Optimizing submissions to Sharepoint?

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Currently I have an Inventory Count app, and it scans and stores data. 

Item Code, Item Unique ID, Who Counted, When Counted, and Where Counted.

These information are stored per Item Count and submitted to a Sharepoint list and I don't want to lose any information.

The upload takes long, and times out if the phone screen turns off or switched to another app. 

Is there a way to optimize this? 

(Ex.Storing Who/Where counted to each Item Code, after it has been submitted rather than before the submission?) 

Thank you, 

[mdevaney]

@Anonymous 
Please give all information needed for me to replicate the problem.  I cannot picture what you are talking about.

Be sure to provide screenshots, data and any relevant code.

[v-bofeng-msft]

Hi @Anonymous :

If there is any error in my description, please help me to point it out:

• You are trying to dump data from a collection to SharePointList.
• During the transfer process, the user can exit the app.
• The unfinished transfer process can continue when the user returns to the app.

I assume the above assumptions are true.I suggest you use the timer control to transfer data one by one

I've made a test for your reference(All the codes below have been tested and work well😞

1\Add a timer control

Duration

2000/*loop in 2s*/

OnTimerEnd

Patch(
    YourSPList,
    Defaults(YourSPList),
    {column1: First(YourCollection).column1,column2: First(YourCollection).column2}
);/*Submit the first record in the collection to the SPlist*/
Remove(
    YourCollection,
    First(YourCollection)
);/*Delete the data that has just been submitted in the collection*/
SaveData(
    YourCollection,
    "Savefile"
)/*Save the unsubmitted data locally*/

Repeat

CountRows(YourCollection)>=1 /*The control will not stop working until all the records in YourCollection are submitted or the user exits the app*/

Text

If(CountRows(YourCollection)>0,"There are unfinished transfer tasks","No outstanding transfer tasks")

2\Set the app's OnStart property to:

LoadData(YourCollection,"Savefile");

The user exits the app during the process of uploading data, and the unfinished work will be saved locally. When the user returns to the app, he can click the timer control again to continue the last unfinished transmission.

Best Regards,

Bof

[Anonymous]

@v-bofeng-msft 

Yes, they count over 800 items so it takes a long time for it to upload. Maybe 1 minute per 100 items. 

Is it normal for the App to timeout when the screen locks out/another app is used?  

For the solution: 

I currently have it so when they click the submission button, it adds a random generated string to identify that Inventory Count. I call this variable ScanID 

I'm assuming that I will have to move this somewhere, maybe when this app is first opened(?) but this might generate another number if kept the same. 

Where do you think is the best placement of the random generated string? 

[v-bofeng-msft]

Hi @Anonymous :

Has your solution solved your problem?

If you use a random number to assign a value to this variable, then when you open the app again, you will not be able to get the value obtained last time (because all variables will be cleared after the app is reopened)

Similarly, if the data you need to submit is in a collection, then open the app again, it will also disappear.

Best Regards,

Bof

[Anonymous]

@v-bofeng-msft 

Right, so even if I use SaveData(), I will have generated a new set of random variables.

Going back to your original solution.

*Before implementing your timer

The default of the application is to stop the submission when the application is not in use? 

So if I open SMS or Mail, then it stops submission, and won't be running in the background? 

Is there a way to make it submit it while in the background, as the complaint is that the App takes really long to submit, and must be on (On the actual app, and not on a different application or phone is timed out and locked) 

[v-bofeng-msft]

Hi @Anonymous :

Do you want to run a canvas app in the background?

The user gan791988 has faced same needs with you, please check the following thread:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Canvas-app-on-mobile-device-not-updating-the-data-in-dynamics/m-p/206461#M66184

Running a canvas app in the background is not supported within PowerApps currently, if you would like this feature to be added in PowerApps, please submit an idea to PowerApps Ideas Forum:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/idb-p/PowerAppsIdeas

Best Regards,

Bof