#PowerPlatformTip 53: 'Launch function'

TL;DR: Use the Launch function to open URLs, emails, phone calls, Teams/OneNote/SharePoint deep links, and role-based dashboards straight from your Power App.

💡 Challenge

In Power Apps, guiding users to external websites, emails, phone calls, collaborations, or personalized dashboards can require custom connectors or manual prompts.

✅ Solution

Leverage the Launch function to open URLs, start emails or calls, integrate with other apps, and direct users to customized content.

🔧 How It’s Done

1. Open essential external resources using Launch

🔸 Launch("https://www.example.com")

🔸 Launch("mailto:info@example.com")

🔸 Launch("tel:+1234567890")

2. Seamlessly integrate with other applications

🔸 Launch("msteams://teams.microsoft.com/l/channel/...")

🔸 Launch("onenote:https://example-my.sharepoint.com/personal/...")

🔸 Launch("https://example.sharepoint.com/sites/...")

3. Personalize the experience based on user roles

🔸 Example:

If(User().Email = "manager@example.com",
    Launch("https://www.example.com/manager-dashboard"),
    Launch("https://www.example.com/employee-dashboard"))

🎉 Result

Users can instantly access relevant external resources, collaborate seamlessly, and receive a personalized in-app experience without additional configuration.

🌟 Key Advantages

🔸 Immediate access to websites, email and phone calls

🔸 Seamless integration with Teams, OneNote, and SharePoint

🔸 Personalized navigation based on user roles

🛠️ FAQ

Q: Does the Launch function work on both web and mobile versions of Power Apps?

Yes, on both platforms, but behavior may vary. On mobile it can open native apps directly (like the phone app for tel: links), while on web it typically opens in the browser or prompts to open the associated application.

Q: Can I use Launch to open other Power Apps or Power BI reports?

Yes. Launch other apps using their web URLs, or use deep links for Power BI reports. For Power Apps use: Launch("https://apps.powerapps.com/play/[app-id]?tenantId=[tenant-id]").

Q: Are there any security considerations when using Launch with external URLs?

Yes. Always validate URLs before using Launch, especially from user input. Consider a whitelist of approved domains and avoid launching URLs that could redirect to malicious sites.

🔗 Related Tips

🔸 #PowerPlatformTip 67: ‘App-to-App Redirection’ - use Launch() specifically to redirect users from an old app version to a new one.

🔸 #PowerPlatformTip 159: ‘Direct File Download with Power Apps Launch()’ - a Launch() trick for forcing a real file download instead of a SharePoint preview.