Adding Update Item to Existing Flow

[Phineas]

I have a flow that is pulling in data (List rows in a table) from an Excel workbook.

The flow also pulls in data (Get items) from a SharePoint list.

The flow compares the 'UniqueID' of the Excel data to the 'UniqueID' of the SPList.

If the item is not on the Excel but present on the SPList the item is deleted for the SPList.

If the item is present in the Excel workbook but not present on the SPList the item is added to the SPList.

Items that are on both are not impacted by the flow. Over time meta data (such as the employee's supervisor) within an item may change. As the flow is simply delete or create, this meta data change from the Excel is not reflected in the SPList.

Can I, and is it within best practices to, add an 'Update item' action at the bottom of this flow to solve this issue?

If yes, should the action be placed within the 'Scope - Create SharePoint Items', or should I create a new Scope?

[creativeopinion]

@Phineas I wouldn't add the Update Item action to this flow as this flow is meant to update your SP List based on your Excel table. 

Instead, you should create a different flow that you can either manually trigger (if a supervisor has changed) or run weekly to check if the supervisor has changed and then update your SP list. Where is the meta data stored? In a SP list or will you be pulling it from the user's profile?

[Phineas]

Thank you for your response.

The meta data is in the same Excel workbook.

As the current flow is only delete/create, changes to the meta data is not taking place when this flow runs.

If I may, as this flow is already running, can't a 'Pause' action be added and then another 'Gets items' followed by an 'Update item'?

The current flow runs once a day. The meta data change verification needs to also run after the delete/create flow runs, either within that flow or as a separate flow.

Can the completion of one flow trigger the start of another? Or, do I need to set the second (if I build it), to run a sufficient timer after the time set for the first to start?

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

@PhineasIf that is the case you can run the delete, update and create actions in parallel of each other. Reference the flow I build in this YT tutorial. The concept applies for when you need to update existing items. 

You need to use a Filter Array action to check if any of your Excel items already exist in your SP list. If so, run an Update Item action. All the actions you need to get here will be very similar to those actions you are using the delete or create an item. You'll just need to change the condition in the Filter Array action.  

Hope this helps!

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[Phineas]

Does this look right?

I wasn't able to see/selected the Excel (source data), content in my 'Update item', so I manually wrote them with the item() expression.

[creativeopinion]

@Phineas Your expression is incorrect you are using the items() function. You should be using the item() function because your Update Item action is nested inside the Apply to Each action.

[Phineas]

How about this one...

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

@Phineas It "looks" okay. I can't quite see your full expressions. However you should run a test and troubleshoot from there.

For more flow troubleshooting tips—check out This YT Tutorial: 5 Power Automate Troubleshooting FAQs and Helpful Tips for Creating Better Flows

In this tutorial I cover:

✅ How to troubleshoot a false Condition action result

✅ How to get dynamic content when it isn’t selectable from the list of dynamic content

✅ How to troubleshoot an Apply to Each action that isn’t looping through

✅ How to troubleshoot a skipped Apply to Each action

✅ How to troubleshoot a Filter Query

✅ How to use a SharePoint yes/no column in a Filter Query

✅ How to use Compose actions to troubleshoot a Power Automate flow

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple emails being sent

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple Teams messages being sent

Hope this helps!

If I helped you solve your problem—please mark my post as a solution ✅.
Consider giving me a 👍 if you liked my response!

👉 Watch my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok