Change date format data from Parse JSON and add removed leading zeros from phone numbers

[sudosaurus]

In the flow below - explicitly around the Parse JSON and 'Update file properties 2' actions, leading zero's (0) are being removed from the telephone fields in my CSV files. This same behaviour is seen when opening the filled CSV files in Excel.

Additionally dates are not formatting correctly. For example we're happy for users to enter dates into the CSV templates as eg. 23.01.2023 however in the generated Word document, we want these to appear as '23 January 2023'.

There is also a separate date field in the document where it wants the MONTH and YEAR of installation - so, in the CSV our users are entering August 2023 however the flow is putting this in as Aug 23 - we want it to read as 'August 2023'.

Phone numbers should be in this format: 01934123456 however these are having their leading zero's removed so that they read as 1934123456 instead!

I am thinking something should be done around @{items('Apply_to_each_2')['Date Letter Created']} to somehow format the date ?

and similar for landline or mobile: @{items('Apply_to_each_2')['Sender''s Landline']} ?

For reference, this is my Power App:

When the app has loaded, this screen is presented with the list of available document templates to be used. 
In this example, I am using the letter template 'Planned Works Introduction Windows and Doors.docx'.

Once I've chosed a template, I click NEXT >>

On the next page, it shows the document details on the left and a button to 'Download CSV Template'.
I fill out the CSV file with the required data.

Then I upload the CSV file (right), followed by clicking on the 'Generate' button.

I am then navigated to another screen advising the letters are now being generated and will be notified once complete.

This is what triggers my below workflow.

This is my flow below for reference >>>

PowerApps is triggering the flow:

Next we are getting the user profile of the person who initiated the PowerApps flow:

Next we are creating an item in the 'Bulk Doc Tracker' SharePoint list with the Display Name
and Mail attributes of the user - this will be used later to email the user confirming that the 
workflow was successul with a link to their documents that had been generated:

Next we are using the Initialize variable action to Initalize RAW CSV Data:

Next we are using the HTTP  action to post the output of the above action to our bulk document generator json Azure site:

Next we use the Compose action to compose the Body outputs of the previous action:

Now we Parse JSON from the Outputs of the JSONArray:

Schema details:

