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Understanding the Underlying SharePoint List
Designer › Layout
Every Sintel Apps form is built on a SharePoint list. The list stores the data. Sintel Apps adds the form on top: its layout, rules and workflow.
What each part does
| The SharePoint list | Sintel Apps |
|---|---|
| Stores the items and their values | The form's layout and look |
| Permissions: who can see and change items | Rules in the Logic tab |
| Version history | The workflow: statuses and actions |
| Attachments, if they're turned on | How the form behaves (settings) |
Because the data is in SharePoint:
- For people in your organisation, SharePoint permissions apply, and your Microsoft 365 security, retention and compliance policies too. External access is the exception, see Configuring External Access Permissions.
- The data works with other Microsoft 365 tools, such as Power Automate, Power BI and Microsoft Graph.
- The data stays in your tenant. If you stop using Sintel Apps, the items remain in a standard SharePoint list.
Fields and list columns
When you add a field on the Layout tab and save the form, Sintel Apps creates the list column:
| Field | SharePoint column |
|---|---|
| Text | Single line of text |
| Multiline text | Multiple lines of text (plain) |
| Rich text, Enhanced rich text | Multiple lines of text (rich text) |
| Number | Number |
| Percentage | Number, shown as a percentage |
| Currency | Currency |
| Choice - Dropdown, Choice - Single, Choice - Multi | Choice (drop-down, radio buttons, or check boxes for several values) |
| Lookup | Lookup |
| Person, Group, Person or group | Person or Group |
| Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Date, Date Time | Date and Time |
| Hyperlink | Hyperlink or Picture (as a hyperlink) |
| Picture | Hyperlink or Picture (as a picture) |
| Signature | Multiple lines of text (plain) |
Some parts of the form have no column in the list:
- Related list and Related library: their rows are in another list or library, linked back to the item. See Related List.
- Widgets, such as HTML, Buttons, Spacer or Attachments.
The workflow keeps the item's status and history in columns of its own, such as Workflow Status. They aren't added to the list's views, and the designer doesn't show them.
When the list changes outside the designer
If someone changes the list's columns in SharePoint, for example deletes or changes a column, the designer notices it the next time you open the form. It shows Configuration validation results with the message Form configuration may be out of sync with SharePoint, and lists the Missing Fields and Changed Fields.
- Update configuration (recommended): brings the form in line with the list. Fields whose column was deleted, or changed in a way the form can't use, are removed from the layout.
- Continue without update: keeps the form as it is. When you save, columns that were removed are created again, and the form's settings can overwrite the changes made in SharePoint.
Good to know
- Make column changes in the designer when you can. It keeps the form and the list in step.
- Test bigger changes on a copy of the list first.
- For people in your organisation, Sintel Apps never lets them do more than SharePoint allows.
Related: Layout Tab (Overview), Field Properties.