Update figures on another sharepoint list

[Oscar_Wan]

I m newbies to Mflow. Appreciate if anyone could support and provide an answer to this. Thanks a million! 

I am trying to set a workflow which the trigger action is to apply an additional comp. leave number (Comp. Leave Addition) which will then update figure in the field of another sharepoint list (Leave Entitlement).

Example - when I add new in the comp. leave addition list (say 3 comp leave days), the figure 3 will be added to the leave entitlement list accordingly in the compensation leave entitled field. And, of course, this action has to accumulates as it runs on. 

However, I got stuck as I set the action "Update Item". I struggled to build an expression like "add(comp. leave addition, comp. leave entitlement)". (1) I cannot locate comp. leave entitlement as a dynamic content, (2) I also unsure how the flow and the expressions should be set. 

Much appreciate if anyone could assist. Thanks! 

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

You are putting the expression in the wrong place to start with. In the Update Item 2, reove everything from the Compensation Leave Entitled column and and put the cursor into it. You will see the dynamic selector and over there go to expression editor. Here type add() and within the bracket select the two fields from the dynamic selector and separate them with a comma ','. 

Hope this Helps!

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[Oscar_Wan]

Thanks Yashag for your reply. 

I attempted that before, however, the compensation leave entitled dynamic content was not one of the selections when I was in the add expression. 

I mean there is only the comp. leave addition dynamic content but I cannot locate the compensation leave entitled dynamic content. Therefore, I cannot actually establish the add expression properly. Appreciate your further assistances. 

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

Yes. What you can do is, initilise two variables in the beginning of the flow. These variables should be of type integer. 

In the apply to each action, before the update item, add the action set variable and here in the value choose one field that you want to add and another set variable action and this is for the second variable you initialised and the value will be the second field that youwant to add. 

On the update item, now type the add() and select the variables from the dynamic selector. 

I am assuming that the column datatype of the fields that you are adding is integer in SP list. 

Hope this Helps!

[Oscar_Wan]

Yashag,

I am not sure if I got you right, but both the variables (comp. leave addition) and (compensation leave entitled) were in integers in the first place. With that said, do I still need to add the action - "set as variable" before "apply to each"?

Sorry I am new to all these syntax and flow things that I might not understand you fully.

[yashag2255]

HI @Oscar_Wan 

Yes. So the intiialise variable part the value needs to be left empty. The set variable action is eing used to get the value from the column and then we are adding it up. Please note that since we are using apply to each and iterating over multiple item, the set variable action will keep updating the value accordingly for every iteration. 

Hope this Helps!

[Oscar_Wan]

Yashag,

I have attempted to follow your instructions as well. Yet, I still could not locate the dynamic content - compensation leave entitled inside the add expression. Appreciate your further explanations. 

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

Did you intialise the variables at the top? You have to give a name to the variables and in the set variable action select the variable in the Name part. I see that the set variable actions do not have name and they are not referencing anwheyre which is why you are unable to see them in the dynamic selector

[Oscar_Wan]

Would you mind explain a bit more on how to initialize? Is this an action has to be added before the "set variable" function? 

Also the "name" field in the "set variable" is blank, I have nothing to select in that field.

[Oscar_Wan]

Yashag,

I think I got what you meant by intialize at the top. But I don't know how to set this right. 

The trigger starts by the action adding a new item on the comp. leave addition. 

Then, in order to get the figure from the other SP list, I used "get item". 

Then, I attempt to initialize variable. But how can I set to initialize the figure in comp. leave addition and compensatin leave entitled in particular?

In the initialize variable function, what I have to set for name and the value? Thanks! 

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

First- you have to initialise two variables. Name the first one as Var1 and second as Var2. Leave the values empty. 

In the get items and apply to each loop just before the update item action create 2 set variable actions and in the name select var1 in the first set variable action and the value here will be the first field you want to add. 

Similarly in the second set variable, select the var2 in the name and the value will be the second field you want to add 

Choose the fields from the dynamic selector for the set variables. and then in the update item do the addition and choose the variables from dynamic selector.

[Oscar_Wan]

Thanks for guiding me through Yashag. Sorry was away for other matters and is back to flow just now. 

I still could not walkthrough what you have guided me on initializing and setting the variables. 

I have initialized at the top var 1 and var 2 as instructed. But when I get to the later steps down the flow to set variables, I now no longer can select dynamic contents - "Comp. Leave Addition" and "Compensation Leaves Entitled". Instead, I could only select "Var1" and Var2" as the dynamic contents. 

Much appreciate your further guidance. 

[yashag2255 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

Remove all the variables and use this in the update item column: 

add(items('Apply_to_each')?['Comp_x002e_LeaveAddition'],items('Apply_to_each')?['CompensationLeavesEntitled'])

write this expression in the expression editor and then click OK to add the expression to the field. Please test this out and update here if it works. 

[Oscar_Wan]

Yashag, 

I followed your instruction to remove all the variables steps and just to add in the expression. I have changed your formular to correspond to the location name of the field instead. But seems the expression still doesn't work. 

I was able to save the expression, but when I run and trigger the workflow by add new item in SP list - Comp. Leave addition, the additional comp leave days does not add on in the SP list - Leave Entitlement

add(items('Apply_to_each')?['Compensation_x0020_Leave_x0020_E'],items('Apply_to_each')?['Comp_x002e__x0020_Leave_x0020_Ad'])

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

There is some issue in the names of the columns that you are referencing and this is particularly why I suggested the use of variables in the first place. This will only confuse you more so I have a workaround for you. Please follow in proper detail:

1. Create the two variables at the top (first keep them as string variables) name Var1 and Var2. 

2. in the apply to each loop, add the set variable actions and in one action select var1 as name and the value will be from the dynamic selector under the get items action results. 

Similarly repeat this for the second variable too. 

3. Now at the top when you initialised the variable cahnge the type from string to integer (for both avriables) and in the update item put th add()and select the variables here. 

Please see the screenshot below:

Hope this Helps!

If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!

[Oscar_Wan]

Hi Yashag,

Sorry that I still failed in processing the flow. Here I provide my flow end to end again with the test error msgs. Appreciate your further guidances. Thank you so much!

ERROR MSGS - 

[yashag2255]

Hi @Oscar_Wan 

Thank you for posting the entire flow. So here are a few things that went wrong. I assumed that the datatypes are integers and so asked you to initialise integer type varaiables. You need to change those to type float. Next is, your apply to each 2 control should be deleted completely. You will have to put the set variables actions in the apply to each loop just before the update item action (the set variables and the update item action will all be in the same apply to each loop. )

Once you correct these, the flow should work as expected. 

Hope this helps!

If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!