Building a Power App with SharePoint: Setting Up Your SharePoint List

⬅️ Previous: An Overview of the SharePoint/PowerApps Combination

➡️ Next: Building Your Power App

What We’ll Cover

• Creating a SharePoint list from scratch
• Choosing column types to match your data needs
• Setting up lookup columns and choice fields
• Best practices for organizing and naming columns
• Preparing your list for integration with Power Apps

Creating Your SharePoint List

1. Log in to SharePoint: Navigate to your SharePoint site.
   SharePoint can also be accessed via m365.cloud.microsoft, signing into your account and then clicking in the upper left corner of the window, select App launcher > SharePoint. (If not in left corner please look for “Apps”)
2. Create a List: Go to the site contents and select "New"> "List". 

 

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3.Start a New List: Click “New List” and choose a blank list or template. 

 

 

 

If you have an existing excel or CSV file with columns you have already written, you can also import as well.  

1. First choose import from excel 
2. Then select a file on the SharePoint site or Upload a file 

 

 

 

3. If you have multiple sheets in the file, you can select the table or sheet and choose the column type for each column. 

  

 

Choosing the Right Column Types

Below, see the list of options when you are importing from ESV or CSV.  

 

 

Each column in your SharePoint list stores a different type of data. Choosing the right type helps your app work efficiently.

Common column types include:

• Single line of text: For short text entries (names, titles).
• Multiple lines of text: For longer notes or descriptions.
• Choice: Predefined options for consistent data entry (e.g., status: Active, Inactive).
• Number: For numerical data (e.g., quantity, age).
• Date and time: For dates such as event dates or registration timestamps.
• Lookup: To reference data from another SharePoint list.

Make sure to match your columns to the data you’ll collect.

 

4. Name Your List: Give your list a name (e.g., "Employee Directory"). 

5. Add Columns: Add the necessary columns to your list (e.g., Name, Email, Department). 

1. If you imported from a file, feel free to add any more columns you may have needed or adjust the column types by clicking on the Column – Column Settings-Edit. 

 

 

 

Option B for Step 1: 
 
Using Microsoft Lists 

1. Open Microsoft Lists: Go to Microsoft Lists or access it via the Microsoft 365 app launcher. 

 

 

2. Start a New List: Click “New List” and choose a blank list or template. 

 

3. Configure the List: 

• Name your list (e.g., "Employee Directory"). 
• Select the desired color and icon if you wish. 
• Choose whether to save it to My lists (private) or a SharePoint site (team-based).

4. Add Columns: Add custom columns such as Name, Email, Department, etc. 

Note: Whether you create your list in SharePoint or Microsoft Lists, it can be connected to PowerApps the same way in the next step. 

 

Tip: When starting from a SharePoint List that has no data, it is helpful to add one line of test data to see how the fields populate within the Power App. Take the time to add an entry before we begin to create the app.  

 

Best Practices for Organizing Your List

• Use clear and consistent column names (avoid spaces or special characters when possible).
• Keep your list structure simple—complex relationships can be handled later in Power Apps or Power Automate.
• Limit the number of columns to only those you need to keep performance smooth.
• Add columns for auditing if needed, such as “Created By” and “Modified Date.”
  • These can be system generated following the steps below:

  • Click on Add Column-Show or hide columns-Select Column-Apply

    

     

     

    

     

Preparing Your List for Power Apps

Once your SharePoint list is ready:

• Double-check your columns and data types.
• Add some sample data to test with later.
• Avoid complex calculated columns that Power Apps might not support fully.
• Ensure you have proper permissions to connect the list to Power Apps 

Conclusion

Your SharePoint list is the foundation of your Power App. Taking time to set it up thoughtfully will save you time and headaches down the road, making your app more reliable and user-friendly.

In our next blog, we’ll jump into Power Apps Studio to connect your SharePoint list and start building your app interface. Stay tuned!

 

 

Additional information:

Setting Up Views

Views help you filter and organize your list data directly in SharePoint. Setting up a custom view lets users see just the data relevant to them.

• Create views based on common filters (e.g., “Pending Approvals” or “Active Volunteers”)
• Set a default view that makes sense for most users
• In this example application, I will create an HR view that displays the fields the HR team will manage first in the list. 
• To add a view, click on + Add View on the top right of the list

   

  

   

 

Best Practices for SharePoint Lists with Power Apps

• Keep your list simple and clean for better app performance
• Limit choice columns to fewer than 20 options for usability
• Avoid using complex column types that don’t work well with Power Apps
• Regularly maintain and clean your list data to prevent errors
• Plan your list structure early to avoid major changes later

 

📚 Explore the Series
Series Introduction

An Overview of the SharePoint/PowerApps Combination

Setting Up Your SharePoint List

Building Your Power App