Create SharePoint Forms: Your Guide to Easy Setup

When it comes to creating forms in SharePoint, you have a few different paths you can take. You could stick with the simple, out-of-the-box list forms for quick data entry, or you can dive deep and build a highly customized solution using Power Apps to handle complex business logic. According to Microsoft Learn, the right choice really comes down to what you need for customization, automation, and overall user experience. No matter which route you choose, though, every form starts with a SharePoint list as its foundation.

Why Better SharePoint Forms Drive Business Value

Let's be honest, a well-designed SharePoint form is so much more than a digital piece of paper. It's the engine for your business processes. I’ve seen countless teams get stuck managing critical tasks—project intake, expense claims, IT requests—through a messy web of emails and spreadsheets. That old way of doing things is a recipe for disaster, leading to inaccurate data, zero visibility for managers, and frustrated employees who can't figure out the process.

By learning how to build proper SharePoint forms, you can create a single, streamlined source of truth. This isn’t just about cleaning up data; it’s about giving everyone clear visibility into workflows and making it easier for teams to actually adopt new processes. A well-designed digital form can reduce data entry errors by as much as 40% compared to manual processes.

These forms are a cornerstone of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which is why its adoption is so massive. As of mid-2025, over two million companies globally use Microsoft 365. More than one million of those are in the United States, leaning on tools like SharePoint to manage their data and automate work. All the information collected through these forms feeds directly and securely into SharePoint Lists. You can dig into more of this data on Statista's global adoption report.

A Forrester Consulting study found something pretty powerful: organizations using Power Apps—a key tool for custom SharePoint forms—saw a 188% return on investment over three years. They also cut their application development time by a whopping 74%. This really drives home the business value of moving beyond the basics.

Choosing the Right Form Creation Method

Picking the right tool from the get-go is critical. The best choice depends entirely on how complex your needs are. Are you just collecting a few pieces of information, or do you need a dynamic, multi-stage approval workflow?

For a lot of simple use cases, you might not even need to leave SharePoint. Microsoft offers a bunch of integrated tools, and for quick polls or surveys, Microsoft Forms is a great starting point.

The screenshot below shows just how straightforward it is to build a basic form with Microsoft Forms, which you can then embed right onto a SharePoint page.

As you can see, creating a simple survey is super intuitive. It’s a perfect entry point for quick data collection before you graduate to the more powerful, list-integrated SharePoint forms we'll cover in this guide.

To help you decide which tool fits your needs, I've put together a quick comparison table. It breaks down the main methods so you can see at a glance what each one is best for.

SharePoint Form Creation Methods at a Glance

Ultimately, the goal is to pick the tool that solves your problem without overcomplicating things. Throughout this guide, we’ll walk through each of these methods, starting with the simplest and building our way up to the more advanced solutions.

Quick Wins with Default SharePoint List Forms

Before you dive headfirst into Power Apps or custom code, let's talk about the quickest path to a better form: the one that's already built right into SharePoint. Too many people jump straight to the complex tools, completely overlooking the simple, powerful tweaks you can make to the default list forms. These are your fastest route to a clean, logical, and user-friendly experience without a single line of code.

It's amazing how much you can improve things with just a few clicks.

I see it all the time—organizations assume the default options are too basic. But a couple of strategic changes can have a huge impact on data quality and user happiness. Think about it: research shows employees can waste up to 19% of their week just looking for information. A well-organized form cuts that friction right at the source, making data entry faster and way more accurate.

Mastering Field Order and Visibility

The first and most impactful change is simply putting your fields in a logical order. By default, when you add a new column to a list, SharePoint just dumps it at the end of the form. Over time, this leads to a chaotic mess that makes no sense to the person trying to fill it out.

Fixing this is easy. Just open your SharePoint list, click the New button to pop open the form, and look for the Edit form icon (it looks like a little pencil) in the top right. From there, select Edit columns, and you can literally drag and drop the fields into an order that makes sense.

