I have come across many instances where the client wants to limit which status choices a user can select in a form. This is integral if you are controlling which fields are required to get to the next status in the workflow, to keep users from adjusting status to change things that might need to be locked down.

I tried several ways within Power Apps to control this but most attempted resulted in a circular reference. I eventually figured out a way. I wouldn’t doubt there are other ways to manage this, but I found this way to be pretty simple, straight forward and easier to adjust.

Givens for these instructions. Datasource is SharePoint, Status field is called Status.

Steps are as follows:

Within the SharePoint List, create a helper field. I typically name it hlp_Status. Make this a calculated field and set it to =[Status]

Create a SharePoint List that will be used to control which Status a user can select at each stage of the workflow. Title will be the Descriptions of your Status (Draft, Submitted, Cancelled, etc.). Add Yes/No fields for each of those Status. I like to name them Draft_Visibility, Submitted_Visibility, etc. Once that is constructed

Link this list to your Power App and refresh your connection to the original List

Personally I like to use Text Boxes for my Sharepoint fields. It gives me better control over the field in PowerApps. I add the Status datacard to my form and unlock. I then delete the text box and replace it with a combo box. I clean up any formatting errors that may appear. Then I update the combo box

I update the Items property to the following code:

Switch(
    ThisItem.hlp_Status,
    "Submitted", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Submitted_Visibility = true),
    "Assigned", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Assigned_Visibility = true),
    "In Progress", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, InProgress_Visibility = true),
    "Completed", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Completed_Visibility = true),
    "Pipeline", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Pipeline_Visibility = true),
    "Cancelled", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Cancelled_Visibility = true),
    "On Hold", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, OnHold_Visibility = true),
    "0", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Blank_Visibility = true),
    "Draft", Filter(Cmb_Statuses, Blank_Visibility = true)
)

I then update the defaultselecteditems properties to the following

If(
    IsBlank(ThisItem.Status) || ThisItem.hlp_Status = "0",
    Table({Title: "Draft"}), // Default to "Draft" when hlp_Status is blank or "0"
    Table(LookUp(Cmb_Statuses, Title = ThisItem.Status))

This also defaults the initial status to Draft. If you don’t want to do that, you can just use the code in the false result.

I then update the DisplayFields property to [“Title”]