{
    "type": "array",
    "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "Equipment Type": {},
            "Internal External Decoration or Cleaning": {},
            "Type of Heating System": {},
            "Consultant’s Name": {},
            "LiveWest Tenant Liaison Officer": {},
            "Address Line 3": {},
            "Contractor’s Contact": {},
            "Current Financial Year Of Planned Upgrade": {},
            "Team Name": {},
            "Project Name": {},
            "Contractor or Operative": {},
            "Name of LiveWest Member of Staff": {},
            "LiveWest Contact Date 2": {},
            "Contractor’s Number": {},
            "Survey or Install": {},
            "Installing/Fitting A New/Installing New": {},
            "Description of Works Required": {},
            "Regulations Year for Scheme": {},
            "Date Heating Upgrade Works Will Be Carried Out Before": {},
            "Windows Or Windows and Doors": {},
            "Address Line 5": {},
            "LiveWest Project Manager": {},
            "Customer Name": {},
            "Month and Year of Works to be Completed": {},
            "Date When Appointment Was Agreed": {},
            "Property Reference": {},
            "Kitchen Or Bathroom": {},
            "Contractor Date 2": {},
            "Team Email Address": {},
            "Address Line 4": {},
            "Energy Supplier Name": {},
            "Date Letter Created": {},
            "Work Type Approved": {},
            "Address Line 2": {},
            "Asset Address": {},
            "Date Letter Valid until": {},
            "Dates for Contact Attempts": {},
            "Month of Works to be Completed": {},
            "LiveWest Contact Date 1": {},
            "Contractor’s Email Address": {},
            "Year of Works to be Completed": {},
            "Properties Roads or Estates": {},
            "Date of Letter Plus 30 Days": {},
            "LiveWest Tenant Liaison Officer’s Contact Number": {},
            "ServiceType": {},
            "Month Of Planned Installation": {},
            "LiveWest Contact Date 3": {},
            "Address Line 1": {},
            "Financial Year of Planned Upgrade": {},
            "LiveWest Project Manager’s Contact Number": {},
            "Contractor’s Contact Number": {},
            "Boiler Radiators or Central Heating": {},
            "Financial Year of Chimney Sweep": {},
            "Contractor Name": {},
            "Check Contractor’s Name": {},
            "Name of Surveyor": {},
            "Air Source Heat Pump or Gas Central Heating": {},
            "Team Contact Number": {},
            "Street or Estate of Address": {},
            "CDM Advisor": {},
            "Type of Key to Be Cut": {},
            "6 or 12 months": {},
            "Deadline For Customer Response": {},
            "Appointment/Visit Date and Time": {},
            "Component to be Replaced": {},
            "Next Financial Year Of Planned Upgrade": {},
            "Contractor Date 1": {},
            "Start Date For Planned Works": {},
            "Sender's Job Title": {},
            "Sender's Name": {},
            "Sender's Mobile": {},
            "Sender's Landline": {},
            "Sender's Email": {},
            "Receiver's Name": {},
            "Key Type Make and Serial Number": {},
            "Installation Type Boiler Kitchen Bathroom or Windows": {}
        },
        "required": [
            "Asset Address",
            "Installation Type Boiler Kitchen Bathroom or Windows",
            "LiveWest Tenant Liaison Officer",
            "Address Line 2",
            "Boiler Radiators or Central Heating",
            "Team Email Address",
            "ServiceType",
            "Customer Name",
            "Contractor Date 2",
            "Sender's Job Title",
            "Financial Year of Planned Upgrade",
            "Property Reference",
            "Contractor Date 1",
            "Sender's Mobile",
            "Properties Roads or Estates",
            "Internal External Decoration or Cleaning",
            "Energy Supplier Name",
            "Contractor’s Email Address",
            "Component to be Replaced",
            "Type of Key to Be Cut",
            "Description of Works Required",
            "Sender's Email",
            "Date Letter Valid until",
            "Month Of Planned Installation",
            "Financial Year of Chimney Sweep",
            "Address Line 4",
            "Check Contractor’s Name",
            "Installing/Fitting A New/Installing New",
            "Name of Surveyor",
            "Name of LiveWest Member of Staff",
            "Address Line 3",
            "Key Type Make and Serial Number",
            "Current Financial Year Of Planned Upgrade",
            "CDM Advisor",
            "Date Heating Upgrade Works Will Be Carried Out Before",
            "Address Line 5",
            "Team Name",
            "Contractor’s Number",
            "Next Financial Year Of Planned Upgrade",
            "Regulations Year for Scheme",
            "Dates for Contact Attempts",
            "Date When Appointment Was Agreed",
            "LiveWest Contact Date 2",
            "Kitchen Or Bathroom",
            "Sender's Landline",
            "Year of Works to be Completed",
            "Sender's Name",
            "Type of Heating System",
            "Appointment/Visit Date and Time",
            "Address Line 1",
            "Month and Year of Works to be Completed",
            "Street or Estate of Address",
            "Contractor or Operative",
            "Windows Or Windows and Doors",
            "Start Date For Planned Works",
            "Team Contact Number",
            "Deadline For Customer Response",
            "LiveWest Tenant Liaison Officer’s Contact Number",
            "Survey or Install",
            "LiveWest Contact Date 1",
            "Receiver's Name",
            "Date of Letter Plus 30 Days",
            "Air Source Heat Pump or Gas Central Heating",
            "LiveWest Contact Date 3",
            "Month of Works to be Completed",
            "Contractor Name",
            "Contractor’s Contact",
            "Date Letter Created",
            "LiveWest Project Manager",
            "Work Type Approved",
            "Consultant’s Name",
            "6 or 12 months",
            "LiveWest Project Manager’s Contact Number",
            "Contractor’s Contact Number",
            "Project Name",
            "Equipment Type"
        ]
    }
}

Next we Get file content using path (from PowerApps):

Next we Get file metadata using path (from PowerApps):

Now we Get file properties of the associated letter that matches the CSV template:

Next we start our Apply to each which includes a Scope of several actions - this is where our documents are created and are populated with the details fromt he CSV file generated in PowerApps:

The first action in our scope, we are creating a temporary document in the SharePoint Saved Letters folder.
With the Name of the document separated with an underscore followed by the Property Reference number that was included in the CSV file:

Next we are updating the file properties with the text data from the CSV file into QuickPart placeholders in the word document:

This is the step where the incorrect date formats are being applied to the Word document as well as the telephone and mobile numbers not being added with a prefixed '0'. I believe the Parse JSON step is removing the leading zeros from the CSV file.