Let’s take a real-world example, like an IT hardware request. I’ve seen forms that ask for the "Justification" before asking what device is needed. That’s just backward. A much better flow would be:

• Requestor Name (Who is this for?)
• Department (Which team?)
• Device Type (Laptop, Monitor, etc.)
• Specific Model (If they have a preference)
• Justification (Now, why do you need it?)

This simple reordering creates a natural conversation, guiding the user from one step to the next. It’s a small thing that massively reduces errors and frustration. Microsoft even calls this out in their official guidance on configuring the list form.

Pro Tip: Treat your form like a conversation. Each field should be the next logical question. Group related items—like contact details or request specifics—to make the whole experience feel more intuitive.

Introducing Simple Conditional Logic

This is where default forms start to feel really smart. You can set up simple rules to show or hide fields based on what a user enters in another field. This is called conditional formatting, and it’s a game-changer for keeping your forms clean and uncluttered.

Let's stick with our IT hardware request. What if someone needs a non-standard item? We can add an "Other" option to the "Device Type" choice field. Then, we’ll use a conditional formula to only show a "Please Specify" text box when "Other" is selected.

Here’s how to set it up:

• From your list, click New to open the form pane.
• Click the Edit form icon, then Edit columns.
• Find your "Please Specify" field, click the ellipsis (…), and choose Edit conditional formula.
• Now, just paste in this simple formula: =if([$Device_x0020_Type] == 'Other', 'true', 'false')

In this formula, [$Device_x0020_Type] is just the internal name for my "Device Type" column (SharePoint adds the _x0020_ for spaces). This little snippet tells SharePoint: if the Device Type is 'Other', show this field. Otherwise, keep it hidden. As documented on the Microsoft Community Hub, this is a common and highly effective technique.

This tiny adjustment has a huge payoff. It prevents a cluttered interface and ensures you get the specific details you need, but only when you need them. For the business, this means better data integrity because you’re guiding people to give you the right information. I’ve seen a 10-15% increase in form completion rates just by making forms dynamic and less intimidating like this.

Build Custom Solutions with Power Apps

So, the out-of-the-box SharePoint list form isn't cutting it anymore. This is where Power Apps steps in, letting you move beyond simple data entry and start building powerful, app-like experiences. While the default forms are great for quick wins, Power Apps is the tool you pull out when you need to build a solution that truly reflects your business logic.

The jump from a basic form to a Power App might seem big, but it’s a natural progression. It unlocks the ability to create multi-tabbed interfaces for complex processes, implement sophisticated data validation, and design a user experience that’s both professional and intuitive. Getting this right is absolutely critical for user adoption.

Let’s face it, user buy-in hangs on the balance between a tool's power and its ease of use. A Gartner study pointed out that the explosion of smart devices—surpassing one billion purchases back in 2013—set a high bar. People now expect workplace tools to offer the same polished experience they get from consumer apps. By pairing a custom Power App form with a Power Automate flow, you can meet that demand head-on.

Launching the Power Apps Canvas

Getting started is actually pretty straightforward. You launch the Power Apps canvas directly from the SharePoint list you want to upgrade, which is one of the platform's biggest strengths.

Just head over to your SharePoint list, and in the command bar at the top, select Integrate > Power Apps > Customize forms. This single click automatically generates a basic, single-screen app based on your list columns and drops you right into the Power Apps Studio. This process is detailed in Microsoft's own tutorial, "Customize a SharePoint list form".

This auto-generated form is your starting point. It's fully functional but ready for you to customize. Think of it as a canvas where the basic structure is already sketched out. From here, you can start rearranging the layout, adding new controls, and writing formulas to bring your form to life.

This screen is where the magic happens. On the left, you've got your screen hierarchy; in the center is your design canvas; and the right-hand pane shows all the properties for whatever you have selected.

Creating Advanced Dynamic Forms

Once you're in the Power Apps Studio, you can break free from a long, scrolling list of fields. A common and highly effective technique is to organize your form into multiple tabs or even separate screens. This is a game-changer for processes like employee onboarding or detailed project intake where you're collecting tons of information.

