Synchro SharePoint Lists 🔁

[Sarahnt]

Hello,

I hope you are all fine. I'm writing a post because I'm having a problem with Power Automate Flows.

My goal is to synchronize two SharePoint Lists. I've created two SharePoint Lists to assign roles to two categories of users. Some users can edit columns 1 and 2, while admins can edit columns 1, 2 and 3. My aim is to synchronize these lists so that changes in List 1 are automatically reflected in List 2. In addition, user 2, with extended rights, should be able to correct user 1's entries.

I've followed the following tutorial, but when I create two flows with this structure, they work fine but enter an infinite loop... I was wondering if you have a solution to solve this problem please because it’s been several days that I am not able to fix the issue…

 
Could you please help me because I really don’t know how to solve this…

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Best regards,

Sarah

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt,

I guess both flows use same "When a item is created or modified" trigger, and you enter infinite loop because when you update list 1, flow update list 2 which trigger second flow to update list 1, and so on...

I've designed this solution to avoid entering infinite loop while updating a list monitored by "When a item is created or modified" trigger : Solved: No loop SharePoint update item trigger - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

[Edit] This solution was designed to avoid loops when updating the list in the flow triggered by this list. But it will work the same for your both flows. When flow 1 (triggered by list1) update list 2, update SystemUpdateVersion in list 2 so it will not trigger second flow. Do the opposite for second flow.

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[Sarahnt]

Hi @SamLed thank you for your answer and for helping me. I edited my flow as you said but the issue persists, I still do have an infinite loop…

[Sarahnt]

My flow is as follows:

1. Once an item is edited or created - List 1 (I added the following expression as trigger condition in trigger settings as mentioned in your tutorial: @not(equals(triggerBody()['SystemUpdateVersion'],triggerBody()['{VersionNumber}']))

2. Get the items - List 2

3. Message/Compose (expression: formatNumber(add(float(triggerOutputs()?[‘body/{VersionNumber}’]),1),’F1’)

4. Condition (expression: length(outputs(‘ Obtain_items_List_2’)?[‘body/value‘]

4.1. Create item - List 2 

4.2. Update item - List 2

I have an error at step 1 with the condition @not(equals(triggerBody()['SystemUpdateVersion'],triggerBody()['{VersionNumber}']))

do you know why I have an error with this condition even though I created a text column named SystemUpdateVersion in my two lists?

Thank you in advance for your help

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt,

What is the error raised ?

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[Sarahnt]

Hi @SamLed, It says that the field SystemUpdateVersion doesn't exist even though I created it...

Here is the message details: The template language expression 'not(equals(triggerBody()['SystemUpdateVersion'],triggerBody()['{VersionNumber}']))' cannot be evaluated because property 'SystemUpdateVersion' doesn't exist, available properties are '@odata.etag, Sports etc... (others fields of my list)

[Sarahnt]

Can I please share you my screen @SamLed and show you my flows please because I really do not understand why it doesn't work... It would be really kind of you because I really do not know how to fix this issue. I tried many many times but it didn't work

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt,

That will be useless, I mean, as you added the column after flow design, not sure trigger's has detected  change. Give me a minute, trying to figure how to fix that.

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[Sarahnt]

Thank you for your help @SamLed. I think by showing you my screen maybe you will see if I didn't configure something well concerning the solution you proposed. Can't I show you quickely please??

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt,

No need, I've reproduced the issue by creating a SystemUpdateVersion2 column and modified my trigger condition. I got the same error and looking for a fix.

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[Sarahnt]

Thanks for trying by your side too @SamLed. It's really kind of you to help!

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt,

Ok, just figured out that was not any list schema refresh issue, I've tested original flow I used to test the solution and it also failed, it seems something changed on how Power Automate deal with trigger outputs since I've written the article. 

Give a try with this trigger condition: @not(equals(triggerOutputs()?['body/SystemUpdateVersion'],triggerBody()['{VersionNumber}']))

I've replaced triggerBody()['SystemUpdateVersion'] by triggerOutputs()?['body/SystemUpdateVersion'] and it worked again on my side.

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[Sarahnt]

Hi @SamLed thank you very much for testing and helping me.

It unfortunetly doesn't work in the case where you synchronize the update of attached files.... The loop goes on forever 

[SamLed · Accepted solution]

Hi @Sarahnt,

Yup, of course this solution works when you can update SystemUpdateVersion field at the same time you change other fields, but for attachment you use another action which doesn't allow you to also update that field value.

The only way I see is to replace above solution by just adding following trigger condition: @not(equals(triggerbody()?['Editor']?['Email'],'PowerAutomate@contoso.com'))

Where "PowerAutomate@contoso.com" is the email of the user with which you designed your flow. Hope you're using a service account because if you're using your personal account it will not work when you create or modify the list items but will with anyone else.

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[Sarahnt]

Did you keep both of the trigger conditions? Because by my side the loop persists if I only put@not(equals(triggerbody()?['Editor']?['Email'],'PowerAutomate@contoso.com')) 😞

It may not work because I'm using a personal account... How can I fix this please?

[SamLed]

Hi @Sarahnt 

Nope, use only last one. 

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[Sarahnt]

Ok thanks @SamLed 

[SamLed]

But do you use same account to edit flow and to update items ? it will not work, you have to use an account for your flows and another for updating items 😉

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[Sarahnt]

Yes I do use the same account. Does it mean that I have to create an environment in admin.powerplateform.microsoft.com? (because I don't have any it's empty and I don't have the permission to create one)

[SamLed]

Ok, that's not a good practice, to my customers I always advice to create a service account for power automate and design flow with it. I have same practice for my dev tenant. 

You'll have many advantage:

- Dedicated mailbox

- No need to change owner when leaving organization (when they don't forget to change before deleted account, already saw that)

- Usually that account can have high permissions, regular users shouldn't have

[Edit] for your testing purpose, as you've got only one account, you have to ask somebody else to modify items and there will be no loop. Or if you can, create another account to test.

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