SharePoint Document Issues

How to Populate a SharePoint Event Start Date from Calendar Selection

Tauseeq Magsi Oct 13, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs the Start Date field to automatically populate with the date clicked in a SharePoint calendar view when creating a new event.

How to Populate a SharePoint Event Start Date from a Calendar Selection

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Clicking 'New' on a specific date inside a SharePoint calendar view to create an event.
Observed behavior: The Start Date field in the new event form does not automatically inherit the selected date from the calendar. Calculated formulas also fail to capture the clicked date.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on your SharePoint site, as you will need the ability to customize list forms using Power Apps.

Solution 1Recommended

Customize the SharePoint Form with Power Apps

Since default calculated columns cannot capture user interface interactions, you must use Power Apps to capture the clicked date and pass it to the Start Date field.

By default, standard SharePoint list forms do not pass the context of the clicked calendar cell into the form fields. A calculated column formula like =IF(Progress="In Progress",TODAY(),"") only evaluates system data and the current date, not user interactions.

Customizing the list form with Power Apps allows you to set up context variables that can capture parameters from the SharePoint Integration control and populate the default values of data cards.

Open Power Apps from SharePoint

Navigate to your SharePoint calendar list. In the top command bar, click on 'Integrate', select 'Power Apps', and then choose 'Customize forms'.

Configure the SharePointIntegration control

In Power Apps, select the 'SharePointIntegration' control from the Tree View. Edit the 'OnNew' property to initialize a global variable that captures the currently selected date or context.

Update the Start Date DataCard

Select the 'Start Date' datacard in your form. Change its 'Default' property from the generic parent default to the variable you created in the previous step.

Save and Publish

Click 'File', then 'Save'. Once saved, click 'Publish to SharePoint' so that all users clicking 'New' on the calendar will see the customized form.

Customize the SharePoint Form with Power Apps

Calculated Column Limitations: Calculated columns are evaluated on the server side when an item is saved or modified. They cannot be used to retrieve client-side actions, such as which specific box a user clicked on a calendar view.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't the TODAY() formula work for setting the clicked date?

The TODAY() function inside a SharePoint calculated column dynamically evaluates to the current system date when the item is created. It does not have access to the user interface, meaning it cannot know which specific date box you clicked on the calendar view.

Can I fix this using out-of-the-box SharePoint settings without Power Apps?

No, standard out-of-the-box SharePoint list forms do not natively support passing the clicked calendar date into the 'New Item' form context. Customization via Power Apps, Power Automate, or custom SPFx web parts is strictly required.

Do I need a special license to customize SharePoint forms with Power Apps?

Basic Power Apps capabilities for customizing standard SharePoint list forms are generally included in most standard Microsoft 365 Enterprise or Business licenses. However, if you connect to premium data sources, additional licensing may be required.

Document & File Issues