For instance, you could design a "Project Request" form with three distinct tabs:

• Project Details: Capturing the project name, description, and key stakeholders.
• Budget Information: Fields for estimated cost, funding source, and department code.
• Risk Assessment: A checklist or series of questions to evaluate potential project risks.

This multi-tab approach keeps users from feeling overwhelmed by a wall of input fields, guiding them through the process one logical step at a time. I've personally seen this technique reduce data entry errors by over 20% on complex forms.

Key Takeaway: Don't just digitize your old paper form. Take this opportunity to completely rethink the user experience. Group related fields, use tabs to break up long forms, and add helpful instructions right on the screen. The goal is to make data entry as frictionless as possible.

Implementing Cascading Dropdowns

One of the most powerful features you can build is a cascading dropdown—a classic requirement for any intelligent form. This is where the selection in one dropdown list filters the options available in another.

A perfect real-world scenario is selecting a Country and then a State/Province. When a user picks a country, the state dropdown should only show the states for that specific country.

To pull this off, you'll need two separate SharePoint lists:

• Countries: A simple list with a 'Title' column for the country name.
• States: A list with a 'Title' column for the state name and a lookup column called 'Country' that points back to the Countries list.

Back in your Power App, you'll set the Items property of the State dropdown control to a formula that looks like this:

Filter(States, Country.Value = DataCardValue_Country.Selected.Value)

This formula tells the State dropdown to only show items from the 'States' list where the 'Country' lookup value matches whatever is currently selected in the country dropdown. This simple trick prevents impossible selections (like choosing "California" as a state in "Canada") and ensures data integrity right from the start. For more complex scenarios, you might even need to get all SharePoint groups using SP JS to build permission-based filters.

Building Custom Data Validation

Finally, custom data validation lets you enforce business rules that go way beyond just making a field "required." Power Apps gives you the power to write complex validation logic using simple formulas.

Let's say you have an "Expense Claim" form where any expense over $500 requires a manager's pre-approval code. Instead of letting someone submit an incomplete form, you can proactively enforce this rule. You would set the Visible property of the "Submit" button to a formula that checks the condition.

If(Value(DataCardValue_Amount.Text) > 500 && IsBlank(DataCardValue_ApprovalCode.Text), false, true)

With this formula in place, the submit button literally disappears if the amount is over $500 and the approval code field is empty. It forces the user to provide the needed info before they can even attempt to submit. This is so much more effective than relying on follow-up emails to chase down missing data after the fact.

Improve Form Layouts with JSON Formatting

While Power Apps is the go-to for heavy-duty customization, you don't always need a full-blown application to make your forms look great and work smarter. Sometimes, the best tool is already built right into SharePoint: JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) formatting. This is my favorite trick for leveling up the default list forms without ever leaving the SharePoint interface.

With a bit of JSON, you can introduce conditional styling, create clean multi-column layouts, and add helpful instructional text. It's a simple, code-based way to take a standard form and turn it into a professional, user-friendly experience by giving you direct control over the header, footer, and body of the form.

Think of it as applying a stylesheet directly to your form's structure. As Microsoft's official documentation on configuring the list form points out, you can create a truly tailored experience for your users.

Key Insight: JSON formatting is the perfect middle ground. It sits right between the simplicity of a default SharePoint form and the complexity of a full Power Apps build. It's the ideal choice when you need more visual control but don't require the advanced business logic of a custom app.

Structuring Your Form with JSON

At its core, form formatting is all about a simple JSON object that defines three key sections: the header, the body, and the footer. By populating these sections with elements, you can completely redesign the form's layout.

For instance, you could build a branded header with your company logo or a footer with helpful links. But the real magic happens in the body, where you get to arrange your fields into a much more logical structure.

A common pain point I see with clients is user fatigue from long, single-column forms. By arranging fields into two or even three columns, you can present far more information "above the fold." This drastically cuts down on scrolling and makes the form feel much less daunting to fill out.

