Populate word template from a multiselect choice column is repeating all items

[luizhr]

I am trying to Populate word template and one of my columns is a multi select option, which it could be empty, have 1 item or more than 1 (like 2 values).

I built the flow using an apply to each, select, join and append to string variable like that:

When I run the flow I can see the values individually in my apply to each step.

My next step is to populate these values in a table inside my template in Word. I am using another Select and mentioning the Variable that I created, just like that:

But my outcome in my Word template is showing like that for all items: 

"COPM10, PM2.5SO2SO2SO2SO2VOCVOCVOCVOCSO2VOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOCVOC",

I'd like to see, 

Item 1 : CO

Item 2: PM10, PM2.5

Item 3: SO2

Item 4: ..... 

P.S. if the item is empty, or has 1 or 2 items selected, I'd like to see it in Word as well. 

How to solve this issue? 

[ahartsfield]

Hi there,

I don't have as much experience with the Select variable action, but what I have done that has worked in other flows with multi-choice fields is:

You might try these actions and then enter the resulting variable in your select function.

I hope that helps!

[ManishSolanki]

Hi @luizhr 

To transform the value of elements in an array, pls follow the below steps.

I have used compose action to store the input array:

[
"CO",
"PM10, PM2.5",
"SO2",
"SO2",
"SO2",
"SO2"
]

Next, add 'Select' action to perform the transformation. You need to add an expression to iterate the array elements and extract data from it. Expression needs to be added in the expression box:

range(0,length(outputs('Compose')))

Click 'Switch Map to text mode' button on the right side of Map property & enter the below expression in the textbox:

concat('Item ',add(item(),1),' : ',outputs('Compose')?[item()])

 The output of select action will return an array with transformed values.

Output:

If this helps & solves your problem, please remember to give a 👍 and accept my solution as it will help others in the future.

[luizhr]

Hi guys, @ManishSolanki , @ahartsfield 

Probably I wasn't clear in my question, and I am still struggling a little bit to develop my flow. Basically, what I'm trying to do is to automatically fill in a Word document with the values from a SharePoint list, and one of them has a multi selection option. Column "Pollutant" should follow the same sequence as the SharePoint list.

The item sometimes could have 1, 2 or blank/null values (like the examples below) 

A	Pollutant	B	C	D	E
XXX	CO	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	PM10, PM2.5	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX		XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX

QUESTION: How do I build this "Outputs" that goes inside this Select step without copying the whole array for all items? 

That's what happening:

A	Pollutant	B	C	D	E
XXX	COPM10, PM2.5SO2""SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	COPM10, PM2.5SO2""SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	COPM10, PM2.5SO2""SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	COPM10, PM2.5SO2""SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX
XXX	COPM10, PM2.5SO2""SO2	XXXX	XXXXX	XXX	XXX

[ahartsfield]

Ahhhh....that is much more clear to me.

In one of my flows I have a multi-select field that I use the select action to pair down to the selected choice. This is how I have that field setup:

In my case, From is the field name from dynamic content "Incident Type". In Map first cell I type "Value" and in the next cell I use dynamic content to grab "Incident Type Value".

Maybe that will help.

~Amy

[luizhr]

I can't do that because it creates one apply to each over another, and my flow doesn't run: 

Unless there's something else that could be done to avoid it.

[luizhr]

Hi @Zotmani ,  @David_MA any idea how to help me on that? I am also trying to follow your solution here but no success:  Solved: Populate word template from sharepoint list multis... - Power Platform Community (microsoft....

[ahartsfield]

Mine doesn't go into an Apply to each loop for that particular variable. I'm assuming you entered the word "Value" in the "Enter key" cell and it does the same thing?

It matters which prior action you are grabbing your dynamic content from. My datasource is a SharePoint list and my flow trigger is "When a new item is created". Whenever possible, I draw my dynamic content from that action and it is less likely to go into an Apply to each loop.

[David_MA]

You are on the right track. but you need to do it this way:

This is the expression used:

join(variables('Choices'),', ')

You can use it in a Compose action and use that to populate the Word template or use the expression directly in the Word template. You can also change comma/space to whatever you want to use to separate your values.

[luizhr]

Could you show me how you wrote the join() function inside the compose? 

@David_MA 

[luizhr]

@David_MA When I try it happens the same issue I am having the in beginning:

It copies all items in the same line and copy them for all

[David_MA]

Based on your screen shot, you have the apply to each nested within another apply to each, which is most likely the cause of the problem. I am not sure why you need it nested in another apply to each, but since you are appending to an array, the values are most likely appending from the parent apply to each. At the start if the nested apply to each, use a set variable action to set the value of your choices variable to null.

[ManishSolanki]

Hi @luizhr 

You need to drag out compose action outside of 'Apply to each 4' action. But the same compose action should be nested inside the block of outermost 'Apply to each' action. 

If this helps & solves your problem, please remember to give a 👍 and accept my solution as it will help others in the future.