Get Record Id After Submitting A Form In Power Apps

Quick Links :

Submitting a form in Power Apps can be a crucial step in managing data, whether it's for capturing user inputs, updating records, or creating new entries in a database. One of the common requirements after submitting a form is to get the record ID of the newly created or updated record. This ID can be used for various purposes, such as displaying a confirmation message, sending notifications, or even navigating to another screen for further actions.

Understanding the Problem

When a form is submitted in Power Apps, it doesn't automatically provide the ID of the record that was just created or updated. This is because the form submission process is primarily focused on updating the data source rather than returning specific details about the operation's outcome. However, Power Apps does offer several ways to achieve this, and we'll explore them in this article.

Using the LastSubmit Property

One of the most straightforward methods to get the record ID after submitting a form in Power Apps is by using the LastSubmit property. This property returns the last record that was submitted through the form, which includes the record's ID.

Set(varRecordID, Form1.LastSubmit.ID)

In this example, Form1 is the name of your form, and varRecordID is a variable that will hold the ID of the last submitted record. You can use this variable for further actions or navigate to another screen.

Benefits of Using LastSubmit

• Ease of Use: The LastSubmit property is easy to use and understand, making it a good choice for developers who are new to Power Apps.
• Immediate Access: You can access the record ID immediately after the form is submitted, which is useful for real-time feedback or immediate processing.

Utilizing the Patch Function

Another approach to get the record ID is by using the Patch function, especially when creating new records. The Patch function allows you to specify a record to update or create, and it returns the updated or created record.

Set(varRecordID, Patch(MyDataSource, Defaults(MyDataSource), Form1.Updates).ID)

In this example, MyDataSource is the name of your data source, Defaults(MyDataSource) specifies that you want to create a new record, and Form1.Updates contains the values to be patched into the new record. The Patch function returns the newly created record, from which you can extract the ID.

Advantages of Patch Function

• Flexibility: The Patch function offers more flexibility, as you can use it for both updating existing records and creating new ones.
• Explicit Control: You have explicit control over the data being updated or created, which can be beneficial for complex data operations.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Getting the record ID after submitting a form in Power Apps is a crucial step in many applications, enabling further processing, navigation, or feedback. Both the LastSubmit property and the Patch function are viable options, each with its benefits and use cases. By understanding and applying these methods, you can enhance the functionality of your Power Apps and provide a better user experience.

For more advanced scenarios or specific requirements, you might need to explore other Power Apps features or integrate with external services. Power Apps' community and documentation resources can be invaluable in this pursuit.