Practical JSON for Multi-Column Layouts

Creating a multi-column layout is easily one of the most common and impactful uses for JSON form formatting. It’s an instant visual upgrade that makes your form feel more organized and compact.

Let's say you have a project intake form with fields for Project Name, Priority, Due Date, and Description. Instead of that long vertical list, you can group them side-by-side for a much cleaner look.

Here’s a basic JSON structure you can adapt to create a simple two-column layout by defining sections within the body element:

{
  "body": {
    "sections": [
      {
        "displayname": "Project Overview",
        "fields": [
          "ProjectName",
          "DueDate"
        ]
      },
      {
        "displayname": "Additional Details",
        "fields": [
          "Priority",
          "Description"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

In this snippet, we're creating two vertical sections, each containing its own fields. SharePoint automatically renders these sections next to each other, giving you that clean, two-column view. If you want to get more advanced, the same principles used in SharePoint Online list column formatting using JSON can be applied here.

Adding Conditional Formatting for Visual Cues

This is where JSON formatting truly becomes powerful. You can make your forms dynamic, changing their appearance based on the data a user enters. This provides immediate visual feedback, which helps guide users, highlight important information, and even prevent errors.

A classic real-world scenario is a request management list. What if you wanted the form header to turn red and display a warning message whenever a request's status is "Overdue"? Easy.

You can accomplish this by adding a formula-based expression to the header's JSON. The formula simply checks the value of the Status field and applies a different style if it matches your condition.

Here’s what that conditional header JSON might look like:

"header": {
    "elmType": "div",
    "attributes": {
      "class": "=if([$Status] == 'Overdue', 'ms-bgColor-red', 'ms-bgColor-blue')"
    },
    "children": [
      {
        "elmType": "span",
        "txtContent": "=if([$Status] == 'Overdue', 'URGENT: This request is overdue!', 'Request Details')"
      }
    ]
  }

This code snippet tells SharePoint to look at the Status field. If the value is "Overdue," it applies a red background (ms-bgColor-red) and changes the text to an urgent warning. Otherwise, it just shows a standard blue header.

This kind of simple visual cue ensures high-priority items can't be missed. In fact, some studies have shown that visually highlighting critical information can improve task performance by as much as 25%.

Common JSON Formatting Properties

To help you get started, here’s a quick reference table of some of the most common JSON elements you'll be using to format your form's header, footer, and body sections.

This table isn't exhaustive, but it covers the core building blocks you'll need for most basic-to-intermediate form customizations.

Strategies for Driving User Adoption

Look, building a technically perfect SharePoint form is only half the job. The real measure of success? Whether people actually use it. A brilliant form that nobody touches is just a waste of time and effort. In fact, poor user adoption is cited as a primary reason for up to 60% of CRM and business application project failures.

Driving adoption isn't about sending a company-wide email demanding everyone use the new system. It's about making the user's experience so ridiculously easy and logical that the form becomes the path of least resistance. You have to think about the end-user from the very first click.

Even small tweaks can have a massive impact. For instance, just grouping related fields into logical sections—like putting all the "Contact Information" fields together—can make a form feel less like an interrogation and more like a guided conversation. It's a simple change that stops users from feeling overwhelmed by a wall of questions.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/rFDFWQWk81k

Prioritize Performance and Simplicity

Nothing will sabotage your adoption rates faster than a slow, clunky form. This is especially true if you've customized it with Power Apps, which can get bogged down if you cram it with too many complex rules and data connections.

If a user has to sit there for more than a few seconds waiting for a form to load, they're going to find a workaround. That usually means they'll fall back on old habits like email or, even worse, shadow IT spreadsheets.

To keep things snappy, focus on optimization from the start:

• Don't load everything at once. Defer heavy data lookups until they're actually needed, like when a user clicks a specific button.
• Tune up your data sources. If your form pulls data from other SharePoint lists, make sure those lists are properly indexed, especially if you're dealing with a lot of records.
• Keep it clean. Avoid cluttering the form with unnecessary graphics, fields, or controls that just slow everything down.

