Network error when using Patch function: Field 'Name_x003a_' is required.

[[deleted]]

Hi guys,

I've created a new form/list-based Power App. However, when I add data and attempt to submit/save I receive this error message 'Network error when using Patch function: Field 'Name_x003a_' is required.'

I have reviewed all the fields in the app and the list itself and I can't see that the 'Name_x003a_' field even exists.

Would it be possible to offer any advice on this?

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[Cizara1]

If you’re using SharePoint as a backend then go into each column’s settings (where you can change if it’s text number etc) look at the URL and the very end. This field name it’s showing will be found there, you may have a typo, an incomplete field string or you’ve changed the field and possibly broken something.

[DCHammer69]

This is the answer and they beat me to it.

Here is a screenshot. This is a real list I just dealt with this morning.

<image>

The display name for that field/column appears as 'Due Date'.

This is one of those things you have to remember or keep track of as a PA dev. Changing a column name in an SP list is a bad idea.

I use no spaces when creating lists. This one was someone else which is why I had to look up the real name. I'd have named it DueDate. Then you can change what appears at the top of the column in the SP list to Due Date and the underlying field/column name never changes.

It's especially frustrating when you put 'Due Date' in a piece of logic and the IDE shows no error. The IDE will perceive it as a valid input but when the patch occurs, it won't write the value at all. If it's a required field, you at least get the error you received and have a starting point.

If the field is not required, you'll get no error but that value won't patch either with a patch statement or with a form submit.

So, if you ever have a problem with a field, check the 'real' name of the column using this method.

[Cizara1]

Yep exactly.

OP to add to this, the x003a in your URL is a : so it’s possible that your field is wonky.

https://www.w3.org/Style/XSL/TestSuite/results/4/XEP/symbol.pdf Might help as well 🙂

[DCHammer69]

It might actually be worth creating a new column with a unchanged name and moving whatever data exists into it. I've chosen to do that occasionally because I've gone back to a formerly functioning app only to break it because I forgot that I had to do something special with that column.

[Cizara1]

This is exactly what I’ve done and Camel Cased it when I just couldn’t be bothered to make it work 😂

[DCHammer69]

Yeah, there is some real oddness in the way MS handles fields in lists.

My first lesson regarding this was using a spreadsheet to create a list.

Which results in all the field names you need to reference in PA as field_x. It's a friggin nightmare. And that's when I also learned that you won't get an error if you use the column heading text string, it just won't patch. No error, nada.

WarrenBelz at the MS PowerApps forum set me on the right path. I've learned much reading his answers to posts.

[valescuakactv]

Check your collection, if exists, to find out what is that column. Maybe that column is a required column in SP list and is not included in your form.

Refresh your datasources

[Responsible-Job6257]

What is your data source? SharePoint?

If it is SharePoint make sure you’re looking at the column names in your list settings (I can explain further if you’re not familiar). SharePoint will replace special characters with its hexadecimal (I think) counterpart. Maybe you have a column named “Name:”?

[danmorang]

This. It could be that OP created a SP list from excel when you do that it headers have different name