Formatting date from Form input to send an e-mail action where date could be blank

[smodkins]

Hi team,

I am needing some help with an IF statement in a flow.

The user fills in a MS form and the flow gets the response details, and then sends an e-mail with the response details but with the dates formatted.  This is working okay if all dates are completed but if they aren't I get an error.  

Researching online it looks like I need to make an IF statement.  There are plenty of supporting articles for if you are adding to a Sharepoint but not for my article.

The format I have set is: 

formatDateTime(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc''], 'dd MMMM yyyy')

I have tried various combinations of the below statement and I cannot get it to work.  Please help! 

if(empty(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc']),null,formatDateTime(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc']), 'dd MMMM yyyy')

The error I receive is: Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Send_an_email_(V2)' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template language function 'if' expects three parameter: the condition to test as the first parameter, the value to return if the condition is true as the second parameter, and the value to return if the condition is false as the third parameter. The function was invoked with '4' parameter(s). Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions#if for usage details.'.

[happyume]

There is an error in the ELSE part of your IF statement under the formatDateTime action 

Original

formatDateTime(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc']), 'dd MMMM yyyy'

Updated

formatDateTime(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc'], 'dd MMMM yyyy')

Under the original, you are not providing closing bracket at the correct place. You should add that after the 'dd MMM yyyy'.

When you will enter in the formula, you will see two closing brackets at the end. One for formatDateTime and another for IF.

Please click Accept as solution if my post helped you solve your issue. This will help others find it more readily. It also closes the item. If this post or my previous reply was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up.

[happyume]

As a suggestion to make your IF formula cleaner, create a compose action in your Flow and add the value as

outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc']

Now use the output from this Compose action in your IF statement.

That will make your formula easier to read.

If this post or my previous reply was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Thumbs Up.

[wskinnermctc · Accepted solution]

I think you were really close except an extra close parentheses ) was included with the formatdatetime() expression, and there is a missing a ) parentheses at the end.

if(empty(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc']),'',formatDateTime(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/rec6ef7a8e1c64239860b7b1edd50afcc'], 'dd MMMM yyyy'))

Try this expression. I changed the null to a blank '' since I find that easier to use in other steps, but you can put that back as null if you prefer.

[smodkins]

Thank you.  I did try this but it told me it was an incorrect expression! I appreciate the reply though 

[smodkins]

I knew it would be a missing parentheses! I did look and count them but clearly missed it! Thank you, working like a dream 🙂