Some fields turn "null" after condition

[SyedRizvi]

I am making a flow to send out a daily email with the current day's check results that are stored on a table in excel.

I use the "List rows present in a table" to get all the rows from the table, this returns the values as expected. I then pass it through an if condition to check which row is of the current date to put details of that match into an HTML table and then email that table. However, after it passes through the if condition, some values turn into "null" and show a blank result in the table.

Example of the table where the values are stored:

Results after passing it through an if condition. Example in the "List rows present in a table" the "Supervisor name" field shows what is entered in the table, but becomes null after the if statement.

I have ensured all the formats in the excel table are correct and the if condition is working as expected.

[creativeopinion]

@SyedRizvi Could you post a screenshot of your full flow? It would help to provide more insight. If you are using the New Designer, please switch to the Classic Designer and expand all the actions and post a screenshot of your flow in edit mode (with all the actions expanded).

This would help to provide more clarity. In the meantime, you might find this YT Tutorial helpful: 5 Power Automate Troubleshooting FAQs and Helpful Tips for Creating Better Flows

In this tutorial I cover:

✅ How to troubleshoot a false Condition action result

✅ How to get dynamic content when it isn’t selectable from the list of dynamic content

✅ How to troubleshoot an Apply to Each action that isn’t looping through

✅ How to troubleshoot a skipped Apply to Each action

✅ How to troubleshoot a Filter Query

✅ How to use a SharePoint yes/no column in a Filter Query

✅ How to use Compose actions to troubleshoot a Power Automate flow

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple emails being sent

✅ How to troubleshoot multiple Teams messages being sent

Hope this helps!

If I helped you solve your problem—please mark my post as a solution ✅.
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[SyedRizvi]

Here's the flow. There are two variables initialized, but one of them is redundant, I was just using them to see different types of tables.

[creativeopinion]

@SyedRizvi Can you explain what you are trying to do in your flow? It's not clear to me.

[SyedRizvi]

I have a table where I store daily data (one row/date). In the flow, I am trying to send an email everyday with the row from the current day in a table format.

Here's the steps:

> The flow triggers when I receive an email containing a keyword

> It lists rows present in a table

> It filters the listed rows to find the row with today's date

> Creates a HTML table with that one filtered row

> Sends an email with the created HTML table

Hope that explains it.

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

 The logic of your flow needs to be adjusted. If you only want to return a single row, you do not need an Apply to Each action in your flow. Take a look a this YT Tutorial I recently uploaded: 3 Mistakes YOU 🫵 are Making with the Apply to Each Action in your Microsoft Power Automate Flow

In this video tutorial I’ll go over how to avoid these common mistakes when using the Apply to Each action in a Power Automate flow:

1️⃣ Looping through a Single Item

2️⃣ Creating Unnecessary Nested Loops

3️⃣ Looping through an Unfiltered Array

At the end of the video I share a few helpful insights when it comes to using the Apply to Each action in your flow.

I'll also cover:

✅ How to avoid the Apply to Each action with a single item array

✅ How to use the item() function to access dynamic content in an array

✅ How to prevent unnecessary nested Apply to Each action loops

✅ How to use the Select action

✅ How to convert an array to a string with the Select action

✅How to use the Filter Query field

✅ How to count the number of items in an array

✅ How to use a condition control

✅ How to use the concurrency control

✅ How to set a top count

✅ How to use Compose actions for troubleshooting

In your case, you need to use the filter query in the List Rows Present in a table action. Please note that this Filter Query will only accept a single condition. If you need to use more than one condition, use a Filter Array action instead. It's a lot more efficient than using an Apply to Each + Condition action. To learn more about how to use the Filter Array action, please refer to this YT Tutorial I uploaded.

Convert Time Zone

Whenever you are using dates and times in your flow—it's best practice to use a Convert Time Zone action. In the base time field, insert the utcNow() expression.

Source Time Zone: Coordinated Universal Time

Destination Time Zone: Local Time Zone

Format String: Round Trip

Filter Row by Today's Date

Add a Filter Query action to the List Rows Present in a Table action. You will need to ensure your date column text doesn't contain any spaces. 

Insert the name of your column first, then eq for equals to. Add single quotes.

Between the single quotes you will need to insert the date. You will need to format your date to match the date format in Excel. Add an expression. Use the formateDateTime() function. 

Click on the Dynamic content tab. Between the parenthesis, insert the output from the Convert Time Zone action.

Add a comma and single quotes. Between the single quotes, enter the date format that matches the date format you have in Excel.

Press OK.

Whenever you are working with dates and times in Excel you must always select ISO 8601 as the DateTime Format.

Create HTML Table

Add a Create HTML table action to your flow. In the From field, insert the value dynamic content from the List Rows Present in a table action. 

Change the Columns from Automatic to Custom. Customize this action to suit your needs. 

Run a test. Verify that the Create an HTML action is returning the correct information. 

Send an Email (V2)

Add a Send an Email (V2) action, in the body of the email insert the output from the Create HTML table action above.

As mentioned earlier, you do not require an Apply to Each action in your flow since you are only returning a single row. If you are planning to use any dynamic content from the List Rows present in a table action in the send an email action—you must use an expression. 

I cover how to compose an expression in the tutorial I've linked above.

Hope this helps!

If I helped you solve your problem—please mark my post as a solution ✅.
Consider giving me a 👍 if you liked my response! If you're feeling generous— ☕️  Buy me a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/acreativeopinion

👉 Watch my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok

@SyedRizvi

[SyedRizvi]

Thank you for such a detailed explanation. I redesigned my flow with your suggestions and it is working much more efficiently. However, the table output still shows some blank values although it shows that those have a value in the previous step.

> Here it shows all the fields have a value:

> The table shows blank for the same fields:

[creativeopinion]

@SyedRizvi Can you use a Compose action to output a dynamic content that is showing a blank value?... Also, how are these columns set up in your Excel table? The ones that are displaying a blank value?... Are they formatted differently than the other columns that display values?

[SyedRizvi]

@creativeopinion the formatting is the exact same for each column, they are all formatted as "general" in excel. Also, when I try to compose the blank ones, the compose goes into an "apply to each" but the output of the compose action also returns blank.

[SyedRizvi]

@creativeopinion I tried using what you showed in your video tutorial to use the compose action without it being nested into apply to each automatically, but that returns an error/blank as well

All the other values that were previously showing also go blank now

[creativeopinion]

@SyedRizvi Are you using the new designer or classic designer? The new designer is still buggy. If you are using the new designer, please switch to the classic designer and try again.

If it's still showing up blank you might be to create a new flow, switch to the classic designer first before making any edits to your flow.

[SyedRizvi]

@creativeopinion I am using the classic one, new designer doesn't work really well. I'll try starting a new flow from scratch using the classic designer.

[SyedRizvi]

@creativeopinion it's working now, there must've been a glitch from the new designer.

Thank you for all the help!