How to create records in Sharepoint Lists based tables having lookup fields, without enumerating all fields from looked-up table?

[LapisLazuli]

Hi,

EDIT - This solution summary will save the reading of the whole thread

Given these two Sharepoint Lists, where:

• PatchedList.LkpColumn is a Lookup column to LookedUpList.LookedUpKey,
• LookedUpKey has unique values:

In order to add a record to PatchedList, here is the syntax, specifically to handle the lookup field:

Patch(
    PatchedList,
    Defaults(PatchedList),
    {LkpColumn: 
        {
        Id: 1,
        Value: "Lorem"
        },
        Title:"A Title",
        AnyOtherMandatoryField: "A value"
    }
)

- Please note: "Id", not "ID" or "id".

- The "Value:" keyword refers to the LookedUp field in LookedUp list, whatever its actual name is.

Here is the result, assuming the original Title field has been renamed to PatchedListKey, and there are no other mandatory fields:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ORIGINAL POST

Summary:

Using Patch to create a record in a table from a Sharepoint list which has a Lookup column returns an error message.

Context:

- ParentTable: A parent (looked-up) table, with many fields. In this table, column 'Name' is the unique key. It is different from the Sharepoint provided auto-numbered ID column.

- ChildTable; a child table. It has a 'ParentName' lookup column, referring to ParentTable, Column 'Name'.

Both tables are Sharepoint Lists.

Goal:

Insert a record in ChildTable.

Avoid to enumerate all ParentTable fields: only 3 fields among many optional ones should be filled in when creating the record.

Attempt:

Patch(ChildTable,
Defaults(ChildTable),
{
ParentName: LookUp(ParentTable, Name = "AnyExistingName"),

OtherFields: OtherValues
}
)

Result:

Invalid argument type. Expecting a record value, but of a different schema.

Missing column. Your formula is missing a column 'Id' with type 'Number'

Same error when removing the OtherFields: OtherValues lines. Confirms the error comes from the first line.

Investigations:

1. True, [LookUp(ParentTable, Name = "AnyExistingName")] does not have all the fields of the Sharepoint ParentTable list, specifically not the ID field.

2. In Sharepoint, displaying the ParentTable ListSettings confirms that the ID field is not listed in the Columns list.

Many attempts to work it around, like Lookup(AddColumns(ParentTable, "ID", Blank()) or Lookup(AddColumns(ParentTable, "ID", 0) , etc. all return an error message.

Also found on the Web a lot of threads, which suggest to use a "ATSIGNodata.type':"#Microsoft.Azure.Connectors.SharePoint.SPListExpandedUser" syntax.

For this syntax to work, all of these threads suggest to explicitly list all fields of ParentTable, like this:

{ParentName:

{OddDataTypeSyntax,

field1:value1,

- - etc. - - ,

fieldn:valuen}

}

This should preferably be avoided. One reason is that there are many fields in the Parent table. The second reason is that some more optional fields might be added in the future, and the code should still work with these extra fields, provided naturally that the data connector to ParentTable is refreshed in PowerApp.

The question:

So, long story short, how can we create a record in ChildTable, filling up the ParentName lookup column?

Thank you.

[SebS]

@LapisLazuli 

How You providing "AnyExistingName" ? it's picked from dropdown or user typing it in InputText box ?

Also both lists are SharePoint list and only relation between them is the Name ? right but You want populate ListA Lookup Column with ListB Record right ?

[LapisLazuli]

Hi,

Thank you for taking the time to review the question.

Re: "How You providing "AnyExistingName" ? it's picked from dropdown or user typing it in InputText box ?"

Eventually, another table will be looped through, and one of its field will provide the value.

But to perform the testing, I kept it very simple: "AnyExistingName" is hard-coded, picked from an existing value in ParentTable.Name column.

Re: "Also both lists are SharePoint list"
Yes, as mentioned.
Re: "only relation between them is the Name ?"

Yes

Re: "You want populate ListA Lookup Column with ListB Record right ?"

Correct. With the names that I provided, the aim is to populate 'ChildTable.ParentName' with the record of 'ParentTable' which column 'Name' is 'AnyExistingName'. Column 'Name' being a unique key of 'ParentTable'.

Hope this clarifies.

Regards

[SebS]

@LapisLazuli 

The ParentName is a lookup column, and in SharePoint, you can relate the column just by picking Name from ParentTable, which will be reflected in the Lookup column, and You can choose what data will be displayed.

