Reminder to enter required metadata - refreshing data about document properties - OData filter in Get files action

[Anonymous]

Flow newbie here, quick question:

Because the required fields aren't actually required anymore in document libraries, and we want to implement records management that depends on people actually filling out fields, I am trying to build a simple flow to send a reminder to users 30 minutes after they have created/uploaded a new document if they have left a required field blank.

My plan is as follow:

When a File is Created (properties only) > Delay 30 minutes > Get files (properties only) > condition check to see if a required field is blank > send message in Teams to user if field is blank, otherwise do nothing

I assume that I need to refresh the available data about the item submitted after 30 minutes, otherwise it will be trying to check for what the fields were like when the item was created which will obviously return the wrong answer.

My issue: When I do the "Get files" action and try to use an OData filter to only look at the submitted item (ID eq 'ID') it throws an error: "The expression "ID eq '54'" is not valid. Creating query failed."

1. Is there an easier way to do this?

2. Is there an explanation for the filter not working?

[v-bacao-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Please try the following configuration:

If you want to use Get items, you should fill ID eq ID(Dynamic content out from trigger and without adding a single quote). ID is a number field.

Besides, you could set the field to a required in SharePoint Library directly.

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

@v-bacao-msftThanks a bunch, that seems to have worked! However, now I am hitting another error I don't understand at all. This didn't show up the other times I've used the post teams message.

Here is the flow design after retrieving the message - the apply to each control came up automatically when I inserted the field to check.
Condition and Flowbot messageWhen this runs, the flow history shows the condition greyed out. It did not do anything.

History - greyed out action

[Anonymous]

@v-bacao-msft 

So, good news and bad news. Actions grey out because the field is blank, the exact thing I am trying to check. Easy solution - add a default value and check for that.

Problem: I am now running into another issue where users cannot assign values to certain choice fields. You select an option, it claims it saved the change to the field, but when you navigate away the column stays blank. In this circumstance even the default value will not assign itself.

And yes, the field is set to required by SharePoint allows users to ignore required fields without consequence. If we are trying to automate IM policies based on field values, blank fields is not helpful.

Edit/Update: Changing the choice field to drop-down instead of checklist solved the issue... Don't know what's up with that! So I have a working system now. That issue with my choice field is perplexing though. I have a separate post about it.