cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply

Help with LookUp Columns - CDS Entities returning null data for lookups in PowerApps

Hello,

 

I've posted about this twice before over the past month with no answer from anyone from Microsoft, and now my project is way behind.

I have a PowerApp Canvas App I'm developing with the new CDS for Apps.
One of my custom entities has six lookup columns which I'm trying to load into a form from a Gallery.

When I open an item from the Gallery in a Form, most of the time it WILL NOT load LookUp data.
When I try to display the lookup information in the "DefaultSelectedItems" function, it is blank because the lookup data is blank.

When I compare the data of the Entity Row to what's in the database, it shows values for the lookups.
However, in the app it is 'blank'.  

This issue comes and goes (sometimes it works, usually it does not) and I can't make heads or tails of it.

How can I query for a specific entity row and ensure that ALL the columns, including the lookup columns, have data in them?  Is this an issue that is Microsoft is aware of, or is it possibly something I'm doing wrong?

27 REPLIES 27
Anonymous
Not applicable

I don't think it is just you. I am having a very similar issue.

Given 2 entities, Regions and RegionalGroups, where a Region has many RegionalGroups, I have a relationship between them:

Regions: {RegionName, RegionDescription}

RegionalGroups: {Region [as Lookup field], GroupName}

 

In a form or gallery displaying the RegionalGroups data, I should be able to reference the RegionName through that lookup field:

ThisItem.Region.RegionName

This will pass the syntax check, but most times it pulls in blank data. I've tried using "Value" for the lookup field as some older posts mention, but it is apparently no longer accepted by the compiler:

ThisItem.Region.Value   <----Produces RedX

I have had somewhat better luck with the LookUp() function, but even that gives me blank results sometimes, especially if a third entity is involved (where RegionalGroups are used in many Roles).

 

Role: {RegionalGroup [as Lookup field], Employee [as Lookup field], RoleName,...}

 

If I select the Role in a gallery and I want to store the Region, I should be able to do a LookUp against the RegionalGroup associated with the Role, and return the RegionName. For instance, I can return the RoleName with the LookUp:

LookUp(RegionalGroups, RegionalGroup = RolesForEmployee_BrowseGallery.Selected.RegionalGroup.RegionalGroup, RoleName)

But I CAN'T return the LookUp field through the LookUp() function:

LookUp(RegionalGroups, RegionalGroup = RolesForEmployee_BrowseGallery.Selected.RegionalGroup.RegionalGroup, Region.RegionName)

That, again, passes the syntax checker, but it returns blank.

 

 

Hey @Anonymous,

 

Good to know it's not just me.

Based on some blog entries I've read, PowerApps is supposed to 'intelligently' decide which columns to select.
In practice however, it does not seem to work very well at all.

Anonymous
Not applicable

@AccuFloDev, I just had a conversation with a PowerApps escalation engineer about my issue with LookUp columns returning blank data.

 

If it helps you, we converted my Lookup() formulas trying to pull in data from the LookUP columns into First(Filter()) statements, and it worked.

 

So, as an example, if my statement used to be:

Lookup(RegionalGroups,RegionalGroup=GroupID,Region.Region)

We changed it to:

First(Filter(RegionalGroups,RegionalGroup=GroupID)).Region.Region

And that pulled it in.

 

He said he'd seen where LookUp() doesn't always pull the data properly, and if it doesn't get it, it returns a blank, which is what I was seeing (and it sounds like you were, too).

 

Try that and see if it helps you.

Hey @Anonymous,

 

I did find the same behaviour as you did, where the First(Filter()) method would get what I wanted but not always.
A more reliable method I have found is (if this design is applicable) to do something like this:

 

  1. Use a Gallery control to select your item(s) to be opened in a Form

  2. Make sure the Gallery control template has every LookUp field you intend on using in the form displayed in a Label or similar control (The label does not need to be visible, just part of the Gallery Template).

