Solved: Creating a Flow (Power Automate) based on Power Ap...

Anonymous · ‎12-07-2020

Greetings,

This may be the blindingly obvious question of 2020.

I have a working PowerApp that collects data. No problem. I'm beginner level familiar with Power Automate (Flow).

After an entry is added from running the PowerApp (inspection form), I want to trigger a flow that looks at a particular field (hazard found?) and, if yes, email me. Dead simple. Except for this pesky detail. When I'm in the Power Automate tool to build the flow, I can't find the trigger on the first entry page, meaning it asks for a name and then a trigger for the flow. If I search templates, I can see a Power Apps button, but there is no input and no way (that I can figure out) to associate it with my PowerApp.

And I'm missing the blindingly obvious what, please.

Thanks in advance from the newbie.

Rick

Pstork1 · ‎12-07-2020

YOu would trigger a flow from Power Apps by adding a statement to an action property in Power Apps, like OnSelect. The statement is essentially the name of the Flow.run(any parameters to be passed). There is a Power Automate tab on the Action menu that will walk you through it.

Power Apps by itself doesn't have any shared data storage. You can store local data in a collection while the app is running, but no one else will have access to it. Its only a local cache. Power Apps stores data in data sources. SharePoint is one of the common popular data sources.

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View solution in original post

Pstork1 · ‎12-07-2020

There are two ways you could do this.

1) Trigger the flow from the OnSelect action of the button that saves the entry in the Power App. For this you need an instant flow and the trigger would be the Power Apps trigger. if you don't see that trigger its probably because you created an automated flow not an instant one.

2) You can do it from an automated flow using the When an item is created trigger that is watching the SharePoint list where the entry is created.

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Anonymous · ‎12-07-2020

Hi @Pstork1 ,

Thanks for the quick response.

I changed to the instant on flow and, yes, it shows PowerApp as choice.
I click to create and get PowerApp at the top and then to add steps under that.

Here's where I missing it. Is this a data operation? Also, how does the flow link to the PowerApp?

Related to SharePoint, I was under the impression the PowerApps lists are not in Sharepoint. If they are, yes, triggering off a SharePoint list, I get that. The powerapp list would be in the team (group) SharePoint area?

Thanks,

Rick

Pstork1 · ‎12-07-2020

YOu would trigger a flow from Power Apps by adding a statement to an action property in Power Apps, like OnSelect. The statement is essentially the name of the Flow.run(any parameters to be passed). There is a Power Automate tab on the Action menu that will walk you through it.

Power Apps by itself doesn't have any shared data storage. You can store local data in a collection while the app is running, but no one else will have access to it. Its only a local cache. Power Apps stores data in data sources. SharePoint is one of the common popular data sources.

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Anonymous · ‎12-07-2020

@Pstork1 , Thank you. I was trying to start from within Power Automate and was lost as to how to link em. Your commentary makes sense.

I understand making triggers -n- such from Sharepoint lists, yes, great point. I was under the impression that PowerApps from within Teams uses a sort of CDS light. This isn't cached rather there is a real dB behind it which I assume can be acted up, reported on, etc. Do I have this wrong?

Thanks for the reply. I will start looking at building a flow from within PowerApps. It might be that all this "project oakdale" stuff might be a bit early and I should stick to the stand alone PowerApps design tools and build what I want outside teams and then deploy it when it is ready to go.

Again, thank you.

Rick

Pstork1 · ‎12-07-2020

OK, yes, if you are in Teams then there is a built in database called Dataview for Teams which is a version of what used to be called CDS. It can be used for Power Apps that are built inside the Teams environment. the regular Dataview (what used to be called CDS) is a different data source that requires a premium license. I didn't notice that you were building inside Teams. If you are using Dataview inside Teams then you will probably need to create your flow from inside the Power App or at least inside Teams. Otherwise it might not be visible. Dataview uses its own Teams specific environment for storing the data so its only visible when inside Teams.

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Anonymous · ‎12-07-2020

@Pstork1,

Thanks. Most of the documentation and screenshots on Microsoft are old so I can't follow the documentation but I get the gist as well as now understanding the different environments and such. I just love all the coding for no-code platform. Reminds me of when Visual Basic was introduced to people who didn't 'code'. The good ol days. 😉

Stay safe and thanks for helping. People like you make the difference!