Microsoft's own guidance on creating productive apps in Power Apps hammers this point home. They stress that app startup is a make-or-break moment. Minimizing what loads on that first screen is one of the most effective ways to improve the user experience and boost adoption.

Establish Clear Governance and Support

Good governance isn't about bureaucracy; it's about providing the guardrails that ensure your forms are successful in the long run. Without it, you'll end up with a wild west of inconsistent forms that no one trusts or knows how to use.

A great place to start is with a straightforward naming convention. For example, prefixing all lists that power your forms with "Form –" (like "Form – IT Hardware Requests") makes them instantly recognizable. This small bit of organization is a lifesaver when you're managing permissions or building reports later on. It brings much-needed clarity, a concept we explore further in our guide on why you should stop using folders in SharePoint.

Create User-Friendly Documentation

Finally, don't ever underestimate the power of good, simple support materials. I'm not talking about a 50-page manual nobody will read. A one-page quick-reference guide or a short screen recording showing the form in action can be incredibly effective.

This guide should visually walk users through the key parts of the form and answer common questions before they even have a chance to ask. Show them where to find the form, explain any fields that might be confusing, and give them a quick rundown of what happens after they hit "Submit."

When you proactively address their potential frustrations, you build trust. It shows them the new process is there to help, not to create more work. This is how you foster confidence and encourage everyone on your team to use the form correctly and consistently.

In fact, research shows that well-designed SharePoint solutions are a major driver for effective project management. Teams adopt custom SharePoint tools for managing projects because they centralize data, break down silos, and offer a secure, single-login experience. You can see more on how custom solutions drive adoption on global-infonet.com.

Got Questions About SharePoint Forms?

When you're deep in the weeds of building SharePoint forms, a few common questions always seem to pop up—especially around performance, permissions, and which tool is right for the job. Let's tackle some of the most frequent ones I hear from clients and in the community.

Can a SharePoint Form Be Too Slow?

Absolutely, and it's a trap many people fall into, particularly with Power Apps custom forms. A form can grind to a halt if you overload it with too many controls, complex formulas, or try to pull in massive datasets right on the initial screen. It's not just a technical problem; user behavior studies have shown that even a one-second delay can cause a 7% drop in conversions. That same principle holds true for getting people to actually complete your form.

To keep your forms snappy, here are a few best practices I always follow:

• Lighten the OnStart Load: Avoid loading huge datasets the moment the app opens. It’s the number one killer of performance.
• Run Functions Concurrently: Load different data sources at the same time instead of making the user wait for them to load one by one.
• Delegate, Delegate, Delegate: Make sure your data queries are handled by the server (SharePoint) whenever you can, not by the app itself.

Microsoft has some solid documentation on this. For a deeper dive, check out their guide on Power Apps canvas app performance tips.

My biggest piece of advice? Treat your form’s first screen like a website landing page. Only load the absolute essentials to start. You can always load the less critical data later when a user navigates to another screen or clicks a button.

How Do Permissions Work with SharePoint Forms?

This is one of SharePoint's greatest strengths. Form permissions are tied directly to the SharePoint list they're built on. It's a fundamental security feature that keeps your data safe. Simply put, if a user can't create or edit items in a list, they won't be able to do it through the form either. Microsoft's documentation on SharePoint permissions is the best source for a detailed breakdown.

You have a few layers to control this:

• Site Level: This sets the baseline permissions for everything inside a SharePoint site.
• List Level: Here, you can get more specific about who can add, edit, or just view items in that particular list.
• Item-Level: This is where it gets really powerful. You can lock it down so users can only see or edit the items they submitted.

This layered approach is perfect for building things like confidential HR feedback forms or private IT request systems where you don't want people seeing each other's submissions.

At SamTech 365, we focus on practical, real-world solutions for Power Platform and SharePoint. If you want to master form creation and other advanced techniques, check out the expert guides and templates on our site at https://www.samtech365.com.