. Just make sure you use patch instead of sumbit. and delete the record if form is cancelled.

This could probably be done better but wanted to share the logic in case you decide to go that route.

iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

@TorreyFalconer are you using FormXYZ.LastSubmit.ID? I've not tried it with a calculated column, and would normally just reference the ID directly as it will always be unique

 

Just did a quick test using ID of Last submitted item:

image.png


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


Anonymous
Not applicable

I agree with you. I really want to port my app over to sharepoint jsut for that auto-id feature but it seems problemmatic and I started to get all sorts of new "delagation warnings" , and have to go through all my uses of ID, etc. I may opt to rewrite from scrarch.

 

iAm_ManCat
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Happy to help with any delegation issues you may have, just flag me directly @iAm_ManCat when you raise the forum post about it 🙂

I've had my fair share of delegation issues as we have our entire backend data stored in SharePoint Lists and Libraries 😄


@iAm_ManCat
My blog


Please 'Mark as Solution' if someone's post answered your question and always 'Thumbs Up' the posts you like or that helped you!


Thanks!
You and everyone else in the community make it the awesome and welcoming place it is, keep your questions coming and make sure to 'like' anything that makes you 'Appy
Sancho Harker, MVP


@iAm_ManCat 

 

Tailing off of this last issue, I may need some additional help related to this (it just gets more complicated).

 

Some background to help you understand: Basically I have two separate lists created on Sharepoint. One list is an "Incident Report" list and the other is a "Witness Statement" list. When I launch the powerapp, you will have the option to begin a new "Incident Report". That is where they fill out the form, and that unique ID is provided to them at the end. *After this, they are given the option to fill out a Witness Statement pertaining to that Incident Report*

 

Now here is my next problem: I need that Unique ID to auto fill into the "Witness Statement" form. I have a number column created in the Witness Report form titled "Incident Report ID". So far I have managed to get that to auto-fill in the app from the previous screen using Form1'.LastSubmit.ID . The thing is, once that witness statement is submitted, the ID doesn't seem to appear in the list. 

Helpful resources

Announcements

Exclusive LIVE Community Event: Power Apps Copilot Coffee Chat with Copilot Studio Product Team

  It's time for the SECOND Power Apps Copilot Coffee Chat featuring the Copilot Studio product team, which will be held LIVE on April 3, 2024 at 9:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).     This is an incredible opportunity to connect with members of the Copilot Studio product team and ask them anything about Copilot Studio. We'll share our special guests with you shortly--but we want to encourage to mark your calendars now because you will not want to miss the conversation.   This live event will give you the unique opportunity to learn more about Copilot Studio plans, where we’ll focus, and get insight into upcoming features. We’re looking forward to hearing from the community, so bring your questions!   TO GET ACCESS TO THIS EXCLUSIVE AMA: Kudo this post to reserve your spot! Reserve your spot now by kudoing this post.  Reservations will be prioritized on when your kudo for the post comes through, so don't wait! Click that "kudo button" today.   Invitations will be sent on April 2nd.Users posting Kudos after April 2nd. at 9AM PDT may not receive an invitation but will be able to view the session online after conclusion of the event. Give your "kudo" today and mark your calendars for April 3rd, 2024 at 9:30 AM PDT and join us for an engaging and informative session!

Tuesday Tip: Unlocking Community Achievements and Earning Badges

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!     THIS WEEK'S TIP: Unlocking Achievements and Earning BadgesAcross the Communities, you'll see badges on users profile that recognize and reward their engagement and contributions. These badges each signify a different achievement--and all of those achievements are available to any Community member! If you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, you too can earn badges for the great work you do. Check out some details on Community badges below--and find out more in the detailed link at the end of the article!       A Diverse Range of Badges to Collect The badges you can earn in the Community cover a wide array of activities, including: Kudos Received: Acknowledges the number of times a user’s post has been appreciated with a “Kudo.”Kudos Given: Highlights the user’s generosity in recognizing others’ contributions.Topics Created: Tracks the number of discussions initiated by a user.Solutions Provided: Celebrates the instances where a user’s response is marked as the correct solution.Reply: Counts the number of times a user has engaged with community discussions.Blog Contributor: Honors those who contribute valuable content and are invited to write for the community blog.       A Community Evolving Together Badges are not only a great way to recognize outstanding contributions of our amazing Community members--they are also a way to continue fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. As you continue to share your knowledge and assist each other these badges serve as a visual representation of your valuable contributions.   Find out more about badges in these Community Support pages in each Community: All About Community Badges - Power Apps CommunityAll About Community Badges - Power Automate CommunityAll About Community Badges - Copilot Studio CommunityAll About Community Badges - Power Pages Community

