Loop through sharepoint list and group items together by email, send email

[Anonymous]

I have a recurring flow that I want to run every Friday evening.  The flow does what is somewhat expected however it is sending 3 separate emails instead of grouping the three items together in one email.  I believe I need to use an array but am unfamiliar with this.  

So in my sharepoint I have a list that stores New and Lost beverage placements.  Every week I want to send an email to every buyer who either has a new or lost placements so they can adjust ordering needs accordingly.

For my first test run I added 6 items to the list, 3 for myself and 3 for another buyer.  The flow did send me the three items assigned to me and the three items assigned to the other buyer but it did so in 3 different emails.  How do I get all 3 of my assigned items (or even more) into one email?  Also i had to initialize my forecast of the item into a float variable as it was not showing up on the dynamic content side modal screen.  I noticed none of my "number" fields show up there either (ID, etc).

I have tried a few different ideas but nothing I try is working. 

This is my sharepoint.  Planner column stores the email.  I did have another sharepoint list that stored Supplier -> Planner attributes but I wasn't sure trying to normalizing everything in sharepoint was the right thing to do. 

[Anonymous]

I have a recurring flow that I want to run every Friday evening.  The flow does what is somewhat expected however it is sending 3 separate emails instead of grouping the three items together in one email.  I believe I need to use an array but am unfamiliar with this.  

So in my sharepoint I have a list that stores New and Lost beverage placements.  Every week I want to send an email to every buyer who either has a new or lost placements so they can adjust ordering needs accordingly.

For my first test run I added 6 items to the list, 3 for myself and 3 for another buyer.  The flow did send me the three items assigned to me and the three items assigned to the other buyer but it did so in 3 different emails.  How do I get all 3 of my assigned items (or even more) into one email?  Also i had to initialize my forecast of the item into a float variable as it was not showing up on the dynamic content side modal screen.  I noticed none of my "number" fields show up there either (ID, etc).

I have tried a few different ideas but nothing I try is working. 

This is my sharepoint.  Planner column stores the email.  I did have another sharepoint list that stored Supplier -> Planner attributes but I wasn't sure trying to normalizing everything in sharepoint was the right thing to do. 

[efialttes]

Hi!

You need to consolidate your emails, right?

If so, you will find an example in this thread on how to do it:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Consolidated-email-based-on-date-in-excel/m-p/471...

The source date in my example is an Excel file, if you need assistance to adapt it to your SP list instead please let us know

Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

I want to send individual emails.  I tried an Apply to Each loop (for the planner) but I ended up sending roughly 30 emails to myself.  Each email was longer than the previous so that tells me my loop was wrong.  

I have about 15 different buyers and I want to send a list of all placements that were Modified in the last 7 days to only that specific buyer.  I do not want to send one massive email to all planners with all items listed.  

So in picture of my sharepoint list I want to send one email to myself with my 3 items and another email to the other buyer for their 3 items.  

I will check out your link when I get the chance.

Much thanks for replying

[Anonymous]

So i went through and followed the link you sent and set everything up but I never received an email and the outputs on actions are all empty.  Not sure what I messed up on.  Also I want to reference a few columns in my sharepoint list when emailing the buyers.  I want to send 'PlacementStatus', 'Title' and 'Forecast' in the body of the email.  

@efialttes I tried creating an HTML table and the headers show in the output but I get no values.  Also still no email even though the flow succeeded.  

Thank you for your help.

[v-litu-msft]

Hi @Anonymous,

You could use the Create HTML table action to mix the three items you filter out, then custom columns to set headers. After that put the output into the Email and send out:

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Lin Tu
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[efialttes]

@Anonymous
Can you share a screenshot of your current flow design?
Thanx!

[Anonymous]

@efialttes I followed the link in the previous answer and substituted my own things where you had those expressions noted.  Even though my flow succeeds there is no output starting with the Filter Array action.  Below is the flow and at the very end is one that shows the output.

Here is output:

[efialttes]

Hi!
I think the problem is with the 'Filter array' validation.
On its right side, please remove 'current item' dynamic content and use this expression instead:
items('Apply_to_each')?['Planner']

If this suggestion works, I guess deserves tons of 'Thumbs up', its 6.08 here and not yet had a shower hahaha

Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

@efialttes  Haha. of course.  So I changed it and tested and I now have values populating in the HTML Table.  However it is the very first item in the list repeating 3 times (which is the number of items assigned to my email).  I imagine it would repeat n times for n items assigned to my email.  The email body was also empty. So it never sent the email.  

Thanks for all your help.  I will work on this tonight and reach out tomorrow.

Here is the output:

In the table there should 384217, 384218, and 384219.  

[efialttes · Accepted solution]

Hi again

Now that we solve the issue with Filter Array, we are closer to a Happy Ending!

Let's talk about the new issue: I think the challenge now is to remove 'Apply to Each 2' and fix 'Create HTML table' Value inputs.

My suggestion is:

-Keep 'Apply to each 2' and its contents untouched

-Add a new 'Create HTML table 2' before 'Apply to each 2', assign as its input 'Filter array' output

-Now, when adding 'Header' 'Value' inputs to 'Create HTML table 2':

a) Use the same strings for Header as you have in your original 'Create HTML table'

b) Now you need to assign expressions as 'Value' inputs. Assuming the three columns are defined as 'single line of text' in your SP list the three expressions are:

item()?['PlacementStatus']

item()?['Title']

item()?['Forecast']

-Once 'Create HTML table 2' is completed, add 'Send an email' also before 'Apply to each 2'

-Finally remove 'Apply to each 2' and its content. But before doing it, and in order to doublecheck the expressions in 'Create HTML Table 2' are correct, please hover your mouse over original 'Create HTML table' 'Value' inputs. If my assumption is correct, you shall see the following:

items('Apply_to_each_2')?['PlacementStatus']

items('Apply_to_each_2')?['Title']

items('Apply_to_each_2')?['Forecast']

If so, remove 'Apply to each 2' save and reexecute your flow

Hope this helps

[efialttes]

Hi again!

One final suggestion (I hope)... when adding the new 'Send an email' please make sure you assigned the following expression to 'To' input:

items('Apply_to_each')?['Planner']

Hope this helps

[Anonymous]

@efialttes Thank you so much.  If I could give 1000 kudos I would.  I do have another question though.  Where do you find the information on how to use the item()?[] / items()?[] expressions?  I would not have been able to solve this without your help.  Once again thank you!!

[efialttes]

HURRAY!

IT WORKS!

Now, lets talk about item() and items(). And I must confess it is a very good question indeed, I haven't found any blog explaining how to use them.

First, let's clarify that Power Automate offers several action blocks that require an array as input and iterate through all its input array elements:

Apply to each, Filter array and Select.

According to the official documentation, item() "...when used inside a repeating action over an array, return the current item in the array during the action's current iteration. You can also get the values from that item's properties".

Also according to the official documentation, items() "...return the current item from each cycle in a for-each loop. Use this function inside the for-each loop".

So I think we will see it better with examples.

Let's assume we have a Filter Array. When defining Filter Array condition, the way to refer to 'Filter Array' input current iteration is by means of item(). The same applies to Select when defining its map table. So item() gives you context to currently running item in the loop.

'Apply to each' is a bit more complex. Why? Because inside an 'Apply to each' we can add another action block(s) that require an array as input and iterate through all its input array elements. So you can have another 'Apply to each' inside, you can have 'Filter array' inside, you can have 'Select' inside.

The ortodox way to refer to 'Apply to Each' input current iteration is by means of items('Name_of_the_action_block'). So if we call our 'Apply to each' as 'Apply to each 2', we shall use

items('Apply_to_each_2')

But sometimes we can also refer to 'Apply to Each' input current iteration by means of item() -which is faster to type-.

We shall not do it when we assign expressions to either another 'Apply to each' or a 'Filter array' or a 'Select' that were added inside our first 'Apply to each'.

Let's assume we have an array variable called Fruits. We assign as its value 4 elements: ['banana', 'apple', 'orange', 'lemon']

Let's assume we have a second array ariable called Desserts. We assign as its value 3 elements: ['cheesecake', 'icecream', 'orange']

Now imagine we add 'Apply to each X', assign variable 'Fruits' as its input. Inside 'Apply to each X':

-we add a Compose action block, assign as its value the expression: item()

-we add a second Compose action block, assign as its value the expression: items('Apply_to_each_X')

'Apply to each X' will iterate 4 times. In each iteration both Compose action blocks will display the same result: 'banana' in first iteration, 'apple' on second and so on.

Now inside the 'Apply to each X' we also add a Filter Array, assign variable 'Dessert' as its input.

-On its condition left side we add expresion: item()

-On its condition right side we add expression: items('Apply_to_each_X')

-Operator: equals

So 'Filter Array' will iterate 3 times per 'Apply to eah operation'. Inside 'Filter array', item() refers to 'Filter array' current iteration, and items('Apply_to_each_X') refers to 'Apply to each X' current iteration

Same would happen if we add a 'Select' inside 'Apply to each X'. Inside 'Select', item() refers to 'Select' current iteration, and items('Apply_to_each_X') refers to 'Apply to each X' current iteration.

same would happen if we add 'Apply to each Y' inside 'Apply to each X'. Inside 'Apply to each Y', both items('Apply_to_each_Y') and item() refer to 'Apply to each Y' current iteration, and items('Apply_to_each_X') refers to 'Apply to each X' current iteration.

In my examples, array elements were strings. But if array elements where objects instead, you can use item() and items() to get the values from current iteration's element (object) properties

Hope this helps

[Jouberva]

@efialttes ; hello man, you save my day with your solution, many many thanks.