Form-Based App with Database as the Data Source

This topic explains how to create a form-based app with database in the Modern Add an App Experience.

Background and Setup

Prerequisites

Good to Know

  • After you create a form-based app, you cannot change the app to use a different data source. For example, you can not change a form-based app to use a different entity or SharePoint list than the one specified when the app was created. This limitation also applies to cloned apps. That is, you cannot clone a form-based app, and then change the data source in the cloned app.
  • Once configured, the primary data source in a data source bound app cannot be deleted. Deleting the primary data source can lead to unexpected behavior or errors in your app because it is the main source of data for the app.

How to Start

  1. Click App Builder.

    Click App Builder
  2. On the App Builder Home screen, click Add App.

    Click Add App
  3. On the What type of app would you like to build? screen, click Form-Based App.

What type of app would you like to build? screen

Configures the type of app to create.

Figure: What type of app would you like to build? screen

What type of app would you like to build screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

App Type

Description:
Specifies the type of app to create.
Allowed Values:
Default Value:
Process-Based App

How will people identify your app? screen

Configures the basic information for your app.

Figure: How will people identify your app? screen

How will people identify your app screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

App Name

Description:
Specifies a name for your app.
Allowed Values:
One line of text (a string).

Accepted:

  • Letters
  • Numbers
  • Spaces
Default Value:
None

Language

Description:
Specifies the language for your app.
Allowed Values:
A language from the list.
Default Value:
None
Accepts Variables:
No

Category

Description:
Specifies a category for your app.
Allowed Values:
A category from the list.

The category list comes from Tenant Settings > Categories tab.

Default Value:
None

Description

Description:
An optional description for your app.
Allowed Values:
More than one line of text.
Default Value:
None

Enable Collaborative Development

Description:
Specifies whether app designers can use collaborative development to work on the app.
Allowed Values:
  • Selected - App designers can use collaborative development to work on the app.
  • Deselected - Collaborative development is not enabled for the app. Only one user at a time can check out the files for the app.
Default Value:
Deselected
Example:
Refer to:
Limitations:

This field is available in these releases:

Do you want create widget Form (not typical) screen

Specifies the type of the form to create.

Figure: Do you want create widget Form (not typical) screen

Do you want create widget From screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Widget Form

Description:
Specifies whether to create a widget form that can show information on a custom page in Page Builder.
Allowed Values:
  • Not Required - Creates a standard form-based app, which can not be used in a widget.
  • Yes, Create Widget Form - Creates a widget form to show information based on lookups. Widget forms can only be used in Page Builder.
Default Value:
Not Required

Where do you want to store the data for your app? screen

Specifies to store and retrieve the data from the data source for your form-based app.

Figure: Where do you want to store the data for your app? screen

Where do you want to store the data for your app screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Select Data Source

Description:
Specifies the primary data source your app uses to store and retrieve data.
Allowed Values:
Default Value:
AgilePoint Data Entities

How do you want to set up your entity? > Configuration tab

Configures how to collect data from a database table for a form-based app..

Figure: How do you want to set up your entity? > Configuration tab

Configuration tab

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Data Source Name

Description:
Specifies a name for your data source.
Allowed Values:
One line of text (a string).

Not Accepted:

  • Spaces
Default Value:
None
Accepts Variables:
No

Database

Description:
Specifies the access token that connects to your database.
Allowed Values:
A list of access tokens configured for your environment.
Default Value:
None

Schema Name

Description:
Specifies your process schema.
Allowed Values:
A schema name from the list.

When you select a database, the schemas associated with the database show in this field.

Default Value:
None
Limitations:
  • This field does not apply to MySQL databases.

Primary Entity Name

Description:
Specifies the database table to use for your form. The form-based app stores data in this table and uses the columns in this table to create access tokens.
Allowed Values:
A database table from the list.
Default Value:
None.

When you select the database access token, the database tables show in the Primary Entity Name list.

Accepts Variables:
No

How do you want to set up your entity? > Fields tab

Specifies the database columns to use in a form-based app.

Figure: How do you want to set up your entity? > Fields tab

Fields tab

Prerequisites

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Check box

Description:
Specifies the database columns to use on your form.
Allowed Values:
  • Selected - Your form contains the database column.
  • Deselected - The database column does not show on your form.
Default Value:
Selected

Display Name

Description:
Shows the database column associated with a database table.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Data Type

Description:
Shows the data type of a database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Required

Description:
Specifies whether the value is required in the database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Unique

Description:
Shows whether a duplicate value is permitted in the database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

How do you want to set up your entity? > Related Entities tab

Specifies the primary key / foreign key database table relationships to use in a form-based app.

Figure: How do you want to set up your entity? > Related Entities tab

Related Entities tab

Prerequisites

Good to Know

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Check box

Description:
Specifies whether to use the relationship on your form.
Allowed Values:
  • Selected - Your form uses the relationship.
  • Deselected - Your form does not use the relationship.
Default Value:
Deselected

Display Name

Description:
Shows the database column associated with a database table.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Data Type

Description:
Shows the data type of a database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Required

Description:
Specifies whether the value is required in the database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Unique

Description:
Shows whether a duplicate value is permitted in the database column.
Allowed Values:
Read only.

Anything else right now? screen

Configures the optional features for your form-based app.

Figure: Anything else right now? screen

Anything else right now screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

Access Tokens

Opens this Screen:
The configuration screen for your access token. The specific screen that shows depends on your access token type.

For more information, refer to Access Tokens.

Function of this Screen:
Configures an access token.

Document Repositories

Opens this Screen:
The configuration screen for your document repository. The specific screen that shows depends on your document repository type.

For more information, refer to Document Repositories.

Function of this Screen:
Configures your document repository.

Style Sheets

Description:
Uploads CSS files to change the look and feel of your eForms.

Groups and Roles

Description:
Creates groups and roles for the access rights for an app.

Images

Description:
Uploads image files to customize your app.

JavaScript

Description:
Uploads JavaScript files to use in eForms.

Who can access your app? screen

Configures the permission groups for an app.

Figure: Who can access your app? screen

Who can access your app screen

Fields

Field NameDefinition

App Owners

Opens this Screen:
App Owners
Function:
Specifies the users and groups who are App Owners.

App Designers

Opens this Screen:
App Designers (permission group)
Function:
Specifies the users and groups who are App Designers.

App Initiators

Opens this Screen:
App Initiators
Description:
Specifies the users and groups who are App Initiators for an app.
Limitations:
Users and groups can only be assigned to the App Initiators permission group after an app is published.