Display a User's Department in a SharePoint List Column
Question details
Display a SharePoint list item's creator's department using Microsoft 365 profile information.
- Product
- SharePoint Lists and Power Apps
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A list owner wants to show profile information in a customized list form or store it in a standard list column.
- Observed behavior
- A standard list column does not automatically populate with the creator's department in every configuration.
Confirm that the list has a single-line text column named Department and that you can customize its form. Check that the relevant Microsoft 365 user profiles contain department information and that the form can use the Office 365 Users connector.
Show the creator's department in a Power Apps form
Use a customized form to look up the creator's profile and display the department in a visible, view-only field.
Displaying a profile value in the form does not automatically save it to the SharePoint column. The creator's identity may not be available through Created By until a new item has been saved.
Open the SharePoint list and select Integrate > Power Apps > Customize forms. Depending on the interface, the entry may appear as Power Apps > Customize forms.
In Power Apps Studio, open Data, select Add data, and add the Office 365 Users connector. Sign in or approve the connection if prompted.
Select the Department data card and ensure its Visible property is true. Unlock the card in the Advanced pane if necessary, then select its text input and set DisplayMode to DisplayMode.View.
Set the text input's Default property to an expression such as Office365Users.UserProfileV2(ThisItem.'Created By'.Email).department for existing items. Use the actual Created By field name offered by Power Apps, and test with an item whose creator has a populated department.
Select File > Save, then Publish to SharePoint. Open an existing item and confirm that the Department field displays the expected value.
Save the department to the SharePoint list column
Use this approach when the department must appear in SharePoint list views, filters, or exports rather than only in the form.
Restore the default SharePoint list form
Return to the standard form if a customized Power Apps form changes other field behavior.
Work with SharePoint list exports in WPS Office
WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative for working with exported list data and other Office files. Its familiar interface and format support make it easy to move existing documents into your workflow, though it does not configure SharePoint forms or profile lookups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Department column blank in my SharePoint list?
A standard text column does not automatically retrieve a user's profile department. Check that the profile has a department value, then use a Power Apps lookup and save its result to the column if you need it in list views.
Will hiding the Department card still display its value?
No. Setting the card's Visible property to false hides it in the form. Keep Visible set to true and set the text input's DisplayMode to DisplayMode.View if users should see but not edit it.
Can I display the creator's department before a new item is saved?
The Created By value may not be available until submission. If the current user is the intended creator, use User().Email in the Office 365 Users profile lookup for a new item and verify the result after saving.
Why doesn't the department appear in the SharePoint list view?
A value displayed only by a form control is not necessarily stored in the list. Check the Department data card's Update property, submit a test item, and add the Department column to the list view.
How do I stop using the customized Power Apps form?
In the list, go to Settings > List settings > Form settings, select Use the default SharePoint form, and save. The default form will not include the custom profile lookup.