Now when You use Patch, there is a specific Schema for how you can Patch to the Lookup column.

Patch(
      Datasource,
      Defaults(Datasource),

      {
       ParentName:
                {
                 ID:99
                 Value:"AnyExistingName"
                },
       OtherData:"other"
      }
)

So you need to source two parameters. Why do I ask how You pick AnyExistingName cause it's important how you provide it to patch but let's say it's magically showing up 🙂

With({Parent:LookUp(ParentTable, Name = "AnyExistingName")},

Patch(ChildTable,
Defaults(ChildTable),
{
ParentName: {
             ID:Parent.ID,
             Value:Parent.Name
            },

OtherFields: OtherValues
}
)

Just keep in mind this will be valid only when all names are unique and you will have no duplicate names

[LapisLazuli]

Thank you for your time.

Well noted the With() function, which simplifies the syntax.

However, unfortunately, it didn't work. I still get the same message.

The reason is now however unclear. On one side, 

Parent:LookUp(ParentTable, Name = "AnyExistingName"

still has no ID, since ParentTable doesn't. See my post.

What I don't understand now, is why I get the same error message. I should get an error on:

             ID:Parent.ID,

saying that there is no such column in Parent. Am I missing something?

Side question:

             Value:Parent.Name

Do you rather mean :

Name:Parent.Name

Thanks. 

[SebS]

@LapisLazuli 

Let's clarify something if we are talking about two SharePoint Lists. There is no option that one of them does not have an ID column, or the column is blank. The ID column is system-generated and auto-incremented and exists in all Sharepoint lists.

I may mix ways how you want to relate the tables, but the concept will be the same.

[SebS]

@LapisLazuli 

Now to the lookup column

In SharePoint when you set up one You will have this prompt

How this work is first You picking List what become source of the lookup column than you picking Column what will be the main Source of Display Data the relationship is build by ID of the record and that's why when you patching ID is importend.

{

ID: <--- ID of Record in Sharepoint auto Generated ID Column

Value: <--- Data Showing / Existing in Column Chosen by You when You was creating LookupColumn

}

[LapisLazuli]

@SebS,

Thanks for the clarification ID/Value in Lookup columns.

Regarding the missing ID, it looks like my interpretation of the message is incorrect. However, I still get the same error message when trying your suggestion.

Let me investigate further, and come back with more details. Or hopefully a solution.

Thanks again for the time you spent on this question.

[SebS]

@LapisLazuli 

I'm more than happy to assist. Keep in mind if you want to show a gallery of parents and then when user clicks on a name of a parent you want to display all Children of that parent or the opposite you do not need the Lookup column

The lookup Column is Complex type and will create a lot of pain with Delegations and other things.

What You can do instead is create a fake relationship in SharePoint List and manage User Experience in Power App

What that means :

Parents have an ID now in Child Table you create a column caled ParentID and then You using Patch to add ID of a Parent to each new Child Record

What will look like this

ParentTable

ID: 1 ParentName: Chris

ChildTable

ID:1 Name:Joe ParentID:1

ID:2 Name:Santa ParentID:1

Result Parent Chris got two kids Joe and Santa 🙂

now in Power Apps, you create a gallery Parent and Gallery Child

Gallery parent Item property will be ParentTable, and Gallery Child item property will be Filter(ChildTable, ID = Galery_Parent.Selected.ID)

When the user will click on a parent all records with this parent ID will be displayed in ChildGallery.

hope this has sense keep in mind you can also nest galleries.

[LapisLazuli]

View LookedUpList 

View PatchedList 

Download .msapp file 

@SebS 

Hi,

Despite your help, I'm still stuck with the original question.

I can't manage to have this code work:

Patch(
      Datasource,
      Defaults(Datasource),

      {
       ParentName:
                {
                 ID:99
                 Value:"AnyExistingName"
                },
       OtherData:"other"
      }
)

In order to illustrate, I've created the two lists and a PowerApp app.

View LookedUpList 

View PatchedList 

Download .msapp file 

Here are the lists:

The App connects to this two lists. It has a single screen, with a single button. The OnSelect code is shown below. 

The error message is still the same.

What's wrong?

Thanks and regards

View LookedUpList 

View PatchedList 

Download .msapp file