Pre-filtered dropdowns for Power Apps
TL;DR
Power Apps connector for Microsoft 365 approval workflow developers that auto-filters combo box dropdowns to show only 5 pre-approved users (synced from SharePoint/M365 groups) so they can eliminate manual filtering errors and reduce approval processing time by 5+ hours/week
Target Audience
Power Apps developers and business process automation teams in companies using Microsoft 365 for approval workflows
The Problem
Problem Context
Teams building approval workflows in Power Apps struggle with combo box dropdowns that show all users instead of just the relevant approvers. This forces manual filtering or workarounds, breaking UI consistency and wasting time.
Pain Points
The native combo box filter only works when typing manually, not when clicking the dropdown. Switching to a dropdown list causes visual inconsistencies (grey vs. white backgrounds). Failed attempts include clearcollect and manual name filtering.
Impact
Wasted 5+ hours/week per user on manual fixes. Approval flows stall or fail due to incorrect selections. Teams avoid Power Apps for critical workflows, losing productivity gains.
Urgency
Approval workflows are mission-critical for finance, HR, and operations. Delays or errors in selections directly impact revenue (e.g., delayed payments, missed deadlines). No native fix exists, forcing teams to accept broken UX.
Target Audience
Power Apps developers, business process automation teams, and Microsoft 365 admins in mid-sized companies. Also affects citizen developers who lack coding skills to fix dropdown issues.
Proposed AI Solution
Solution Approach
A no-code Power Apps connector that pre-filters combo box dropdowns to show only approved users (e.g., 5 approvers). It syncs with Microsoft 365 user data and ensures UI consistency (white dropdown backgrounds).
Key Features
- UI consistency: Matches the white background of other combo boxes.
- Dynamic sync: Pulls approver names from a SharePoint list or Microsoft 365 group.
- No-code setup: Drag-and-drop configuration in Power Apps (no Power Fx code required).
User Experience
Developers add the connector to their approval app in 2 minutes. End-users see a clean dropdown with only the 5 approvers, reducing errors. No manual filtering or workarounds needed—just click and select.
Differentiation
Unlike native Power Apps (which fails on dropdown filtering) or generic dropdown tools (which don’t integrate with Microsoft 365), this solves the exact problem: pre-filtered, UI-consistent dropdowns for approval flows.
Scalability
Starts with 5 approvers but scales to 50+ via tiered pricing. Supports teams of 10–1,000 users. Future features: role-based access, audit logs, and multi-language support.
Expected Impact
Restores broken approval workflows immediately. Saves 5+ hours/week per user. Reduces errors in critical processes (e.g., finance approvals). Teams can trust Power Apps for mission-critical apps.