Read a PDF QR Code to update Sharepoint file Properties - Struggle to convert QR Code output to file properties

[Adri]

Hello,

I'm building a flow which is reading a QR code on PDF document uploaded in a SharePoint list. 

The PDF documents QR Code are generated from Adobe Acrobat DC and are encoded using Tab Delimited format containing few fields present in the PDF form.

The objective is to retrieve the PDF form field values by reading the QR code then use those values to update its File properties in SharePoint so users can filter the document library later on.

I'm using Encodian "Read QR Code" to read the QR codes.

I'm struggling to process the output from the QR Code reading and "split it in multiple dynamic content that I will use to update the file properties accordingly. 

I'm not friendly at all (yet) with the Power Automate Data Operation neither JSON to transform the QR code reading output as needed.

The current output format is:

[
"Document Type\tEmployee\tProject Number\tReference\rPurchase Order\tRobert Smith\t887-1943-024-ABC\t456784"
]

Where: Document Type, Employee, Project Number, Reference are the files properties I want to update with the properties values : Purchase Order, Rober Smith, 887-1943-024-ABC, 456784.

If someone could help me to overcome to this or provide me with direction it would be awesome 😀

PS: in this example the QR code is passing 4 file properties but I may have to go for less or more with the final solution.

Hereunder some screenshots for reference

Thanks in advance for your support

Adrien

Current Flow difficulties

Hereunder a screenshot of the SharePoint document library with what I currently have and what I wish to accomplish

Current Result vs Objectif

[Jay-Encodian]

Hi @Adri 

The Encodian 'Read QR Code - Document' action is auto-detecting any QR codes in the document provided and then returns an array of those values.

Based on the info provided; a single QR code has been detected and the value of the QR code is being written into the Title column.

You need to split the string value of the QR code and then write to the SharePoint list columns... however before we get into that can I ask whether you are controlling the creation of the QR code and embedding within the document?

If so I would suggest using a JSON structure which would allow you to subsequently and more easily parse and work with the data embedded within the QR code.

In the following example; I've created a QR code with JSON data embedded, added to a PDF document via a watermark, read the QR code value from the document, parsed the JSON data and then written the data to a SharePoint list... I think it contains all the moving parts to get you going?

Working with the parsed JSON value:

HTH

Jay

[Adri]

I @Jay-Encodian ,

Thanks for you help, it got me on the right direction.

Yes I'm controlling the QR Code creation and leant a bit more about JSON structure.

So as you suggested I'm now using a JSON object structure to pass the information as a string through the QR Code as this:

{ "name":"John", "age":30, "car":null }

For some reason the Outputs of the Read QR Code - Document is adding some characters and provides me with such string:

[
"{\"name\"😕"John\",\"age\"😕"30\", \"car\"😕"null\" }\n"
]

I can't directly proceed this string through the Parse JSON to retrieve my values, any idea why it comes within those additional characters?  I'm generating the QR code from https://www.qrcode-monkey.com/#text or QR4Office Excel Add-in.

I was able to reformat in the original JSON object structure by using initialize Variable with "Replace Expression" to clear those unwanted characters but it there is a better way to address this, please let me know.

Also on the screenshots you shared, I can't read the expression you used in the input of the Parse JSON, it is too blurry. Could you please share it? What it's purpose?

Thanks for your support

Adrien

[Jay-Encodian · Accepted solution]

Hi @Adri

This is happening because Power Automate is escaping the JSON to display in the user interface.

We created a blog covering this topic: https://blog.encodian.com/2020/04/parsing-json-returned-by-encodian-actions/

To resolve your issue just unescape the JSON before you perform the 'Generate from sample' step, details here: https://blog.encodian.com/2020/04/parsing-json-returned-by-encodian-actions/#EscapeJson

For ease, here is your string unescaped:

{"name":"John","age":"30", "car":"null" }

You only need to do this once, its only an issue where you generate the initial schema.

HTH

Jay

[ms41]

Hello, 

I have got almost the same issue. 

First :  I send data from outlook to sharepoint list with .pdf attachment

 

Second: I need to fetch the QrCode inside in the .pdf attachment and fill the values into some sharepoint list columns(having dificulties) 

Having dificulties to Map the QrCode Array into the Sharepoint List Columns .  Mapping the QrCode Array With the Correct Sharepoint List that wants to match the data. 

[msfni]

Use the QR-IN Api For make qr codes