Is it possible to embed barcode scanner into a model-driven app

[portals_user]

The barcode scanner function is available in the canvas app but I want it in the model driven app. Therefore I was trying out methods to embed canvas app into a model-driven app.

The first method was to create a custom page in model driven app, which would lead to a canvas app. However, there was no ‘barcode scanner’ component available to be included.

The second method was to embed the canvas app into a dataverse form. After I have successfully embed it into the form, I was unable to use the function on my phone. You can refer to the phone screenshot attached.

Any help would be appreciated!

[iAm_ManCat · Accepted solution]

Hi,

When you embed a canvas App, it runs in a browser, so you will be unable to use non-compatible functions like the barcode scanner as they require device-level access which is only available in the Android/iOS Power Apps App.

Cheers,

[portals_user]

Thanks for the clarification! That certainly means this method will not be usable since the barcode scanner can only work on the phone. Are there any other possible ways you know of, to possibly include a barcode scanner in a model-driven app? 

[iAm_ManCat]

I think it might be possible that you could write a custom PCF component for it, but you'd literally have to write a barcode scanner in react or find someone else who has written a barcode reader in react/javascript and transpose their code for your needs

[EP3 · Accepted solution]

Hey, if anyone else is looking, this is now available and it's pretty smooth once set up. So far I have discovered you can use the global search from the mag glass at the top on a phone, and you can set it to fill a field from text embedded in a qr code. Both these are fab for me, however I would ideally like to see a way to take just certain characters, in my case, the last 4, as I had originally planned to embed a URL such as my company com/mypage&qr=1234 and aim to extract the 1234. Not having to make a whole canvass app just for that function however, is hard to turn down! 

Anyway, an awkward part is you have to switch to classic editor to enable it, and mark your table to be part of the global search bar. There is a YouTube vid on it. Well worth looking at.

Happy scanning!

[MaFe]

Hi EP3

Could you please post link to the YT video ?

Were you able to configure it so that the Barcode search looks for a Barcode column ? Or is it just for primary Name ?

I'm trying to make this work right now, but at the moment it works only if I use barcode number as name.

Thank you

Kind Regards

Marek.

[EP3 · Accepted solution]

Yeah, so I made the table and the column (single line of text) searchable, the rest is as in the vid, here’s the link: https://youtu.be/rqEIaL3mOJc?si=XO1q7SuDY7HbSbLj

[EP3]

Soo... Does this mean I have made my first conclusive contribution? If Mr Original Poster wants to update the Accepted solution to mine, would be good to get my KDA up!

[IanJB]

The new Dataverse Search function is documented here:
Use Dataverse search for model-driven apps in the Power Apps mobile app - Power Apps | Microsoft Lea... 

This allows the top search bar in the model driven app to have a barcode scanner, only on phones; tables are not considered "mobile" unfortunately. I've been using this for a while now and it is really convenient for phone users, but a real drag since a lot of my users are running on tablets.

More info on which tables will be searchable (these tables must also be present in your model driven app to be searchable): Configure Dataverse search to improve search results and performance - Power Platform | Microsoft L...

The in-form barcodes scanner is documented here:
Barcode scanning and global search - Dynamics 365 Field Service | Microsoft Learn
But note that you cant use this on all column types, for example you cannot enable the scan control on a LookUp field, which limits its usefulness in my opinion. If anyone knows of any ways to scan in a value to a LookUp field's search input please share!