Trigger flow when only one field in list is modified

[Anonymous]

Hello - I have a flow that triggers an automated email when a list field, "Status" changes from 'Open' to closed. However, the email triggers whenever any field is changed. Is there a way to fine tune so that this will only trigger on the desired field and no other field?

 

[ScottShearer]

The short answer is no, you can't  have a Flow trigger only when a specified column is changed,

The simple work around is to store a copy of the column data in a separate column.  When the Flow is triggered, compare the two columns.  If they are the same, do nothing,  If they are not the same, take action as appropriate and update the additional column to match the value in the column you are monitoring.

There are other more elegant solutions, but what I have presented is the quick and simple fix.

Scott

[v-yuazh-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

As @ScottShearer said, there is no any trigger on a special column in list is modified,if you would like to trigger a flow when a special column in list is modified,

I afraid that there is no way to achieve your needs in Microsoft Flow currently.

If you would like this feature to be added in Microsoft Flow, please submit an idea to Flow Ideas Forum:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

You could take the alternative way offered by @ScottShearer, however, the alternative way wouldn't work when the field value in the list is modified several times.

I have another alternative way, you could also take a try with mine.

1. Add a yes/no type column "Status is changed" in the sharepoint list.

2.Every time a user modify the list, if he have modify the "Status" column,he must modify the "Status is changed" column to "Yes", 

if he haven't modify the "Status" column,he must keep the  "Status is changed" column to "No".

3.You could add an condition under the trigger to check if the "Status is changed" column is equal to true or false.if the "Status is changed"column is equal to true,send the email,if the  the "Status is changed" column is equal to false,do nothing.

Best regards,

Alice

[Anonymous]

Hello,

I know how old this is but I have a question that is related to this one. When trying to trigger a flow based off the value of a specific column using a condition is there a way for it to recognize string values?

Like if you want an email sent only when Column A reads "send email" is there a way to do this? I tried to use one of my columns in a condition and for flow to check if a specific string was selected but it never works.

[Anonymous]

I hate to comment on a stale thread; but I have found a way to trigger an approval flow based on a field value.

It looks like everyone has some kind of status field that needs to be evaluated (it's really how I started). After following the information posted at the beginning of the thread; I tested and received the expected result of failure.

However, if you initialize a variable and pull that field value into it (Initialize variable, then set variable to field value; in my instance the second step for setting was to use 'status value'). Once that is pulled into a variable the statement can be evaluated with the condition statement. I've tested on several different tables within my instance of SharePoint and it's pretty effective every time.

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous , can you post a screen shot of the solution?

[Anonymous]

I can't do the image attachment (DLP Policies for my organization). But I can do the JSON code:

"Initialize_variable_-_StatusField": {
							"runAfter": {
								"Initialize_variable_-_EmailString": ["Succeeded"]
							},
							"type": "InitializeVariable",
							"inputs": {
								"variables": [{
										"name": "StatusField",
										"type": "String"
									}
								]
							}
						},
						"Set_variable_-_StatusField": {
							"runAfter": {
								"Initialize_variable_-_StatusField": ["Succeeded"]
							},
							"type": "SetVariable",
							"inputs": {
								"name": "StatusField",
								"value": "@triggerBody()?['Status']?['Value']"
							}
						}

[Anonymous]

@Anonymous I think the problem with your code is that if any other column's value changes and if your Status column has a value in it (whether its the same or changed status), it will trigger the flow as well.

[Anonymous]

Correct; it will trigger for any modification; but will only proceed if the status field is equal to something I've configured to run.

I've done this on a few flows and it works fairly flawlessly.

[mcastine]

Any changes to PowerAutomate on this issue? In the last 6 months, there have been massive strides in updates to PowerApps but wasn't sure about Automate. 

[dunski]

I don't know if this has been covered in a different forum item or not but I use a Switch in these scenarios. The trigger is the same as in the original post (item in list is modified), and next I add the Switch and specify the Status column using Dynamic Content. This then gives you the ability to add Cases, and here you use the Status options from your column (manually typed in not selectable as dynamic content so watch out for spelling!). You can then build out the rest of your flow with email notifications etc as you would with a condition. It works really well for status columns with multiple options (max I've used is 8 so far) sending notifications to different people in a process when the status value changes each with a customised message. Hopefully this helps

[mcastine]

Yes! I switched to using "switch" back in August and have used it exclusively. Works so much better than the condition. Thanks!

[AshleaLu]

Sorry!! I know this is an old thread, but can you step me through this?

What is a switch? Sorry! am very new to SP

Thanks,

Ashlea

[anilrambhajan]

Any solution for this? Help

[shawn_fielding]

So yeah this is old, but I have a situation where if a status is changed, I need to send an email.  How I did it was having a second "former status" field.  That way, when an item is changed, I can compare the statuses to see if that is the field changed.  If the statuses are different, send that email and change the "former status" to the same as the status.  If they are the same, then obviously something else was changed and nothing needs to happen.

[anilrambhajan]

Thank you for your response. Yes, I ended up doing something very similar. I used a boolen column and set it to true if the column value changes and use that column as my trigger.

[Antiwa]

Well there is a simple way to specify a trigger condition to your flow when a specific field data changes to a specific value. In your case when 'Status' field value changes to 'Close'.

1. Go to setting of the 'when an item is created or modified' connector using '...' option.

2. Configure the trigger condition of the flow.

Here is the snip of the expression:

[anilrambhajan]

You are right, however this is assuming the use case is to only determine when the status is closed.

Consider you have a status column with let's say 8 different statuses and you would like to determine each time the status column gets updated to do whatever you need to do.

With your suggested approach, that would be 8 different flows each with a trigger for the specific status. Not really practical and maintainable for such use case.

[shawn_fielding]

I honestly would choose a choice, rather than a boolean and use case to determine the action.  This then requires only one flow.  An annoying one to look at on the screen, but it'll work.

[Anonymous]

Since the original question was to only trigger when a specific column changes, the solution would be to have a second column that stores the "former status" value.  Make the trigger contrition when the Status column is not equal to the former status column.  

When the flow runs, update the "former status" column to the current status.   They are now equal and the flow will not trigger again until the status is changed.  This will work for any number of potential Status values.