Filtering and searching data

Introduction to Power Apps

Luise Freese

Azure & Power Platform Architect

Filter()

 

  • Filter(source, condition) returns matching rows
  • Use it in a gallery's Items property

  • For example:

    Filter(Tasks, Status = "In progress")

Illustration of a data funnel filtering many rows down to a few matching results

Introduction to Power Apps

Wire it to a dropdown

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Power Apps Studio: a Status dropdown set to Not started above a gallery, the gallery's Items formula reading Filter(Tasks, Status = Dropdown1.Selected.Value), so the gallery shows only the Not started tasks

 

  • Set the Dropdown's Items to a list of status options
  • Reference Dropdown1.Selected.Value in the gallery filter
  • Pick a status → gallery narrows instantly
Introduction to Power Apps

StartsWith versus Search

 

  • Search(), matches substrings, anywhere
  • …but doesn't delegate to most data sources
  • StartsWith() does delegate

Comparison: Search() with red X and delegation warning squiggle vs StartsWith() with green check and no warning, arrow labeled "Prefer"

Introduction to Power Apps

The delegation warning

Power Apps formula bar showing a formula with a blue squiggly delegation warning underline, and a yellow warning tooltip reading "Delegation warning: results may be incomplete"

 

  • A blue squiggle means Power Apps can't push your formula
  • It works for small datasets, silently truncates large ones
  • Always notice it; rewrite when you can
Introduction to Power Apps

Combining Filter and StartsWith

 

  • One Filter() can take multiple conditions
  • List them separated by commas, all must match
  • For example:

Filter(src, Status = sel, StartsWith(Title, txt))

 

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Power Apps Studio: a Status dropdown and a search box above a gallery, the gallery's Items formula reading Filter(Tasks, Status = Dropdown1.Selected.Value, StartsWith(Title, TextInput1.Text)), narrowing the list to the one matching task

Introduction to Power Apps

What you'll build

Finished Lumen app with a Status dropdown and search box above a filtered gallery of task cards, using warm coffee-brown accents

 

  • Filter by status with a Dropdown
  • Search by title with StartsWith
  • Combine both into a single filter
Introduction to Power Apps

Let's practice!

Introduction to Power Apps

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