Powerapps Connection, PDF Viewer and Flows

[Taawon]

Hello guys,

I have created an app and it works good for me as an owner, but I have a feeling I have done things wrong.. really wrong

to make it clear, my app is to view suppliers divisions, catalogs and videos, no problem with divisions and videos its all good, but my problem is in the pdf viewer

my suppliers have divisions (Categories), each supplier has about 6-10 categories

for each category there are like 10-15 catalog.

I have many question please bear with me:

1. what is the best practice to store pdf documents to view later on pdf viewer, should I create a site for each Supplier, and inside this site create document libraries for each category?

OR

should I create a separate site for each category regardless the supplier and name the site with the [supplier name/category] and upload this category pdf catalogs to the main document library?

as a very fresh user of powerapps, I have tried doing the first way, but on powerapps connections, it was as if the New document libraries I created were invisible and it only took files only from the main documents that was already there, so I tried to upload the categories in folders to the main documents library, but on the powerapps gallery, it only showed the folders names and upload date.. it just wouldnt let me create connection for whats inside the main documents library Folders and this was useless in my case, so I had to go to the second way which is so time consuming... because I had to create site for each category as add their pdf files 

2. I have followed the youtube video on how to create a flow to view PDF files on PDF viewers and it worked perfectly..

but when I shared the app with my colleagues, no one was able to browse the PDF files in the pdf viewer by clicking on gallery except for me (the owner).

so I read that we have to share the flow to have the users be able to see the PDF Files.. BUT, the flow gives me only one option, is to make the users the actual owners, for which they can edit it however they want which is very critical this case and it is not practical... Is there away to share the flow with users so that they can see the PDF files and yet not make them the owners and not being able to edit the flow?

Sorry for the long explanation, I hope it was clear

TIA

[v-siky-msft]

@Taawon 

Could you share more details and screenshots with your first question? I feel confused.

To your second one, the Flow trigger from PowerApps is not able to share the read-only permission, and there is no need to go out of your way to share the flow, because the flow was also shared when you shared the app.

I guess the main issue is that you don't share the Sharepoint site permission, you have to add all users to the group membership.

Only then users can read the SharePoint files.

Sik

[Taawon]

Hello Sik,

This is an example of a site that has two document libraries (Image 1)

when I try to connect powerapps gallery to my site, it only lists the (Documents) Library, and it does not give me any way to choose the other document library (Analytical Balances) (they both contain PDF, but I need multiple libraries since I have multiple Categories, even if I created categories as folders inside the (Documents) it also doesn't see it when I connect it to the gallery, it only shows the folder name and date created..

what I have done is I created a separate site for each category (Image 2), and in each site uploaded my PDF Files to the (Documents) as in (Image 3)

This way my gallery could fetch the list and I could then create the flow based on this site and this list...

but I have a feeling I am doing this the wrong way, because I have shared the app with one user as a test, and when I shared the app I selected the option to share the documents too with the app, but still the user could not see any list or anything in the PDF Viewer...

also, Later on I'm gonna have to share the app with 29 users, It is so time consuming to share the documents and sites one by one for 29 users each time...

Am I even using Sharepoint the right way? :'(

Thank you

[v-siky-msft · Accepted solution]

@Taawon 

Yes, there is no need to create a separate site for each category. Just create all category document library in the one site.

If you cannot find the document library in SharePoint connection list, try to use Document library Grid ID instead of library name, please follow the steps, 

1. click Library Setting

2. copy the grid id from URL

3. paste the grid id into custom table name in SharePoint connection list, then click Connect

Hope this helps

sik

[Taawon]

Thank you Sik, it works perfectly now 🙂