Start a flow in a canvas app

  • 2 minutes to read
  • Contributors
    • Stephen Siciliano
    • Anne Frances Owen
    • VSC-Service-Account
    • Michael Blythe

You can use Microsoft Flow to create logic that performs one or more tasks when an event occurs in a canvas app. For example, configure a button so that, when a user selects it, an item is created in a SharePoint list, an email or meeting request is sent, a file is added to the cloud, or all of these. You can configure any control in the app to start the flow, which continues to run even if you close PowerApps.

Prerequisites

Create a flow

  1. Sign in to powerapps.com, and then select Flows in the left navigation bar.

  2. On the My Flows page, select Create from blank.

    Option to create a flow without using a template

    PowerApps is added as the default trigger.

    PowerApps as the trigger that initiates the flow

  3. Select New step, and then select Add an action.

    Option to add an action

  4. In the box that says Search all services and actions, specify an action for your flow, as in this example:

    1. Type SharePoint in the box, and then select SharePoint - Create item in the list under Actions.

      Option to create a SharePoint item

    2. If prompted, provide credentials to connect to SharePoint.

    3. In the Site Address box, type or paste the URL of a SharePoint Online site that contains a list.

      Note

      Specify the URL for the site not including the list.

    4. In the List Name box, select the list that you want to use.

    5. Click or tap the Title box, and then select Add dynamic content.

      Add Ask in PowerApps parameter to Title field

    6. In the list of parameters, select Ask in PowerApps.

      Add parameter

  5. (optional) Specify one or more additional actions, such as sending approval mail to an address that you specify or creating a related entry in another data source.

  6. Near the top of the screen, type or paste a name for your flow, and then select Create flow.

    Name and save your flow

Add a flow to an app

  1. In PowerApps, select New in the File menu.

  2. On the Blank app tile, select Phone layout.

  3. Add a Text input control, and name it RecordTitle.

  4. Add a Button control, and move it under RecordTitle.

  5. With the Button control selected, select Flows on the Action tab.

    Flows option on the Action tab

  6. In the pane that appears, select the flow that you created in the previous procedure.

    Note

    If the flow that you created isn't available, confirm whether PowerApps is set to the environment in which you created the flow.

    Add a flow from the customization pane

  7. In the formula bar, type or paste RecordTitle.Text) at the end of the formula that's been automatically added.

    OnSelect property that includes the flow

Test the flow

  1. Open Preview by pressing F5 (or by selecting the arrow near the upper-right corner).

    OnSelect property that includes the flow

  2. Type or paste text in RecordTitle, and then click or tap the Button control.

    A SharePoint item is created in the list you specified with the text you specified as the title. If the list was open when the flow ran, you might need to refresh your browser window to show the changes.