Power App with two screen; each screen uses a different data source

[smorley]

Hi everyone.

I've been doing a deep dive into Power Apps lately, after 3 years worth of deep diving in Power Automate.

I'm looking for some help with deep linking.  I watched one of Shane Young's videos (https://youtu.be/olJWU756tl0?si=8icGv1HgR-13zMiL) and I have it figured out for a one screen/one data source solution.

Here is my use case.

It's an LOA form in Power Apps that uses a SharePoint list as a data source.  When the LOA is created, it sends a copy of the item to an internal list. (This part can't change because of requirements.)

I send a deep link to the creator of the item after 30 days.  The update one field and it sends the update to the internal list.

It works great.

The part I'm working on now, is after the item gets created and gets copied to the internal list.  I want to send the LOA request to an approver so the approver can open up the item in the internal list with Power Automate.

Prior to using Power Apps, I would send them to the SharePoint Edit form like this:

What I would like to do is a deep link to the Power Apps Approval form, like I have for the original form.

Here are the properties in my app that I have so far.

On the AddForm

There may be a couple of things I haven't created screen shots for.

I think I need to add a variable that points to the ID of the internal list for the approval, and I think I need add another condition in the OnStart property to help achieve what I want in the email to the approver with the deeplink.

Thanks for listening everyone.

[hthpowerapper · Accepted solution]

Based on the detailed information provided, it seems like you have a fairly good grasp on how to set up deep linking for a single screen/single data source scenario, but are looking to expand this to cater to a different data source and screen within the same app for approval purposes.

Here’s a step-by-step suggestion on how you might achieve this, given your use case:

1. Identify Data Sources:

   • Ensure each screen in your Power App is correctly connected to its respective data source.

2. Variables:

   • Create a global variable that will hold the ID of the item in the internal list that needs approval. This could be done in the OnStart property of the app using the Set function, for example: Set(InternalItemID, Value).

3. Deep Linking:

   • Modify the deep link URL to include the necessary information for navigating to the approval screen and identifying the item to be approved.
   • Example URL: https://apps.powerapps.com/play/<app-id>?tenantId=<tenant-id>&screen=<approval-screen-name>&itemID=<internal-item-id>

4. OnStart Property:

   • In the OnStart property of your app, add logic to check for the presence of the itemID parameter in the URL, and if present, navigate to the approval screen and set the global InternalItemID variable to the value of itemID.
   • Example: If(!IsBlank(Param("itemID")), Navigate(ApprovalScreen, None); Set(InternalItemID, Param("itemID")))

5. Approval Screen:

   • On the approval screen, use the InternalItemID variable to look up the item in the internal list and populate the form fields as needed.

6. Email to Approver:

   • When sending the email to the approver, include the deep link URL with the appropriate parameters filled in.

7. Testing:

   • Thoroughly test the deep linking functionality by sending approval emails and ensuring the deep links correctly open the approval form with the correct item pre-loaded.

8. Error Handling:

   • Implement error handling to manage scenarios where the itemID parameter is missing or invalid, or if there are any issues with data retrieval.

[smorley]

This is incredibly thoughtful and well thought out @hthpowerapper .

You're also very generous with your praise, so I'll try to live up to it.

I can confirm that Identify Data Sources: all screens are linked to the correct data source.

Then I went to my OnStart Property and added Set(InternalItemID, Value) to the end, but I get an error, "Incompatible type. We cannot evaluate your formula because the context variable types are incompatible with the types of  values in other places in your app."

It makes me think one of two things.  That I have to initialize the variable (which is my Power Automate brain), or, more likely I have a syntax error.

[hthpowerapper]

I believe this problem comes from trying to use a context variable as a global variable or a global variable as a context variable... Set Global Variables using syntax Set(myVariable, myValueIWantToSetItTo).. Set Context Variables as UpdateContext({myVariable: myValueIWantToSetItTo})
Global Variables Are Accessible everywhere in your app and Context Variables Are accessible on the page you initialize them.. If you try to use Set on a context or updatecontext on a set it will cause an error.
Also Sometimes When you have an error during development the Variable will be set to error type until it refreshes. Otherwise you may have to make sure your values are of the same data type.

[smorley]

I'll take a look, I also just noticed an additional error in the formula I didn't see before.  
Name isn't valid.   'Value' isn't recognized.

[hthpowerapper]

in your Set(InternalIdItem, Value) you're telling it to set InternalIdItem to the variable or item named Value. I imagine Value isn't a variable and you're trying to access the value of perhaps a control. Also When Submitting Code You can use the insert code sample button above the text editor and it will be easier for other users to copy and paste your code.

[smorley]

I'm pretty sure this isn't right, but no errors.  I duplicated what I had above for the first form in the OnStart Properties.

I feel like what it should be is

OnStart

If the item is from the initial list show it to me, and if the item is from the internal form, show that one to me.