How to get the flow to update the current text in a cell

[greevesk]

Hi

I am hoping someone can help me, I have tried searching but I have been unable to find a resolution.

I have a flow that works perfectly, an excel sheet is updated when a Microsoft form is filled in and then starts an approval process. One of those lines of approvals asks for more information which then feeds in from a second Form that is filled in. The problem I have is I want the information from that form to update a cell in excel that has existing data in it, I want it to add to it. I have figured out how to do it on a different part of my flow as it adds a note in from the approval request to the existing line:

This does not work for me when I look to do it with the form responses, all I see are the dynamic responses options to add the form responses and not include any of the existing excel data:

So I think I need to possibly use an expression/formula but I don't know where to start, what to write etc. can anyone help me, please? I want the form responses to update the existing text, if there is any, if not just add the form response to the cell.

Hopefully, I have explained that in the right way, you will see from previous posts I am very new to this.

[Koen5]

Dear greevesk,

Your description is a bit vague and I am having to guess what you are trying to do ... suggest the next time you include part of your flow with the action steps. This would help.

What I am guessing that you need to do is to:

1. Get the form data (which you do)
2. Get the current cell value (which I think you currently do not do)
3. Combine 1+2. Likely with a Compose action using concat()?
4. Update the row/cell with the outcome of 3.

Hope this helps you along, if it does, please state so in the thread for other users.

If it does not, suggest you clarify your flow a bit by including the action steps.

Happy flowing,

Koen

[greevesk]

Hi @Koen5 

Thank you for responding and I apologise for the vagueness of my post I was struggling to explain what I needed.

Yes, that is exactly it, I have inserted an update row section into my flow:

Once the response is received from the form it currently inserts the form data into the excel cell:

It's the next part I have no idea what to do but you have explained what I need perfectly I just don't know how to do that or at which stage of my flow I would add it in, any advice would be greatly received. This is my full flow:

I have two branches, given and received and they are both the same but basically when a response is received it updates the row with the data from the form, sends an email to say this has been done and then requests approval. At which stage would I put the variable/compose/concat section needed to make this work?

[Koen5]

Dear greevesk,

No worries. First of all, I would test the concept of what you try to do in another flow first ... as such you do not get confused/distracted by other data.

1. Create a test flow.
2. Read an existing table in excel (Excel action 'List rows present in table') filtered by the row you need. This can be a very small sample table as per example below. So the filter used could be 'ID eq 'aaa093290423000'.
3.  
4. As a result you will get 1 row as a result. Via an Apply to each you can access all of the rows of the output (but it is only one) Use a compose action (expression) to amend some of the output, something like:

concat(items('Apply_to_each')?['Details'],' and Pink'). The result of this will be 'Blue and Pink'.

1. Use an Update row action to update the Details value with the outcome of compose action. Make sure that as Key column you use 'ID' and value 'aaa093290423000'.

Hope this helps. Again, please try getting the concept and steps with very simple data done first. Then you can apply to the real thing.

Happy flowing,

Koen