PowerApps Limitations with SharePoint Online vs SharePoint On-Premises: Configuring Data Gateway

PowerApps Limitations with SharePoint Online and SharePoint On are compared here based on their capabilities, pricing, integrations, and enterprise fit — helping organizations choose the right solution for their specific requirements and existing technology stack.

PowerApps is a new way to turn business expertise into custom applications. Understand limitations with SharePoint Online vs On-Premises and how to configure data gateways.

ARC Team

November 12, 2021 · Updated November 12, 2021 · ARC Team

Introduction

PowerApps enables organizations to develop custom applications through a low-code approach. The platform supports both mobile and web applications while integrating with existing data sources like SharePoint, Azure, and Dynamics. However, developers must understand specific constraints before beginning implementation.

PowerApps Limitations

Licensing Model

PowerApps operates exclusively within Office 365 tenants, requiring registered organizational accounts.

Pricing

Microsoft’s current standard plans include:

$5 per user/app/month — Single app access
$20 per user/month — Unlimited app access

Large-scale deployments may face cost-effectiveness challenges.

PowerApps only supports sharing with users within the organization. External distribution remains unsupported.

Limited Customization

Low-code platforms restrict advanced customization capabilities compared to fully coded solutions. Complex applications may exceed PowerApps’ functional scope.

Performance Concerns

Application speed depends on client-side device performance and browser capabilities, making speed-conscious environments potentially problematic.

App Player Dependency

PowerApps cannot be published to conventional app stores. Mobile applications require the dedicated PowerApps player application.

Screen Resolution Constraints

Supported devices include:

Mobile Apps: Limited device sizes
Tablet Apps: Fixed screen configurations

PowerApps Limitations with SharePoint Online

Item Limit

PowerApps does not support large lists/libraries in SharePoint. It supports up to 2,000 items per list. Larger datasets require alternative approaches.

List Threshold Limit

Lists exceeding 5,000 items trigger threshold restrictions, preventing gallery data display.

PowerApps Limitations with SharePoint On-Premises

Data Gateway Requirements

There is no direct way of getting data from SharePoint On-Premises. While using PowerApps with SharePoint On-Premises, an on-premises data gateway must be configured.

Attachment Control Absence

Attachment functionality remains unavailable for on-premises SharePoint integration.

Document Library Limitations

SharePoint document libraries lack support. Document properties cannot be accessed even through workarounds.

Install and Configure On-Premises Data Gateway

Pre-requisites

Office 365/Azure AD account required
Gateway installation on always-on server/computer
Single gateway per computer (standard or personal mode)
Computer must be domain-joined with established domain trust

Installation Steps

Download standard data gateway from Microsoft’s official link
Execute installation file
Modify installation path if needed
Accept terms and proceed
Sign in with organizational Office 365 email
Associate email with gateway for management
Select “Register a new gateway on this computer”
Enter unique gateway name across organization
Generate and securely store recovery key
Click Configure to complete setup

Conclusion

Organizations considering PowerApps should thoroughly evaluate limitations before development initiation. Understanding the differences between SharePoint Online and On-Premises integration, along with proper data gateway configuration, ensures a smoother implementation experience.