Check if item exist otherwise update

[LJSven]

I´m running a flow, which starts when "a item is added or edited" - How can i check if an item exist? If not, edit the item.

[DamoBird365]

Hi @LJSven 

Do you mean check if the item exists in another List as this flow will have triggered as a result of an item being created or modified?

You can use get items to search another list and on top of that apply a filter.  If the results returned are not empty, you know you have a match.

formula used is:

length(outputs('Get_items')?['body/value']) which returns the number of elements in an array - would be 0 if no match.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

[OliverR-82]

I get the impression that what @LJSven means is if people add an item to a list that actually already exists (based on some identifying column), then don't add the new item but instead edit the existing item.

If this is the case I would suggest to set up proper validation on your list columns to prevent people from adding duplicate items in the first place. I think this would be a "cleaner" way to solve this than to use a Power Automate flow to rectify it after the act.

EDIT: to clarify for OP, try to configure your identifying list column(s) so that they should contain unique values (you configure this in the column settings). That way users will not be able to add items with the same value(s) as existing items.

[LJSven]

No, i´m  using the trigger which is called "if a element is added or changed (updated)" - after this trigger, i want to have condition, where i know it is changed or a new item?!

[DamoBird365]

@LJSven 

Ahhhh I think you can use when an item is created or updated (properties). And from the result check for your scenario.

[analmei]

Hello @LJSven , 

After trigger add the 'Get Items' action and after that, you can add a condition and check if the 'Modified' and 'Created' fields higher than the current date.
It is possible to do, but you are just repeating the trigger step.

Best regards,

Ana Almeida | Power Platform Support Engineer

[LJSven]

This trigger ist not existing - there is only a trigger which says "if a file is created or updated (properties)."

[DamoBird365]

@LJSven you’ve got access to version number in the properties trigger. Using a condition if it equals 1, new file, else it’s a modification.

[DamoBird365]

Hi @LJSven 

yeah you are right. Only a file properties trigger. It does look like version number is in body of when item is modified or created. I’m away from desk but powerautomate mobile app shows the dynamic value. Sorry if I’ve got this one wrong.

[OliverR-82]

@LJSven  you can check the Version Number of the item, it's available as dynamic content. For new items it will be 1.0, and for updated items it will be 2.0, 3.0, ... You can use that in your condition. Do note that versioning should be enabled in your list settings for this to work.

The expression to reference the version number is:

triggerOutputs()?['body/{VersionNumber}']

So, the start of your flow would look like this:

[LJSven]

This works well - thanks a lot! i have table with 15 column`s - is it possible to update just one or do i have to add the old values to the other columns?

[OliverR-82]

Hi @LJSven ,

You can leave the columns that you don't want to change empty in the update action. Pay attention to any columns where you have a default value configured; that will be filled in by default in the Update action, so if you don't want those to change, make sure that they are empty in your Update action.

Also, any required fields will have to be filled in your Update action, so for those you can fill in the old values.