How to build a vacation request form in SharePoint connected to a list

Last updated: July 12, 2026

The fastest way to get vacation requests running in SharePoint is to describe it to Sharelio, the AI platform for building SharePoint tools: type "a holiday request tracker with start date, end date and approval status" and in minutes you have it live on your HR page — with the backing SharePoint list (requester, dates, days requested, status, approver) provisioned automatically in your tenant, and a New request button that opens SharePoint's own new-item form.

The built-in alternative — a SharePoint list with its default form — is free but generic: no approval step, no custom layout. Power Apps can customise the form deeply but takes days of building and per-user licensing decisions. Here are all three, with what each costs.

Route 1: describe it (minutes)

Describe: "A holiday request tracker with employee, start date, end date, reason and approval status, filtered to this year."
Review the preview: Sharelio generates the component and provisions the Holiday requests list with the right column types (person, dates, choice status). You see it with sample data before publishing.
Publish: place it on the HR or team page. People submit through the New request button, which opens SharePoint's native form; the manager sees pending requests in the component and sets the status.

The form renders as a native web part — same look as the page, no embedded-app container. If this is your first component it's free, and if you're already on the flat plan (€300/month per tenant, unlimited components) its marginal cost is zero either way.

Route 2: a list with its default form (free, generic)

Create a Holiday requests list with columns: employee (person), start date, end date, reason (text), status (choice).
Share the list's default new-item form as the request entry point (or embed the list web part on a page).
Add a list rule or Power Automate approval flow if you need the manager step — this is where configuration effort grows.

Cost: €0. Trade-offs: the default form is a generic panel, the approval step requires wiring a separate flow, and nothing about the experience feels like a purpose-built HR tool. Fine for small teams; friction shows at scale.

Route 3: customise with Power Apps (days)

Power Apps can replace the list form entirely and add rich logic — conditional fields, balance checks against another list, multi-step approvals with Power Automate. Budget days of a maker's time and check licensing: customised list forms use standard connectors (included), but standalone or premium scenarios run ~€19/user/month. If your vacation process has real complexity (accrual balances, HR-system integration), this is the honest recommendation — see the full Sharelio vs Power Apps comparison.

Frequently asked questions

Can the approval step work without Power Automate?

For a lightweight process, yes: the status and approver columns are provisioned, the manager filters the component to pending requests and changes the status in SharePoint's own form. That is approval as a state on a list item, not an automated workflow — nobody gets notified. If you need notifications, escalation or multi-step routing, that is a Power Automate flow on top of the same list, in any of the three routes.

Where do the requests go?

To a standard SharePoint list in your tenant in every route. That means HR can open it in Microsoft Lists, export to Excel, or build reports on it — and the data survives any tool change.

Can employees see their remaining vacation days?

Only if that balance lives somewhere SharePoint can read. A balance column maintained by HR in a list works with any route; real-time integration with an external HR system is custom-development territory (see our SPFx comparison) rather than a no-code scenario.

How much does each route cost?

Native list + default form: €0, but generic and approval wired separately. Sharelio: €0 on the free plan, which keeps one component published — this form, working in minutes — and €99–300/month per tenant once you publish more. Power Apps custom form: days of build time, included licensing for list forms, ~€19/user/month for premium scenarios.

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