    For example, if an Entity has a One-To-Many relationship, I would show something like Text = Text(CountRows(Entity.YourLookupColumn))

  3. Repeat for every LookUp column necessary

  4. When selecting an item to display on a form, make sure you pass it to the Form using ThisItem.Selected from the Gallery

By using the Gallery Control, PowerApps seems to use the Template to determine what data it needs to pull into the form.  I tested this by using one with the LookUp columns in the template, and one without.  The Gallery without the LookUp columns in the Template consistently returned empty data for Lookups.

 

Hopefully this workaround helps someone until MS can get the bugs ironed out of the current version.

Anonymous
Not applicable

Interesting that First(Filter()) didn't always pull the data for you, either. So far mine has been consistent, but I will have to watch for that.

 

I worried that a workaround like yours would be the solution. I was really hoping to avoid that length of a workaround just to get consistent returns from the datasource. Smiley Frustrated

KelvinBox
Frequent Visitor

6 months on and this is still a major problem!

It works sporadically and most of the hacks provided by Microsoft to make it work seem to only work 95% of the time... not good enough.

How do we find out if a real fix is being worked on?

Having the exact same issue here.

The CDS connection is touted as the better option, yet I am unable to retrieve any data that is a lookup.  Always comes through as blank.

At least with the Dynamics 365 connection I get the lookup data, but I lose a ton of capabilities.

When is a Microsoft PowerApps Dev Team resource going to respond to this? Or do I have to log a Service Request?

We have a service request open for it now, just waiting for it to be addressed.

Reporting same problem here. Not just LookUp() but also ClearCollect() pulls null values for lookup fields! Ridiculous!

Helpful resources

Announcements

Community will be READ ONLY July 16th, 5p PDT -July 22nd

Dear Community Members,   We'd like to let you know of an upcoming change to the community platform: starting July 16th, the platform will transition to a READ ONLY mode until July 22nd.   During this period, members will not be able to Kudo, Comment, or Reply to any posts.   On July 22nd, please be on the lookout for a message sent to the email address registered on your community profile. This email is crucial as it will contain your unique code and link to register for the new platform encompassing all of the communities.   What to Expect in the New Community: A more unified experience where all products, including Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio, and Power Pages, will be accessible from one community.Community Blogs that you can syndicate and link to for automatic updates. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this transition. Stay tuned for the exciting new features and a seamless community experience ahead!