Next we get the file content of the document that was just created:

Next we create a copy of this file in OneDrive:

Now we convert this copied file into a PDF document:

Next we create a copy of the PDF file back into the SharePoint Saved Letters folder:

Next we create a second copy into the PrintLetters folder:

Finally we create a 3rd copy in the CxDocuementInbox folder (this is our record centre):

Next we update the Control Term (document type) of the document so that our Record Centre
knows where to file it.

Next we have a condition that checks whether the document/letter has an accompanying document, eg. a flyer / static information etc.

If one is required, we then Get Accompanying document content using path

Then we create the Accompanying document in the Print Folder (as these have to be printed with letters from our offsite commercial printing firm). 

Next we delete the earlier created temporary PDF file in OneDrive:

Next we delete the earlier created temporary DOC file in SharePoint:

Lastly, we use the Update item action to make the Status Value in the Bulk Doc Tracker list as 'Complete'.
This then triggers another workflow that sends an email to the user advising that their letters have been generated.

If you have any questions, please do ask! 

Appreciate any help given 🙂

[grantjenkins]

For your leading zeros, if you always want to have 11 digits that make up the phone number then you can use the following expression.

//If your phone numbers are coming back as raw numbers
formatNumber(YOUR_FIELD, '#00000000000')

//If your phone numbers are coming back as a string of numbers
formatNumber(int(YOUR_FIELD), '#00000000000')

For your date that comes back as Aug 2022 for example, you can just use formatDateTime to get what format you want. See expression below that would return August 2022 in this instance.

formatDateTime(YOUR_FIELD, 'MMMM yyyy')

The date that's entered as 23.01.2023 is a bit trickier since the datetime string must match ISO 8601 format which this doesn't. It will throw an error if you try to use formatDateTime. I'd suggest making sure users enter the dates in the appropriate format, but know that's difficult when entering directly into Excel/CSV, etc. You're always going to be prone to errors in the flow if there's no control of the format used unfortunately.

[sudosaurus]

@grantjenkins I'm assuming that the 24/01/2023 format would work ok?

[sudosaurus]

@grantjenkins 

I am seeing this error when running my flow.

InvalidTemplate. Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Update_file_properties_2' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template language function 'formatDateTime' expects its first parameter to be of type string. The provided value is of type 'Null'. Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions#formatdatetime for usage details.'.

 These are the two types of expressions I'm using:

formatDateTime(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Start Date For Planned Works'], 'MMMM yyyy')

formatNumber(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Sender''s Landline'], '#00000000000')

[grantjenkins]

It looks like not everyone is filling in those values which is why some of them are coming back as null. To get around this, you can check to see if there is a value - if there is then use the expression, otherwise just set as null.

if(empty(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Sender''s Landline']), null, formatNumber(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Sender''s Landline'], '#00000000000'))

if(empty(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Start Date For Planned Works']), null, formatDateTime(items('Apply_to_each_2')['Start Date For Planned Works'], 'MMMM yyyy'))

[grantjenkins]

Do you have some sample JSON output you get that shows the dates you are getting back?

[sudosaurus]

@grantjenkins 

[
  {
    "Date Letter Created": "24/01/2023",
    "Month Of Planned Installation": "08/2023",
  }
]

[grantjenkins]

If the dates are only ever going to be in the formats shown below (two objects):

[
  {
    "Date Letter Created": "24/01/2023",
    "Month Of Planned Installation": "08/2023"
  },
  {
    "Date Letter Created": "24.2.2023",
    "Month Of Planned Installation": "08.2023"
  }
]

Then you might be able to get around the invalid dates using the following expressions. The first one is quite convoluted. I'll do some more research to see if there's an easier way to handle dates like this.

//Date Letter Created
formatDateTime(concat(split(replace(item()?['Date Letter Created'], '.', '/'), '/')[2], '-', split(replace(item()?['Date Letter Created'], '.', '/'), '/')[1], '-', split(replace(item()?['Date Letter Created'], '.', '/'), '/')[0]), 'dd MMMM yyyy')

//Month Of Planned Installation
formatDateTime(item()?['Month Of Planned Installation'], 'MMMM yyyy')

Outputs