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

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The fastest way to get a vacation request form in SharePoint that writes to a list is to describe it to Sharelio, the AI platform for building SharePoint tools: type "a holiday request form with start date, end date and manager approval" and in minutes you have a working form on your HR page — with the backing SharePoint list (requester, dates, days requested, status, approver) provisioned automatically in your tenant, and a simple approval flow included.

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)

  1. Describe: "A holiday request form with employee, start date, end date, reason and manager approval; approved requests visible in a team calendar view."
  2. Review the preview: Sharelio generates the form component and provisions the Holiday requests list with the right column types (person, dates, choice status). You test a submission before publishing.
  3. Publish: place it on the HR or team page. Requests land in the list; the manager sees pending ones and approves or rejects from the component.

The form renders as a native web part — same look as the page, no embedded-app container. It's included in the flat plan (€300/month per tenant, unlimited components), so the marginal cost of this form is zero if you already use Sharelio.

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

  1. Create a Holiday requests list with columns: employee (person), start date, end date, reason (text), status (choice).
  2. Share the list's default new-item form as the request entry point (or embed the list web part on a page).
  3. 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 form include a manager approval step without Power Automate?

With Sharelio, yes — simple approval flows (pending/approved/rejected with an approver field) are part of what it generates. With the native list form you'd wire the approval separately, typically with list rules or Power Automate.

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: included in €300/month per tenant (unlimited components), working in minutes. Power Apps custom form: days of build time, included licensing for list forms, ~€19/user/month for premium scenarios.