Conditional Trigger for Array Results

[bhamel]

I previously opened a topic about a flow I created here. Essentially, I have a table with items and their expiration dates. The flow runs daily and checks for any items expiring in the next 7 days and returns those items via a table in an email. The current issue is that it sends an email every day, regardless of whether something is expiring or not. I only want to receive an email if the array returns items expiring. 

Part of the problem I am having is that the table I am using is created from an index of another excel sheet. The items with no expiration date are returning a value of 1/0/1900 in the table, which in turn are giving a false positive that passes through the filter array.

Current Flow:

1. How can I exclude these false values from passing through the filter array. 
2. how can I get the email to send only when the filter array passes through an legitimate item?

[creativeopinion]

@bhamel You need to identify if your Filter Array action is filtering out the items properly. By the sounds of it—it's not. 

I would recommend adding a Compose action after the Filter Array action to return number of items filtered and troubleshoot from there.

Whenever I use a Filter Array action, I always like to return the count of items returned in a Compose action. This is helpful when building a flow and can also be used to troubleshoot your flow. Insert a Compose action. Add an Expression. Use the length() function.

Select the Dynamic content tab and insert the body dynamic content from the Filter Array action into the length() function.

Run a test. Review the output of the Compose action. If the Filter Array is not filtering any items—this means your condition needs to be adjusted. 

Troubleshoot your Filter Query

To troubleshoot your filter query—place this expression into a Compose action so you can review the outputs. 

When working with dates and times in excel, you need to ensure the datetime format is set to ISO8601.

You might find these two YT Tutorials helpful:

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

In this Power Automate tutorial, I explore 5 frequently asked questions that pop up when troubleshooting a flow. If you’d like to to level up your Power Automate flow skills and learn how to troubleshoot your Power Automate flow—this tutorial is for you!

IN THIS VIDEO:

✅ 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

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To learn more about how to use the Filter Array action, please refer to this YT Tutorial: Are you using the Microsoft Power Automate Filter Array Action wrong?

In this video tutorial I’ll show you 3 practical ways to use the Filter Array action and how to use it properly.

1️⃣ Cross-Referencing Data

2️⃣ Filtering by Key

3️⃣ Substring Matching

Did you know that the Condition action has a limit of 10 conditions? Although it might look like the Filter Array action can only accept one condition—this is not true. By using the advanced mode you can enter multiple conditions into a Filter Array action with an expression.

IN THIS VIDEO:

✅ 3 Ways to Use the Filter Array Action

✅ How to use the Scope Action to Group Actions

✅ How to Check the Number of Items returned from a Filter Array Action

✅ How to Cross-Reference Data in Excel with a SharePoint List

✅ How the Filter Array Action Works

✅ How to Access the Dynamic Content from a Filter Array Action

✅ How to Filter Items by a Key

✅ How to Filter Items by Matching a Substring

✅ How to Use Multiple Conditions in a Filter Array Action

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!

👉 Level up your Power Automate skills by checking out my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok and Instagram

[bhamel]

The filter array is appropriately filter the dates. The issue is that the dates that populate in the indexed table meet the filter arrays criteria of being less than 7 days from current date. 

[creativeopinion]

@bhamel Can you switch to the Classic Designer and upload a screenshot of your Create HTML table action (ensure the action is expanded). 

[bhamel]

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

@bhamel Your Filter Array query is incomplete. You are only checking to see if the row has an Expiration date less than the date 7 days from now which is April 25th.

This is why I recommend inserting a Compose action to output the number of items returned from the Filter Array action to help with troubleshooting. You can verify if the number of items filtered is correct—in your case it wouldn't have been correct since it's returning all items with an expiry date less than the date 7 days from now.

Use the length() function.

Select the Dynamic content tab and insert the body dynamic content from the Filter Array action into the length() function.

You need to include in your Filter Array condition:

and is also greater than today.

Although it looks like the Filter Array action can only take a single condition—it can take multiple conditions. Reference this section of this YT tutorial for how to add multiple conditions to a Filter Array action.

I would look something like this:

@and(
greaterOrEquals(item()?['YourDateColumn'], utcNow()),
lessOrEquals(item()?['YourDateColumn'], addDays(utcNow(), 7, 'yyyy-MM-dd'))
)

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!

👉 Level up your Power Automate skills by checking out my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok and Instagram

[bhamel]

I had no idea it could take more than on condition. Thank you for your help. This resolved my problem!