How to Keep Imported SharePoint Excel Items in Alphabetical Order in Power Apps
Question details
The user needs to maintain alphabetical sorting for an Excel table imported into a SharePoint list when it is displayed in a connected Power Apps application.
- Product
- SharePoint and Power Apps
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Displaying data from a SharePoint list (imported from Excel) within a Power Apps dropdown or gallery, where new entries must be sorted alphabetically.
- Observed behavior
- New items added to the list appear at the bottom instead of in alphabetical order. Temporary sorting and new views created in SharePoint do not persist in the connected Power Apps interface.
Ensure you have edit permissions for both the SharePoint list and the Power Apps application, and verify that the app is connected to the correct data source.
Apply Sorting Directly Using SortByColumns in Power Apps
Power Apps does not automatically inherit SharePoint view sorting. Use the SortByColumns function to enforce alphabetical order directly in the app.
When you connect a SharePoint list to Power Apps, the application retrieves the raw data rather than the specific view formatting configured in SharePoint. To ensure items always appear alphabetically in your dropdown or gallery, you must apply a sorting formula directly to the Items property of the control.
Log in to Power Apps, select your application, and click 'Edit' to open it in Power Apps Studio. Select the control (such as a Dropdown, Combo box, or Gallery) that displays your SharePoint data.
With the control selected, go to the right-side properties pane or use the formula bar at the top to locate the 'Items' property.
Modify the formula to wrap your data source with the SortByColumns function. For example, enter: SortByColumns(YourSharePointList, "Title", SortOrder.Ascending).
Click 'File' > 'Save', and then publish the app. New items added to the SharePoint list will now automatically be sorted alphabetically in the app.
Create a Dedicated Sorted View in SharePoint
Create a permanent SharePoint view sorted alphabetically to keep the backend list organized, which makes managing the raw data easier.
Troubleshoot Browser and Data Connection Caching
Verify that caching or browser-specific issues are not preventing the Power Apps list from updating correctly after new items are added.
Manage Your Spreadsheets Efficiently with WPS Office
While SharePoint and Power Apps require complex configurations for simple sorting tasks, you can manage, sort, and organize your Excel tables seamlessly offline with WPS Office. It is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office.
- 1. Open Your File: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your .xlsx or .csv data file.
- 2. Select the Data: Highlight the column or data range you wish to organize.
- 3. Sort Alphabetically: Navigate to the 'Data' tab on the top ribbon and click 'Sort Ascending' to instantly organize your items from A to Z.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Power Apps dropdown not match my SharePoint list order?
Power Apps fetches the raw data from your SharePoint list and does not inherit the specific view or sorting configurations set up in SharePoint. You must explicitly define the sorting order within Power Apps.
How do I sort a dropdown alphabetically in Power Apps?
Select your dropdown control, navigate to the 'Items' property in the formula bar, and use the formula: SortByColumns(YourDataSource, "ColumnName", SortOrder.Ascending).
Will creating a new view in SharePoint fix Power Apps sorting?
No, a new view in SharePoint only organizes the data when viewed directly in the SharePoint interface. It does not automatically apply that sorting order to connected Power Apps.
What happens if new items added to the SharePoint list appear at the bottom?
This is the default behavior for new list items in SharePoint when no explicit sorting is applied. To fix this in your app, ensure your Power Apps data source has ascending sorting explicitly configured using the SortByColumns function.