Tuesday Tips: Powering Up Your Community Profile

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!   This Week's Tip: Power Up Your Profile!  🚀 It's where every Community member gets their start, and it's essential that you keep it updated! Your Community User Profile is how you're able to get messages, post solutions, ask questions--and as you rank up, it's where your badges will appear and how you'll be known when you start blogging in the Community Blog. Your Community User Profile is how the Community knows you--so it's essential that it works the way you need it to! From changing your username to updating contact information, this Knowledge Base Article is your best resource for powering up your profile.     Password Puzzles? No Problem! Find out how to sync your Azure AD password with your community account, ensuring a seamless sign-in. No separate passwords to remember! Job Jumps & Email Swaps Changed jobs? Got a new email? Fear not! You'll find out how to link your shiny new email to your existing community account, keeping your contributions and connections intact. Username Uncertainties Unraveled Picking the perfect username is crucial--and sometimes the original choice you signed up with doesn't fit as well as you may have thought. There's a quick way to request an update here--but remember, your username is your community identity, so choose wisely. "Need Admin Approval" Warning Window? If you see this error message while using the community, don't worry. A simple process will help you get where you need to go. If you still need assistance, find out how to contact your Community Support team. Whatever you're looking for, when it comes to your profile, the Community Account Support Knowledge Base article is your treasure trove of tips as you navigate the nuances of your Community Profile. It’s the ultimate resource for keeping your digital identity in tip-top shape while engaging with the Power Platform Community. So, dive in and power up your profile today!  💪🚀   Community Account Support | Power Apps Community Account Support | Power AutomateCommunity Account Support | Copilot Studio  Community Account Support | Power Pages

Super User of the Month | Chris Piasecki

In our 2nd installment of this new ongoing feature in the Community, we're thrilled to announce that Chris Piasecki is our Super User of the Month for March 2024. If you've been in the Community for a while, we're sure you've seen a comment or marked one of Chris' helpful tips as a solution--he's been a Super User for SEVEN consecutive seasons!       Since authoring his first reply in April 2020 to his most recent achievement organizing the Canadian Power Platform Summit this month, Chris has helped countless Community members with his insights and expertise. In addition to being a Super User, Chris is also a User Group leader, Microsoft MVP, and a featured speaker at the Microsoft Power Platform Conference. His contributions to the new SUIT program, along with his joyous personality and willingness to jump in and help so many members has made Chris a fixture in the Power Platform Community.   When Chris isn't authoring solutions or organizing events, he's actively leading Piasecki Consulting, specializing in solution architecture, integration, DevOps, and more--helping clients discover how to strategize and implement Microsoft's technology platforms. We are grateful for Chris' insightful help in the Community and look forward to even more amazing milestones as he continues to assist so many with his great tips, solutions--always with a smile and a great sense of humor.You can find Chris in the Community and on LinkedIn. Thanks for being such a SUPER user, Chris! 💪🌠

Tuesday Tips: Community Ranks and YOU

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!This Week: Community Ranks--Moving from "Member" to "Community Champion"   Have you ever wondered how your fellow community members ascend the ranks within our community? What sets apart an Advocate from a Helper, or a Solution Sage from a Community Champion? In today’s #TuesdayTip, we’re unveiling the secrets and sharing tips to help YOU elevate your ranking—and why it matters to our vibrant communities. Community ranks serve as a window into a member’s role and activity. They celebrate your accomplishments and reveal whether someone has been actively contributing and assisting others. For instance, a Super User is someone who has been exceptionally helpful and engaged. Some ranks even come with special permissions, especially those related to community management. As you actively participate—whether by creating new topics, providing solutions, or earning kudos—your rank can climb. Each time you achieve a new rank, you’ll receive an email notification. Look out for the icon and rank name displayed next to your username—it’s a badge of honor! Fun fact: Your Community Engagement Team keeps an eye on these ranks, recognizing the most passionate and active community members. So shine brightly with valuable content, and you might just earn well-deserved recognition! Where can you see someone’s rank? When viewing a post, you’ll find a member’s rank to the left of their name.Click on a username to explore their profile, where their rank is prominently displayed. What about the ranks themselves? New members start as New Members, progressing to Regular Visitors, and then Frequent Visitors.Beyond that, we have a categorized system: Kudo Ranks: Earned through kudos (teal icons).Post Ranks: Based on your posts (purple icons).Solution Ranks: Reflecting your solutions (green icons).Combo Ranks: These orange icons combine kudos, solutions, and posts. The top ranks have unique names, making your journey even more exciting! So dive in, collect those kudos, share solutions, and let’s see how high you can rank! 🌟 🚀   Check out the Using the Community boards in each of the communities for more helpful information!  Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio & Power Pages

Find Out What Makes Super Users So Super

We know many of you visit the Power Platform Communities to ask questions and receive answers. But do you know that many of our best answers and solutions come from Community members who are super active, helping anyone who needs a little help getting unstuck with Business Applications products? We call these dedicated Community members Super Users because they are the real heroes in the Community, willing to jump in whenever they can to help! Maybe you've encountered them yourself and they've solved some of your biggest questions. Have you ever wondered, "Why?"We interviewed several of our Super Users to understand what drives them to help in the Community--and discover the difference it has made in their lives as well! Take a look in our gallery today: What Motivates a Super User? - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

Top Solution Authors
Top Kudoed Authors
Users online (6,902)