About Sharing the sharepoint connector/sharepoint lists to all users for using the app & avoid them from editing or deleting the records , as they have access to sharepoint lists.

[Anonymous]

Hello ,

About Sharing the sharepoint connector/sharepoint lists to all users for using the app & avoid them from editing or deleting the records , as they have access to sharepoint lists other than sharing URL.

As we use sharepoint lists as a data source & easy one to store the data & customer eager to store in the sharepoint too , as it's simple to use for admins. 

So kindly suggest a solution for this ,if there is no such other than this , how can suggest/prove them that it is secure , as everyone using the app have access to lists directly, as it's written everywhere we can use any kind of connectors on cloud , but lacking with this kind of features ( needing to give access to everyone). Kindly look into this.

Thanks in advance.

[TheRobRush]

If they need access to edit and not just read your lists there's no real stopping someone who has the intelligence to figure out the link of the sharepoint list from deleting things on it if they want to. You could always have flows backup your list daily, to a separate list that they have no access to in the case that someone maliciously removes data,

[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot @TheRobRush  for your response. So you mean to say the 1st step will be not sharing the sharepoint list URL to them , in case if they also get to know the link of those sharepoint lists , then the flows will come into the picture right? As you said as a backup to the lists daily, to a separate list that they have no access to in the case that someone maliciously removes data.

So can you please refer any links/ suggest how to create those kinds of flows , like the action cards which all needs to be included for this kind of flows? That would be really helpful to create one .

Also the second scenario will be, we get the dropdown details / desk details (for example "desk bookings" app) we have desks information , to show up in power apps as drop down , so in this case? here as back up option might not work . We need the real time information from the lists to show up in power apps, changing this info or keeping a note on this always won't suffice . Kindly suggest solution for this .

Thanks in advance.

[TheRobRush]

Yes, if your users are interacting with your sharepoint lists only via powerapps there is no need to ever inform them of the list address you just share it with their user id and uncheck the email them option and it will not send them the url to the list. An intelligent user will still be able to find it, if they want, but that is unavoidable.

At top of your sharepoint list you can click Integrate > Power Automate > Create a flow.

After that it's as simple as setting it to a recurring flow set to run at XX:XX AM/PM EVERY 24 hours, get items from backup list, forall items on backup list delete all, get items from main list, for all items create item in backup sharepoint list, then end

If your dropdown data is live, and needs to be able to be added to or changed by your users then yes just access it from a sharepoint list.

IF the dropdown data never changes you do not need a list can just do ["Option A", "Option B", "Etc..."]

If the dropdown later is changed by upper level employees but only ever VIEWED and used on Dropdown by users then you can assign access to that list for those users as read only, then it cannot be changed by them even if they find the list url.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks a lot @TheRobRush , your responses are really quick & helpful too, appreciate that.

Just one last thing to mention , may be I'm new to power automate , the flows so is why not getting clear picture, may be just half of it  on this part you mentioned "get items from backup list, for all items on backup list delete all, get items from main list, for all items create item in backup sharepoint list, then end" , so can you please send any reference links on this or any screenshots , so it gives me more idea on the same to create one. 

Thanks again. Kindly if you can look into this it would be really helpful to me 

[TheRobRush · Accepted solution]

Ok so here goes, will be a LOT of images so grab some popcorn and sit back.

First step is to create a sharepoint list that is identical to your current one. You can either do this from scratch or, save current one as a template, then create a sharepoint list from the template.

Now step 1 in making a flow. Goto your list and click 

Integrate > Power Automate > Create a Flow

Step 2. On the pop up that opens, select see your flows at the very bottom.

Step 3. Click New Flow

Step 4. Enter a name for your flow, a time of day you want it to run (should run after business hours for best results), and set to repeat daily.

Step 5. Add your first step. 

In the search bar type Sharepoint, then select Get Items

Step 6. Select the address of your site, and the name of the list (archive list first, not the live version)

Step 7. Click add a step and search for/add Apply to Each

Step 8. Select Value from the previous Get Items set

            Search Sharepoint

            Select Delete Item

Step 9. Click add an action again

            Search for sharepoint, then select Get Items (from the live list users access)

Step 10. Add another Apply to Each

Step 11. Select Value (be sure it is the value from Get Items 2, not get items because you have two sets now)

              Add the step, create item

              Bit by Bit add each bit of data in where it belongs

Step 12. Once you have entered all the data and it looks like this save and test your flow.

[Anonymous]

Hello @TheRobRush , it is crystal clear the flow part.. got more idea on the workaround of flows, thanks a ton for this. But after implementing even this I think there might be a challenge , let me put it here. The app idea is on DESK RESERVATIONS, so we have a gallery in the power apps to display the bookings of users , individual users see that after booking & they want to even edit/ create new from galleries , by mistake if they select different branch or they need different desk , any app idea of giving the edit options.

So if anyone maliciously edits the data with desk / user name or related details , the original list which is connected to power apps  gallery , it will effect the other users who booked the desks for present & upcoming days , this list contains booking details not the desk details (different list , as you said giving only READ access). So the booking details like mail id , name , desk no. , branches/ floors in which they booked these related details. Like power apps gallery people view it as dashboard for bookings , but editing that list would effect the users to see when they have booked or if their desks edited by others, this is one challenge.

The second challenge is that as you said daily consider once or twice we take a back up of these booking details through flows in a separate back up list, in the mean time some one edits the data to a wrong information or some editing , how will we know that it has been changed / edited by someone at any time in the same day, we backup the same list with flows , they can play with the details right? Every day the backup data again might be from that modified list again. Just thinking these corners , please let me know in this case what can be done.

Also in the flows part , you mention "delete Item" for the back up list , may i know why deletion operation is performed to backup list please? Got the remaining flow , it takes the data from the original list &  creates the items in backup list , but just struck why deletion in backup list , As admins will be needing all the data for monitoring or to utilize the information. Can you please look into these.

Till now you have answered on point, I'm thankful for that . Also kindly look into these important queries above please.

Thanks in advance.

[TheRobRush]

Add a column called history log, and every time a change is submitted compare all info going in to info already there and concatenate/submit any changes & changers name to the new column. Then you have a historical text record of all changes so you can correct errors

[Anonymous]

Hello @TheRobRush , thanks again for quick response as you do all time. Got this idea.

Also i have come across this post too in community, of creating CUSTOM PERMISSIONS , the link - https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Power-Apps/Prevent-people-from-accessing-SharePoint-lis...

So this was creating custom permissions for sharepoint site & lists , i request you to kindly have a look into this , where there is a solution following with 5 steps mentioning about READ & CONTRIBUTE access modifications in between of the post . So in here hope this solution also fits in right? or will there be any issues ahead with the data in sharepoint side /power apps side or any issue we can face with this approach as we are giving very limited permissions for this READ, CONTRIBUTE? what you say on this.

Kindly suggest on this , so can conclude with this part . Thankful to all your responses till now , hoping for this too. Appreciate it .

[Anonymous]

Hello @TheRobRush ,

Awaiting for your response to finalize on this please.