Normal Column Names for Sharepoint Lists Used in power Apps

[kleach]

Hello,

I've only noticed that this occurs when using a Sharepoint list, and not when I use an Excel Spreadsheet. I created a custom list in Sharepoint with the colums labeled like this.

However, when I try to use this list in PowerApps, the column headers look like this...

Is there a way to control how the column name gets bought over into Powerapps? It becomes extremely confusing and tedious (and actually nigh impossible to work with) when putting in formulas. 

Advice is appreciated.

Thanks,

KL

[v-yamao-msft]

Hi Kleach,

I test this issue with both Excel table and SharePoint custom list and I get the same issue with you. When the App is created from data with SharePoint custom list, the column headers are not the column name in the list.

About this issue, I would suggest you submit an idea at PowerApps Ideas Forum, so it might considered as future releases:
https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/idb-p/PowerAppsIdeas

Best regards,
Mabel Mao

[flyte]

Any way to get around this issue? With one sharepoint list, the names came in "mostly" correct to the point where I could assume what the column was. 

When I added another sharepoint list, the column names came in as "i20b", "OData_x006d_p97", "bnln", etc. This makes working with this list as a datasource impossible.

What can I do to get these column names mapped correctly?

[flyte]

@v-yamao-msft - is the column naming influenced by the security settings of the list by any chance? I don't understand why I don't get "real" names. I can't work with "i20b", "OData_x006d_p97", "bnln"

[AndyPennell]

SPO makes up these "crazy" column names, and I cannot explain why or how. PA will only make them "crazier" if their syntax clashes with something in PA and we need to escape them somehow (eg they contain a space). I'd dig around in the SPO docs if I were you, I assume there is a way of controlling the "real" column names.

[flyte]

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@AndyPennell wrote:

SPO makes up these "crazy" column names, and I cannot explain why or how. PA will only make them "crazier" if their syntax clashes with something in PA and we need to escape them somehow (eg they contain a space). I'd dig around in the SPO docs if I were you, I assume there is a way of controlling the "real" column names.

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Can you verify this statement? 

I have two identical sharepoint lists in 2 separate Sharepoint sites. When I bring in the data connection for the first one, all of the column names are perfect. The second one produces unintelligble names and makes it useless. 

Can we have someone from MS or the team respond please? Very frustrating...

[flyte]

Can anyone help here?

[TschoofBAH]

I have the same issue, so bumping this. Doesn't make sense t all why the names would com across crazy like that. 

[flyte]

Yeah.. quite disturbing on the lack of official communication on this issue from MS and the PowerApps team. 

However, our SharePoint admin did change the "type" of site that the offending SharePoint list was within. I think he changed it to a "team site" and then when I accessed the list within that site, the names did appear normal.

[AndyPennell]

I dont know much about SPO, other than this column naming is painful. The Internet seems to know quite a lot, here is a useful article I found: http://www.sharepointdiary.com/2011/06/sharepoint-field-display-name-vs-internal-name.html