How do you get the text value from a Choice field of a SP Library for a Condition Step in Power Automat Flow? - TIME CRITICAL

[SueA]

Hi:

I have a choice field titled Record Type with values such as Meeting Notes, Project documentation, Instruction Manuals in my SharePoint Document library.

When I try to use a current value in a Condition step in my FLOW, it gives me following error:

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Set_variable_-_Type_of_Record' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template language expression 'outputs('Get_files_(properties_only)')?['body/value']?['DocFunction']' cannot be evaluated because property 'DocFunction' cannot be selected. Array elements can only be selected using an integer index. Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions for usage details.'.

Unable to find any directions regarding how to handle this situation.

Any suggestion is appreciated.

Thank you.

SueA

[Expiscornovus · Accepted solution]

Hi @SueA,

Can you share a screenshot of your current setup?

A Get Files (properties only) action will return a list of files, which is an array. When you want to retrieve a field value from one specific item you need to include in the expression which item you want to retrieve. You can use that by using an index [0], [1], [2], etc. This is what the error also suggests.

In your setup the DocFunction value of the 1st item could be retrieved with:

outputs('Get_files_(properties_only)')?['body/value']?[0]?['DocFunction']

2nd item

outputs('Get_files_(properties_only)')?['body/value']?[1]?['DocFunction']

etc.

However, it is pretty common that you will loop through such an array with an apply to each. Within the apply to each you could refer to a property by just using the item function. In that kind of setup it would be:

item()?['DocFunction']

[SueA · Accepted solution]

Actually, to clarify, I am trying to get the actual existing value on a specific record for a column whose datatype is of CHOICE type in  a SP library rather than all the possible values a CHOICE field can offer in that library.

And, yes, you are correct that I do need to use the values in the following APPLY TO EACH steps.

Basically, my goal is to use the current record value from a SP Document Library CHOICE column titled "Type of Record" and compare with all the values listed in a "Master List" and if it matches, it would move to do next action. However, I am stuck at the condition step, which is always False as it is unable to pull the current value of Type of Record in question as it takes the CHOICE column as an Array.

I reviewed Shane Young's video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH6oqsfxPaE) explaining how to pull all the choices from a Choice column but I do not know how to use that for scenario. All I want is the current value in a String format.

Here is the snippet of a run using below value to set the string variable varTypeofRecord

item()?['DocFunction']

[SueA · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Thank you for the tip above. I just figured it out. For my case, I needed to created a calculated column that would replicate the choice column's current value and in a compose step I simply used your suggested expression using the new calculated column name instead of DocFunction column name. 

item()?['DocFunction']

 Thank you.

SueA.

[SueA]

Thank you.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @SueA,

Great you found a solution 🙂

For future reference, when it is a choice field which allows the selection of only one option you could also use these two expressions in your set variable action:

items('Apply_to_each')?['DocFunction/Value']

or

item()?['DocFunction/Value']

[SueA]

Wow, That is an amazing tip! I just tested it and it works perfectly! You area a life saver! I could not find anywhere this little trick to pull the current record value out when the column data type is CHOICE.

Thanks a million!

SueA.