Timeline Control - Manually Selecting Date and Removing Activity Status Label

[joew72]

So, we recently underwent the 2020 Release Wave 1 and we're enjoying a lot of the updates. However, I am now noticing a slight issue due to a workaround I had previously made.

We're using a model-driven app as a case management system. Currently, on the Timeline control, the activity status (e.g. Overdue, Closed etc.) is now showing up (where previously it did not show). For all intents and purposes, this seems sensible however it has now highlighted a bad practice I did as a workaround to another problem.

My initial problem was that on all activity entities, it did not seem possible to allow the user to manually select a 'Date' as to when an activity took place. There are about 8 different OOB date/date & time fields (Start Date, Sort Date, Actual Start, Due Date, Sent Date etc.) but we only really needed one date & time field as to when the activity took place (we're not overly fussed about keeping track of when it was due etc.). The problem we had was that there did not seem to be a way to manually set the date as it would default to when the actual record was created...this wouldn't be a problem if the user recorded the activity as and when it was happening but obviously this isn't always possible.

I did look through the timeline control guide (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/model-driven-apps/set-up-timeline-control) but this didn't seem to solve my problem.

So, my workaround was to use the field 'Due Date' as this could be manually set by the user. I then changed the description so that the user would just see this labelled as 'Date and Time'. This also meant I could order the Timeline by Due Date so it seemed to work.

However, having updated, I'm now seeing the activity status and everything is displaying as Overdue! I can't seem to find a way to remove the Overdue label and am now beginning to wish I had not used Due Date in the first place but it seemed like the best workaround at the time.

Any suggestions on either:

1. Solving the initial problem of having a date field which the user can set manually.

2. Removing the overdue label on the timeline so as not to confuse users.

Many thanks for any help anyone can give on this

[joew72 · Accepted solution]

It's taken me a while but I found a fix to my problem based on a blog I found:

https://www.inogic.com/blog/2017/01/sort-activities-by-custom-date-fields-on-the-socialactivity-pane...

The first problem, I *badly* "solved" by using Due Date. The solution to this was to use what is outlined above - briefly put, create a custom Date and Time; set up a Business Rule to update 'Sort Date' field; and voila, you can then sort everything by Sort Date.

The second problem (everything showing as Overdue), I haven't worked out how to remove this label but it now displays as Active as I am no longer using Due Date as my main 'Date and Time' reference. I did have to update all the Due Date columns to have no data in though.

Hope that makes sense, feel free to drop me a line if anyone else encounters a similar problem.

[joew72 · Accepted solution]

Again, adding to my own solution but might be useful if someone sees it. Power Apps has now been updated so that you can edit the Timeline control on the new forms editor (as opposed to using the old system). 

You can untick a box 'Enable status tag' under each Activity to remove things like 'Overdue' or 'Active' showing! Thanks!

[js3]

In the "Configure Form" section, click on the symbol of a pencil:

This takes you to the controls where you can hide the label: