Using Flow to update Sharepoint list, can create new item but not update

[AL65257]

Hello! I am working on a flow to check if a record already exists in a Sharepoint list, and if it does, update it, and if not, create a new record. Even when there is a match, it is creating a new record instead of updating. 

If the Agent ID matches, it is supposed to update with responses from a form. It does not update, it creates a new record with the same Agent ID. The flow runs, but will not update records, only create. What am I doing wrong here?

[creativeopinion]

@AL65257 If your flow is creating an item instead of updating, according to how you've structured your flow—this means that the condition returned is false. The condition in your case is redundant if you are already using a Filter Query in your Get Items action. 

Instead, I recommend you structuring your flow this way. You will need to switch to the Classic Designer to follow along. 

Note: If your Agent ID column isn't storing a number you will need to wrap the dynamic content in single quotes. 

Count Items Returned

Whenever I use a Filter Query in a Get Items action, I always like to return the count of items returned in a Compose action. This is helpful when building a flow and can also be used to troubleshoot your flow.

Insert a Compose action. Add an Expression. Use the length() function.

Select the Dynamic content tab and insert the value dynamic content from the Get Items action into the length() function.

Run a test.

Condition

In the first value field of your condition action insert the outputs from the Compose action. 

Change the operator to is not equal to and in the second value field enter 0. If the number of items returned is not equal to zero (this means items have been returned).

Insert the Update Item action into the YES branch. 

Insert the Create Item action into the NO branch.

Update Item

I also noticed your Update Item action is using the wrong ID dynamic content. Unless your SharePoint Item ID is an exact match to your Form response ID, this will not work. 

I'm assuming the Agent ID in your SP list is unique. If that is the case, there will only ever be a single item returned from your Get Items action. For that reason, you should avoid the Apply to Each action when using the SP List Item ID dynamic content. 

Please refer to this section of a YT tutorial I recently uploaded on how to avoid the Apply to Each action when returning a single item from an array. 

Hope this helps!

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[AL65257]

Thank you for your response! When I try to test for length, this is what I get:

There should be one match. I think this is why items won't update, the column is coming back null for some reason?

[creativeopinion]

@AL65257 The way you have set up your Compose action is wrong (you haven't inserted an expression—you've just inserted a string of text) you need to add an expression—by clicking on the expression tab. Typing in the function — length().

Then you need to click on the Dynamic Content tab. With your cursor between the parentheses of the function, you need to insert the value dynamic content from the Get Items action. 

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!

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