Cascading Dropdowns Based on Lookup Columns

[JeremyWW]

Hi there,

I'm awfully new to PowerApps, so I'm sorry if this is perhaps a rudimentary question.

I'm using a SharePoint list to enter/track field observations.  There's several parks, several areas within those parks, and several attractions within those areas that the user needs to select, then there are some other fields they fill in based on their observations.

I want the user to select a park, then have the Area field only offer the areas based on the park selected.  Then I want the Attraction field to only offer options based on the Area selected.  I was able to create these cascading dropdowns in Infopath based on some YouTube videos I found, but I can't seem to find a similar resource that speaks my language just yet.

I've got 3 fields based on lookup columns - Park - Area - Attraction.  The fields lookup values from separate lists, which have the the necessary data to help me filter these (meaning Park is just a list by itself, but "Area Names" is a list that has the areas, then the correct park in the next column (which is a lookup value from the first list), and then another list is "Attraction Names" that has the (you guessed it) attraction names, then a lookup column from "Area names."  This is how I was able to get it set up in Infopath.

My questions:

1) Do I need to connect to the separate lists (that house the  are in order to accomplish this?  Or is linking to my main SharePoint list enough?

2) What's the code to filter the Area field based on the value of the park? (I can then change it to filter the Attractions based on the area).

3) Am I missing something?  Is there a resource out there that will help me do this?

Thanks in advance!

[Meneghino]

Hi, please try this:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Community-Blog/SharePoint-Cascading-Dropdowns-in-4-Eas...

[JeremyWW]

This is somewhat helpful, but it still doesn't quite me get there (thank you for helping point me in the right direction, though!).

The example shown creates new drop down boxes outside of the form, and in the gallery.  It shows them more as a proof of concept.  I created the app from my list, and I want the default "Area" and "Attraction" boxes to filter or become cascading drop down boxes, so that when the value is selected and the list item is saved, those values become the appropriate column.  In the example these are additional drop down boxes - not replacements for existing ones.

How do I take the existing drop down boxes and accomplish this?  Do I need to delete them and add a different type?  And if so, how do I make the value of those boxes get to the right spot on the list entry?

[Meneghino]

Hi @JeremyWW

I always create apps from a blank slate and create forms from the individual controls.  I find that as soon as you want to make any customisation, then in the end it is the easiest route.

The steps are the following:

1) Create a blank app

2) Connect your tables as data sources

3) Create the controls to display and input your data (including dropdowns)

4) Create a button to submit data changes as a Patch function

I am not trying to be unhelpful, but I have no real experience with forms and what little I did try put me off.

[GizmoVFS]

I found this the other day, and it really helped me implement cascading dropdowns:

https://wonderlaura.com/2017/08/16/powerapps-set-sharepoint-lookup-field/.  View the video (it's looong) because she has two ways of doing it, plus she shows more tips for PowerApps at the end.