Edit lists in the app | Mobile data collection

With the "Allow client changes" feature, you can edit the contents of your list directly from your smartphone, and change data in the source file while you're on the road.

In addition to adding new lines to your list, you can use Open as App to create your own mobile data collection.

• General information
• Allow editing lists
• Edit data in Google Sheets
• Edit and save data on the app
• Exclude individual columns from editing
• Add new entries to the list
• View all changes in the data log
• Download updated spreadsheet

General information

The "allow editing lists" feature is available for Excel files that are hosted on the Open as App Cloud (Microsoft Azure Europe).

If you have created your app based on a Google Sheets Spreadsheet, it's also possible to edit the source file via the app. Please make sure that you have set the link release for this file to "Anyone with the link can edit".

If you have created your app from an Excel file hosted in your Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive, it will also be possible to edit this source file through the app. Visit this article for information: "Switching the source spreadsheet of the app". 

We are already working on additional connections, so you can quickly restore data to a third party system such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, NAV, etc.

Allow editing lists

To edit data in your list using the app, you must enable the "Allow editing lists" feature. By enabling this feature, users can add new data to the list and edit existing data. All activities are listed in the change protocol.

To enable the "Allow client changes" feature, proceed as follows:

1. Open your app on the web portal
2. Navigate to the "Manage Data" view on the left menu.
3. Select "Allow client changes".
4. Activate the switch "Allow editing lists".
5. Save the changes and update your app.

After checking your app for updates, your lists can be edited via your mobile device.

Please be advised that this functionality is also supported for files hosted in your Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive. Moving the file to the Open as App Cloud or turning it into Google Sheets will enable this functionality. Visit this article for information: "Switching the source spreadsheet of the app". 

Edit data in Google Sheets

You can also use the "Allow editing lists" feature with Google Sheets (beta).

After you enable the "Allow editing lists" feature for your app (which in this case is based on a Google Sheet), you need to check the link release settings of the source file and, if necessary, change it.

To do this, log into your Google Account, open the spreadsheet and change the release link to "Anyone with the link can edit".

Please note that when adding a new record, formulas from the previous line will not be copied to the new line or will continue in the new line. Any calculation logic that you apply at the row level will, therefore, be unavailable in the new row.

Errors during editing

If you experience problems editing a record, check the address set for your list item. Make sure that you only specify the starting point - that is, the cell in which your list begins (Table1!A1) and not a fixed defined range (Table1!A1:D30).

Edit and save data on the app

You can edit already existing datasets (individual lines of your list) in the app as follows:

1. Open your app.
2. Click the entry that you want to edit to open the detailed view.
3. In the detail view, click the icon at the top right (pen) to start editing.
4. Change the desired values.
5. Save the changes by clicking on the icon at the top right (disk).

Depending on how the columns are defined for the detailed view of your list (type of column), you can change the values from this column with a suitable input method. In the case of columns that are defined as "Date", a calendar can be opened, for example, which allows you to quickly and conveniently select a date.
When editing numbers, the number pad opens, for selection lists (toggle), you can select the permitted values via a drop-down menu, etc.

To change the type of column, open the app in the portal » Open the editor for your list » Define the type of column for the detailed view (right).

You will find a tutorial for creating an inventory list app here: https://support.openasapp.net/hc/en-us/articles/207918675-Create-an-app-with-a-dynamic-dashboard-from-an-Excel-inventory-list. This article explains the app creation process step by step.

Exclude individual columns from editing

It is possible to exclude individual columns from editing. Columns excluded from editing are displayed like editable columns in the detail view. However, if you start editing the dataset, only the editable values remain visible so that the user can "work through" faster and only the permitted values can be changed.

This setting can be defined in the tab "Main" of the list editor.

1. Open your app on the web portal.
2. Open the editor for the list. (Preview » pencil icon on the list item)
3. In the "Main" tab, click on the pencil icon at the corresponding column on the "Detail view" column (right).
4. Select the desired setting:
   "Read and write" = Column can be edited
   "Read only" = Column cannot be edited
5. Confirm the changes by clicking on the check mark at the bottom of the editor.
6. Save the changes and update your app.

Add new entries to the list

You can add new entries to your list, so you can not just edit existing data, but also use your app as a data collection device.

Please note that no new formulas will be transferred / copied / updated into the new line if using a Google Sheet, so that no calculations are made within the lines. Only the formatting of the respective column is considered.

New entries can be added via the big "+" button within your app or as follows:

1. Open your app.
2. Flip the right function menu.
3. Click "Add".
4. Enter the desired values in the detail view.
5. Save the dataset by clicking on the icon at the top right (disk).

View all changes in the data log

The data log allows you to track all changes. For example, you will find information about which data was saved or changed by which user and when it happened.

In the "Show change protocol" view, all changes are listed in tabular form. This table can be filtered, grouped or searched according to specific values.

The data log is automatically updated when you open the "Show change protocol" view.

To see the data log, proceed as follows:

1. Open your app on the web portal and navigate to the “Manage Data” view on the left menu.
2. Go to the "Show change protocol" view.

The data log can also be downloaded as a complete Excel file. You can import this file into one of your systems, for example.

1. Open your app on the web portal and navigate to the Manage Data view in the left menu.
2. Go to the "Show change protocol" view.
3. Below the chart, with all the data sets you will find the "Download" button to download the whole data log as a .xlsx file.

Download updated spreadsheet

The updated spreadsheet (filled with new data on the App) can be downloaded as a complete file.

If your app is based on a Google Sheet (refer: "Edit data in Google Sheets"), this step is not necessary because you can see the changes live in your Google Sheets.

To download the edited spreadsheet that has been filled with new data, proceed as follows:

1. Open your app on the portal.
2. Navigate to the "Manage Data" view on the left menu.
3. Change to the "Update spreadsheet" view.
4. Click on the "Download" button under the preview of your spreadsheet.

Please note that the preview of your spreadsheet will not be automatically updated when you open the "Update spreadsheet" view, so you will see an "old" status here.
To update the preview, refresh your browser window (for example, using the F5 key on your keyboard).

When you click on "Download" you always download the current version of your spreadsheet - even if the preview shows an older version of the file.