How to Submit Form and Run Power Automate at Same time with Form Data

[Travis5150]

Here is my Power App.

The user will fill in the information, and click submit.

The submit button OnSelect is Submitform(Editform1).

This information is then put into a SharePoint List.

What I would like to do, if it is possible, is when they click on Submit, the same action happens with the SPO site, but I would like for a FLOW to be kicked off.

The FLOW will post a message to a teams chat.  I would like it to post the information they are submitting in the form from the PowerApp.

I found how to kick off the flow, but it takes away my submitform.  Can I add multiple lines to OnSelect?

So my goal is, for the Power App to submit the information that it is doing right now SPO List, as well as kick off a flow (above) that will post a message to a chat in Teams, but use the information from the form.

Any idea how I accomplish this?

[Travis5150]

so I was doing an experiment, to see if the error was happening cause I was pulling from a drop down.....

Ok, so if I choose Title (which is the field they enter in the number, it is working.

This field they enter in a number, so it is just TEXT.

CaseType, is where they choose what type of case it is.  It is a drop down and they pick from a selection.

If I try to just use CaseType, it gives an error.

So, I need to send Title and CaseType to Flow, but I think there is an issue with trying to grab the information from the CaseType, since it is not Text.

[RandyHayes]

@Travis5150 

What kind of column is CaseType? That is the parameter with the error from the picture you are showing.

[Travis5150]

You are talking about what it is in SPO List correct?

It is a Choice Column.

The other thing I am playing around with is creating a collection and sending it to Parse Json.

Collect(
FormInfo,
{
CaseNumber: Self.LastSubmit.Title,
CaseType: Self.LastSubmit.CaseType
}
);
Set(
FormObj,
JSON(FormInfo)
);
'TEST-CasePost'.Run(FormObj);
Clear(FormInfo);
Back();

When I do that, the output from the json is below.  I am now trying to figure out how to get the two values out of that.

[RandyHayes · Accepted solution]

@Travis5150 

If it is a choice column, then providing just that column name is a record (choice columns are records).  So, to get the text value, change that from Self.LastSubmit.CaseType to Self.LastSubmit.CaseType.Value

As for the PowerAutomate flow - yes, it is actually better to provide a JSON string to the flow rather than individual parameters.  This makes it easier to change as time goes and you need to change as you don't have to alter the flow parameter signature to the app and thus go through the removing and adding the flow again for PowerApps to recognize it properly.

You don't need in-memory databases (collections) to do this.  It can all be done from the formula.

i.e. 'TEST-CasePost'.Run(JSON({CaseNumber: Self.LastSubmit.CaseNumber, CaseType: Self.LastSubmit.CastType.Value}))

The above will send a JSON string to the flow.

This is preferred over trying to do it in a collection or anything like that (not to mention that is way more work than you need to do).  The reason it is preferred is if you change the values you want to pass to the flow down the road, it is all right there in the formula.  No need to hunt down collections and how they are populated.

As for the PowerAutomate parse json...you need to supply a Schema for the JSON.  Once you do that, then you have access to all the columns parsed.

Based on the example that I provided for the flow signature in the above formulas, in your ParseJSON action, you would "Generate from sample" and provide the following for a sample:

{CaseNumber:123, CaseType:"abc"}

It will now create a valid schema for that in the Parse JSON action.

Now, anywhere in the flow you can reference the "Parse JSON" action and then you will see CaseNumber and CaseType.

[Travis5150]

Ok, I am officially stuck.

I have been trying with Parse Json, but I am running into errors there as well.

I dont care if I just call it out in the Power App like I was trying before, or if I use Parse Json.

I dont know how to properly get the information out of the Json though.

The info being passed into the json is this

[RandyHayes]

@Travis5150 

We posted at pretty much the same time - so try the suggestions I made in the last post.

[Travis5150]

Almost there, I keep running into some Invalid types with json.

If I enter the sample as this:

{CaseNumber:123, CaseType:"abc"}

It just gives syntax error

So I tried it as

[

{

"CaseNumber":123,

"CaseType":"abc"

}

]

But this will also give an error.

I get a different error if I setup the schema like this:

{"CaseNumber":"123","CaseType":"abc"}

[RandyHayes]

@Travis5150 

Is your CaseNumber text or number?

Also, what is the formula in the PowerApp at this point for the Run?

[Travis5150]

Case Number is Text

Here is for the formula, I have it set on ONSUCCESS

'TEST-CasePost'.Run(JSON({CaseNumber: Self.LastSubmit.Title, CaseType: Self.LastSubmit.CaseType.Value}));Back();

I did try something else.

I set the schema to this:

{"CaseNumber":"abc","CaseType":"abc"}

The Parse succeeds this time, and I get this:

The full schema from above is this:

{

  "type": "object",

  "properties": {

    "CaseNumber": {

      "type": "string"

    },

    "CaseType": {

      "type": "string"

    }

  }

}

I do get the option for for CaseNumber and CaseType now.

But it errors, and when I go back into Edit it, the two options are gone from the Teams action.

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Post_message_in_a_chat_or_channel' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template language expression 'body('Parse_JSON')?['CaseType']?['Value']' cannot be evaluated because property 'Value' cannot be selected. Property selection is not supported on values of type 'String'. Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions for usage details.'.

FYI, I REEEEEAAALLY appreciate the help.

I ahve been sitting in front of this machine all day, going to take a break.

I may start testing again in the morning, my brain is fried.

[RandyHayes]

@Travis5150 

I understand...sometimes the brain can get fried!  Good to take a break.

So yes, if the CaseNumber is text, then it looks better now with the sample record of: {"CaseNumber":"abc","CaseType":"abc"}

So, what you are seeing in the Teams action block is a throwback to what you had before.  It is still trying to get the Value property of the CaseType - ['CaseType']?['Value']'.  That is not valid any longer.  So that reference should be removed and then the new selection put in.  If it really doesn't want to seem to change, then you might also need to pull that block out and then add it back in and set it back up the way you have it (except with the new reference to the CaseType).

Flow can get picky at times and be a real pain!

Anyway, take a break and give it a go tomorrow and let's see where that gets you.