Summer of Solutions | Week 4 Results | Winners will be posted on July 24th

We are excited to announce the Summer of Solutions Challenge!   This challenge is kicking off on Monday, June 17th and will run for (4) weeks.  The challenge is open to all Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio & Power Pages) community members. We invite you to participate in a quest to provide solutions in the Forums to as many questions as you can. Answers can be provided in all the communities.    Entry Period: This Challenge will consist of four weekly Entry Periods as follows (each an “Entry Period”)   - 12:00 a.m. PT on June 17, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on June 23, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on June 24, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on June 30, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on July 1, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on July 7, 2024 - 12:00 a.m. PT on July 8, 2024 – 11:59 p.m. PT on July 14, 2024   Entries will be eligible for the Entry Period in which they are received and will not carryover to subsequent weekly entry periods.  You must enter into each weekly Entry Period separately.   How to Enter: We invite you to participate in a quest to provide "Accepted Solutions" to as many questions as you can. Answers can be provided in all the communities. Users must provide a solution which can be an “Accepted Solution” in the Forums in all of the communities and there are no limits to the number of “Accepted Solutions” that a member can provide for entries in this challenge, but each entry must be substantially unique and different.    Winner Selection and Prizes: At the end of each week, we will list the top ten (10) Community users which will consist of: 5 Community Members & 5 Super Users and they will advance to the final drawing. We will post each week in the News & Announcements the top 10 Solution providers.  At the end of the challenge, we will add all of the top 10 weekly names and enter them into a random drawing.  Then we will randomly select ten (10) winners (5 Community Members & 5 Super Users) from among all eligible entrants received across all weekly Entry Periods to receive the prize listed below. If a winner declines, we will draw again at random for the next winner.  A user will only be able to win once overall. If they are drawn multiple times, another user will be drawn at random.  Individuals will be contacted before the announcement with the opportunity to claim or deny the prize.  Once all of the winners have been notified, we will post in the News & Announcements of each community with the list of winners.   Each winner will receive one (1) Pass to the Power Platform Conference in Las Vegas, Sep. 18-20, 2024 ($1800 value). NOTE: Prize is for conference attendance only and any other costs such as airfare, lodging, transportation, and food are the sole responsibility of the winner. Tickets are not transferable to any other party or to next year’s event.   ** PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED RULES for this CHALLENGE**   Week 1 Results: Congratulations to the Week 1 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge. Community MembersNumber of SolutionsSuper UsersNumber of Solutions @anandm08  23 @WarrenBelz  31 @DBO_DV  10 @Amik  19 AmínAA 6 @mmbr1606  12 @rzuber  4 @happyume  7 @Giraldoj  3@ANB 6 (tie)   @SpongYe  6 (tie)     Week 2 Results: Congratulations to the Week 2 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge. Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutions @anandm08  10@WarrenBelz 25 @DBO_DV  6@mmbr1606 14 @AmínAA 4 @Amik  12 @royg  3 @ANB  10 @AllanDeCastro  2 @SunilPashikanti  5 @Michaelfp  2 @FLMike  5 @eduardo_izzo  2   Meekou 2   @rzuber  2   @Velegandla  2     @PowerPlatform-P  2   @Micaiah  2     Week 3 Results: Congratulations to the Week 3 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge.   Week 3:Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutionsPower Apps anandm0861WarrenBelz86DBO_DV25Amik66Michaelfp13mmbr160647Giraldoj13FLMike31AmínAA13SpongYe27     Week 4 Results: Congratulations to the Week 4 qualifiers, you are being entered in the random drawing that will take place at the end of the challenge.   Week 4:Community MembersSolutionsSuper UsersSolutionsPower Apps DBO-DV21WarranBelz26Giraldoj7mmbr160618Muzammmil_0695067Amik14samfawzi_acml6FLMike12tzuber6ANB8   SunilPashikanti8

Check Out | 2024 Release Wave 2 Plans for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform

On July 16, 2024, we published the 2024 release wave 2 plans for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. These plans are a compilation of the new capabilities planned to be released between October 2024 to March 2025. This release introduces a wealth of new features designed to enhance customer understanding and improve overall user experience, showcasing our dedication to driving digital transformation for our customers and partners.    The upcoming wave is centered around utilizing advanced AI and Microsoft Copilot technologies to enhance user productivity and streamline operations across diverse business applications. These enhancements include intelligent automation, AI-powered insights, and immersive user experiences that are designed to break down barriers between data, insights, and individuals. Watch a summary of the release highlights.    Discover the latest features that empower organizations to operate more efficiently and adaptively. From AI-driven sales insights and customer service enhancements to predictive analytics in supply chain management and autonomous financial processes, the new capabilities enable businesses to proactively address challenges and capitalize on opportunities.    

Updates to Transitions in the Power Platform Communities

We're embarking on a journey to enhance your experience by transitioning to a new community platform. Our team has been diligently working to create a fresh community site, leveraging the very Dynamics 365 and Power Platform tools our community advocates for.  We started this journey with transitioning Copilot Studio forums and blogs in June. The move marks the beginning of a new chapter, and we're eager for you to be a part of it. The rest of the Power Platform product sites will be moving over this summer.   Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the launch. We can't wait to welcome you to our new community space, designed with you in mind. Let's connect, learn, and grow together.   Here's to new beginnings and endless possibilities!   If you have any questions, observations or concerns throughout this process please go to https://aka.ms/PPCommSupport.   To stay up to date on the latest details of this migration and other important Community updates subscribe to our News and Announcements forums: Copilot Studio, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages