Set PowerApps People Picker Defaults with UpdateContext

PowerApps is hostile terrain, and it’s the small ops—like rigging a People Picker—that can bog you down in endless recon. I’ve secured the target: default the picker to the current user and, for approval missions, lock in their manager. No chatter—time to deploy.

Mission Objective

Arm a People Picker with the current user’s data using UpdateContext. Target: seamless default values in a form. Execute with precision.

Gear Check

• PowerApps Form: NewForm mode, People Picker embedded.

• Microsoft 365: User data active via Office365Users.

• Context Scope: App or screen ready for variable injection.

The Play

Deploy this UpdateContext to load the current user into a variable:

NewForm(Form1);  
UpdateContext({  
    CurrentUser: {  
        '@odata.type': "#Microsoft.Azure.Connectors.SharePoint.SPListExpandedUser",  
        Claims: "i:0#.f|membership|" & Lower(User().Email),  
        Department: "",  
        DisplayName: User().FullName,  
        Email: User().Email,  
        JobTitle: ".",  
        Picture: "."  
    }  
})

Execution

• Trigger: Set this on app OnStart or screen OnVisible.

• Bind: Link the People Picker’s Default property to CurrentUser.

• Confirm: Form opens; picker shows user’s name pre-loaded.

Secondary Objective: Populate Users Manager

Extend this UpdateContext to load the current users manager into a variable:

UpdateContext({  
    UserManager: {  
        DisplayName: Office365Users.ManagerV2(User().Email).displayName,  
        Claims: "i:0#.f|membership|" & Office365Users.ManagerV2(User().Email).mail,  
        Department: "",  
        Email: Office365Users.ManagerV2(User().Email).mail,  
        JobTitle: "",  
        Picture: ""  
    }  
})

Execution

• Trigger: Set this on app OnStart or screen OnVisible.

• Bind: Link the additional People Picker’s Default property to UserManager.

• Confirm: Form opens; picker shows user’s name pre-loaded.

Mission Value

UpdateContext delivers a structured user object—Claims, Name, Email—ready for any People Picker. No connectors mid-flight, just raw M365 data. Reusable across forms.

Field Notes

Picker blank? Double-check Claims syntax or M365 sync. Intel welcome.

This is the UpdateContext play, no detours. If you want to fold in the manager or tweak the angle, I’m on the line. Next target? Yo Joe.