#PowerPlatformTip 16: 'PowerApps: Collections Cookbook'

TL;DR: Use Matthew Devaney’s free PowerApps Collections Cookbook for copy-and-paste Power Fx recipes to handle advanced collection tasks.

Manipulating collections in advanced ways, numbering rows, counting distinct values, grouping, often goes beyond the built-in functions you reach for first. Matthew Devaney’s PowerApps Collections Cookbook is a free library of ready-to-use recipes for exactly these tasks.

💡 Challenge

You need advanced collection operations that aren’t obvious from the built-in functions, and writing them from scratch each time is slow.

✅ Solution

Use the PowerApps Collections Cookbook, a website full of copy-and-paste Power Fx recipes for common collection tasks.

🔧 How it’s done

1. Open the cookbook

🔸 Go to matthewdevaney.com/powerapps-collections-cookbook and browse the list of recipes.

2. Find your recipe

🔸 Look for the task you need, adding row numbers, counting distinct items, reversing a collection, and more.

3. Copy, paste and adapt

🔸 Paste the snippet into your app, test it in a safe screen, and adjust it to your data.

🎉 Result

You unlock advanced collection capabilities, row numbering, distinct counts and more, without writing the logic yourself.

🌟 Key Advantages

🔸 Ready-to-use snippets for complex collection tasks.

🔸 Higher productivity with proven recipes instead of trial and error.

🔸 More reliable apps thanks to tested examples.

🔗 Related Tips

• #PowerPlatformTip 93: Add RowNumbers, a specific cookbook-style recipe for numbering collection rows.

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🛠️ FAQ

Q1: Are the cookbook examples compatible with all Power Apps versions?

Most work across versions, though some newer functions may require an up-to-date Power Apps authoring version.

Q2: Can I modify the examples for my use case?

Yes. The recipes are starting points you can customise and adapt to your business requirements.

Q3: How often is the cookbook updated?

It’s maintained and expanded over time as Power Apps evolves, with new recipes and improved patterns.