Where Should Business Logic Live in Power Apps?

This question usually appears after the app becomes hard to change.

Small tweaks take longer.
Fixes feel risky.
No one is sure where a rule is defined.

At that point, teams realise the issue isn’t Power Apps — it’s where the logic lives.

Why This Becomes a Problem

In many apps, logic ends up:

• Partly in Power Apps
• Partly in the data source
• Partly duplicated across screens

This works early on — and breaks down later.

Common Places Logic Ends Up (And Why)

1. Logic Inside Power Apps

Often used for:

• Validation
• Conditional behaviour
• Screen-level rules

Problem:
Logic gets repeated across screens and becomes hard to trace.

2. Logic in the Data Source

Often used for:

• Core business rules
• Filtering valid records
• Data consistency

Problem:
Too much logic here reduces flexibility and slows small changes.

3. Logic Spread Everywhere

This happens unintentionally.

Result:

• Inconsistent behaviour
• Confusing bugs
• High dependency on individuals

What Works in Practice

Teams that scaled successfully followed a simple rule:

Core meaning → data layer
App behaviour → Power Apps

In practice:

• Stable business rules live in the data
• UI logic lives in the app
• Nothing important is duplicated

This keeps changes safe and predictable.

Warning Signs Logic Is in the Wrong Place

You’ll usually notice:

• The same formula copied everywhere
• “Don’t touch this” sections of the app
• Fixes breaking unrelated screens
• No one confident where rules are defined

These are design signals — not developer mistakes.

Key Takeaway

Power Apps works best when:

• It handles interaction, not heavy processing
• Logic has a clear home
• The app stays readable months later

Most long-term issues aren’t about how much logic you have —
they’re about where it lives.

Learn Power Apps the Right Way

For those looking to understand how to place logic correctly across Power Apps, data sources, and automation, the Microsoft Power Apps Course by ExcelGoodies focuses on real project scenarios and design trade-offs — not just formulas.

Check the Upcoming batch details

Editor’s Note

This article summarises recurring design issues observed across live Power Apps implementations where logic placement became a long-term maintenance challenge.

Insights compiled with inputs from the ExcelGoodies Trainers & Power Users Community.
 

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