Get Items Filter Query: Check date vs dates in text column

[cmitchener]

I have a column in SharePoint to track dates on items. They are stored as strings of text (it's a text column), but the format is "MM/dd/yyyy" (ex. 4/26/2024). I'm making a flow to archive all records where the date in this column is on or before a selected date, which is selected in the beginning of the flow run (see image below). I want the "Get Items" to filter the SharePoint list to show only the records where the date is the same as or before the selected date. All the queries I try fail. Any help is much appreciated.

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

@cmitchener I recently uploaded a tutorial on how to work with dates. Just match the format of your date in your filter query to that stored in the text column.

You will need to use the internal column name of your ___ column. Keep in mind that the internal column name may not always match the name displayed in your Sharepoint list. If you aren't sure how to get the Internal Column name, you can refer to this section of one of my YT Tutorials.

InternalColumnDateName le 'formatDateTime([insert trigger date dynamic content here],'MM/dd/yyyy')'

You might find this tutorial helpful:

How to Work with 📆 Dates in Power Automate | Example Scenarios and Tips & Tricks 

In this section I show you how easy it is to use an expression to output dynamic text. Setting variables is actually quite easy. Happy to walk you through it. It'll help streamline your flow. This is especially helpful if some of the content from your email is the same. You will only need to edit a single action and insert custom content (based on the value in your spreadsheet) as necessary.

Are you easily stumped when working with Dates in Power Automate? In this Power Automate tutorial, I’ll show you how to compose an expression that will return a future date, a past date, how to count the number of days between two dates, how to check for a birthdate and anniversary date as well as tips and tricks when working with dates in Power Automate.

I’ll cover some common use cases and concepts that can help you to build better Power Automate flows. Feel free to skip ahead using the timestamps listed below. I’ve also linked a few other tutorials that you might be interested in as well.

IN THIS VIDEO:

✅ 4 Date Functions You Need to Know

✅ How to use the Convert Time Zone Action

✅ How to Get a Future Date

✅ How to Get a Past Date

✅ How to Return SharePoint Items Due in a Number of Days

✅ How to Return SharePoint Items Due within a Date Range

✅ How to write a Filter Query for SharePoint Items Due in 30, 60 and 90 Days

✅ How to Calculate the Number of Days between Two Dates

✅ How to Check for a Birthdate and Anniversary Date

✅ How to work with Dates and Times in Excel

✅ How to use a Manual Trigger with Date Input

✅ How to Output Dynamic Text with an Expression

✅ How to Check if a Date Falls on a Weekend

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!

👉 Level up your Power Automate skills by checking out my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok and Instagram

[Chriddle]

When you compare dates in Power Automate, you compare strings from left to right.

I don't see any way to meaningfully do this with a string in MM/dd/yyyy format in an OData filter.

Get all elements and use the Filter action. There you can adjust your fake date before comparing.

Or better: change the column type in the SP list.

[cmitchener]

@creativeopinion this is how I have it set up (the list name shows as "Date" in the URL, as you explain in the YT video), and below is the error I get when I try to do it:

[creativeopinion]

@cmitchener you need to add single quotes around the expression as I've shown in my previous post.

'[Insert expression here]'

[cmitchener]

Same issue ('Date' is the field)

[creativeopinion]

@cmitchener Sorry, it looks like you misunderstood my previous comment. The single quotes need to be around the expression label not the internal column name.

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!

👉 Level up your Power Automate skills by checking out my tutorials on YouTube
👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok and Instagram

[cmitchener]

I think I figured it out! I watched the video you linked and got it almost working, but in the end I figured out the list was formatted "M/d/yyyy", but I was trying to use the format "MM/dd/yyyy", which doesn't work for text. The only thing I have to figure out now is when I say something like "Date le 3/15/2022", I can't have it return a record with "11/2/2022".

[cmitchener]

Is there a way to get the column in the DateTime format?

[creativeopinion · Accepted solution]

@cmitchener Is there a reason you are using a Text column and not a DateTime column? If you aren't able to change the column type to date you will have to use the substringof() function. I would however recommend that if you are storing a date, you use the DateTime column.

[cmitchener]

I usually only use Text (single line and multi line) and number columns; that way I can adapt the format more easily in the future. I'm pretty new to the Power Automate scene though, so I haven't had to mess with date conversions in there.

[creativeopinion]

@cmitchener I believe in this case you'll need to use a Filter Array action to format the text stored in your text column into a date so you can properly evaluate it. It would be a lot more streamlined if you use a date column in your SP list instead. 

Otherwise you will need to return all items from your SP list before you can filter them out. As your SP list grows this can be inefficient. It's always best practice to filter out your SP list items when possible. 

[cmitchener]

Ok thanks. I did run into some performance issues with the Filter Array, but I'll switch it over to a DateTime column and see if that solves my issue.

[cmitchener]

@creativeopinion I wasn't sure which to select as the solution, so I just selected the message about changing to a date column. After doing that the code works perfectly, so I'm not going to mess around with trying to do it the hard way. Thanks for all the help! PS. I attached a screenshot of the final working flow:

[creativeopinion]

@cmitchener No worries! Fun fact.. you can select multiple posts as solutions.