Why are optional fields in Instant Flow showing up as Mandatory

[SharonS]

I created an Instant flow.  Datasource is a SharePoint list.  Columns are not mandatory in SP. In the instant flow I check the box for the fields to be optional but when I fill out the fields, they still show up as mandatory.

[Anil_g]

@SharonS 

Did you select optional in the manual trigger?

cheers

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @SharonS 

if you have already selected optional for field and still fields shown as mandatory- try saving the flow and then close and open the flow again- see whether that helps !

Thanks & Regards,

Nived N 🚀

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[SharonS]

@Anil_g  Yes and it still showed up as mandatory

[SharonS]

@Nived_Nambiar Still no joy 😥

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @SharonS 

quite strange- could you delete and add the fields as optional again ?

Thanks & Regards,

Nived N 🚀

LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
YouTube: Nived N's YouTube Channel
Blog: Nived Nambiar's Blogs

🔍 Found my answer helpful? Please consider marking it as the solution!
Your appreciation keeps me motivated. Thank you! 🙌

[SharonS]

@Nived_Nambiar I took the fields out of  the sharepoint step, then I deleted the fields in the instant flow, re-entered the fields in the sharepoint step, then I re-entered the fields in the instant flow, verified that the box checked says make optional.  Saved the flow, did a test run and it still shows the fields as mandatory. 

[Anil_g]

@SharonS 

1. first try with readding the trigger first

2. can you check with a different new flow as a test

cheers

[SharonS]

@Anil_g  I created a brand new Instant flow.  Added the Create Item step in SharePoint list, then went back to the input step, made sure the field optional is checked.  Saved the flow.  Did a Test, and the fields were still mandatory.  

Do you know why the default values in a SharePoint column are not showing up in the instant flow therefore requiring the end user to populate the field?

[SharonS]

@Anil_g here is the flow 

the expression is 

if(empty(triggerBody()['text_1'],'',triggerBody()['text_1']))

Here is the test run 

[Anil_g · Accepted solution]

@SharonS 

If we are seeing mark optional that means the field is required as of now..

we ahould see make required in option thats when the field is optional

also what do you mean defaulr value from sharepoint is not taken?

cheers

[SharonS]

That worked!!  Thank you

[SharonS]

@Anil_g In my datasource, Sharepoint list, I set the default value of a column to have a value.  But when I use a manual flow, that default value is not in the manual flow field (however it is in the SharePoint List).  So when a user triggers the manual flow, he does not see the default value.  How can I change the flow to populate a field with the default value?  This is an example of where I have a default value set in the SharePoint list. 

When the user populates the manual triggered flow, he does not see the default value.  The field is blank.

[Anil_g]

@SharonS 

he wpuld not see those..you need to check if the inputs are given or not..if not given then populate the default value in the field directly

cheers

[SharonS]

@Anil_gI added the default value in the Instant flow field.  The value appears in the field but when an end user enters info in the other fields and does not enter info in the field with the default value, he gets an error message saying "text is required" in that field. 

[Anil_g · Accepted solution]

@SharonS 

looks like you marked optional only for one field can you check

cheers

[SharonS]

@Anil_g  That worked!  Thank you!!!!