How to update the file from SharePoint library file to SharePoint list with no unique key

[ilu989]

Hi Everyone,

I have seen some written has explained how to "update/add a row" for the list from excel file, but both of them need a unique key to recognize, is there has anyway that doesn't need the "unique key" to approach the updating/add a row matter?

Because I set the Excel table header is 100% the same as List's header, so is it possible to compare the whole row content between Excel and List, then recognize the data, if the same→do nothing, different→update the data, empty→add a row from Excel data?

The website I have seen:

http://john-liu-ppph.squarespace.com/?offset=1530030752131

https://veenstra.me.uk/2018/12/03/microsoft-flow-import-list-data-from-an-excel-spreadsheet-into-sha...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxuTVjQbECo

https://www.slideshare.net/lingualizer/import-excel-rows-to-sharepoint-list

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Create-Update-Sharepoint-List-using-an-Excel-List...

I try to use the below flow to approach, but no success, please give me any suggestions, thanks.

Filter array 23(body):

[

  {

    "1": "ELAIN",

    "2": "BBA",

    "3": "Training",

    "4": "YES",

    "5": "ELEJL",

    "6": 43731,

    "7": "ASAP",

    "8": "OLC",

    "9": "HK",

    "10": "PHIFKN",

    "11": "Pondin",

    "12": 706759,

    "13": "",

    "14": "36279bac ",

    "15": "",

    "16": "",

    "17": "",

    "18": "",

    "19": "",

    "20": "",

    "21": "",

    "22": "",

    "23": "",

    "24": "",

    "25": "",

    "26": "",

    "27": ""

  },

  {

    "1": "EmABC",

    "2": "GBA",

    "3": "Training",

    "4": "YES",

    "5": "KKY",

    "6": 43731,

    "7": "ASAP",

    "8": "CMC",

    "9": "TH",

    "10": "Noph",

    "11": "TEST",

    "12": 706759,

    "13": "",

    "14": "10385",

    "15": "",

    "16": "",

    "17": "",

    "18": "",

    "19": "",

    "20": "",

    "21": "",

    "22": "",

    "23": "",

    "24": "",

    "25": "",

    "26": "",

    "27": ""

  }

]

Select 6:   

{

  "1": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_'], '')},

  "2": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_'], '')},

  "3": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0033_'], '')},

  "4": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0034_'], '')},

  "5": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0035_'], '')},

  "6": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0036_'], '')},

  "7": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0037_'], '')},

  "8": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0038_'], '')},

  "9": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0039_'], '')},

  "10": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_0'], '')},

  "11": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_1'], '')},

  "12": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_2'], '')},

  "13": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_3'], '')},

  "14": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_4'], '')},

  "15": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_5'], '')},

  "16": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_6'], '')},

  "17": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_7'], '')},

  "18": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_8'], '')},

  "19": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0031_9'], '')},

  "20": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_0'], '')},

  "21": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_1'], '')},

  "22": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_2'], '')},

  "23": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_3'], '')},

  "24": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_4'], '')},

  "25": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_5'], '')},

  "26": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_6'], '')},

  "27": @{concat(item()?['OData__x0032_7'], '')}

}

Condition 5:

concat(items('Apply_to_each_16')?['1'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['2'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['3'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['4'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['5'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['6'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['7'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['8'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['9'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['10'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['11'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['12'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['13'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['14'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['15'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['16'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['17'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['18'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['19'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['20'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['21'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['22'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['23'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['24'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['25'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['26'], items('Apply_to_each_16')?['27'])

concat(items('Apply_to_each_18')?['1'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['2'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['3'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['4'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['5'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['6'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['7'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['8'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['9'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['10'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['11'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['12'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['13'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['14'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['15'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['16'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['17'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['18'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['19'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['20'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['21'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['22'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['23'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['24'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['25'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['26'], items('Apply_to_each_18')?['27'])

Regards,

ilu989

[v-bacao-msft]

Hi @ilu989 ,

I think that "different→update the data, empty→add a row from Excel data" is difficult to define as if they have coincident parts.

First of all, we can't judge the state of empty, and it is difficult to distinguish if several fields in the item are empty.

I am afraid that this method of your application is not suitable for this requirement.

If you don't have a unique key, you could try using multiple fields as a union primary key, such as selecting Column1/Column2/Column3 as the union primary key.

Only the values of the three fields in Item and row are equal, and it is judged as same. If it is not equal, it is judged as different. If the three field values do not exist in item, it is judged as empty.

Hope it makes sense.

Best Regards,

[ilu989]

Hi @v-bacao-msft 

Yes, it makes sense!!

Thanks for your suggestion, this is the way to produce the unique key from the excel table!!! Because I'm new in the flow and didn't contact kind of expression before, can you give me some suggestions or examples for what action can combine to use "union with multiple fields" on extract the data from Excel?

Regards,

ilu989

[v-bacao-msft]

Hi @ilu989 ,

Add a field in the SharePoint list and Excel table, the value of this field is composed of the values of the other three fields, you could consider add + in this field value.

If there is no such a column, we can't update the row because the Update a row action requires a key column, and the column obviously needs to be non-empty and have a unique value.

Best Regards,

[ilu989]

Hi @v-bacao-msft ,

YES!

I follow your instruction, use expression "concat" to collect all column value to be a string, and compare with my source data(concat's  string), it's work to filter the items that are new or existing in the excel table, though I can add rows into the excel table, but stuck in the "update a row" cause of the key column and key ID requirement, but when I use the connector "List rows present in a table", it seems to be Excel rows have the item: "itemiternalid", is it possible to use it for the key column ID and figure it out to solve the key column, it could finally update the data without key column?

Below is concat part of my flow:

Otherwise, I refer to the below website, it seems update row only needs the row id(is it the old connector?), can I update like this?

https://melihubb.com/2017/09/08/track-time-at-client-sites-with-the-click-of-a-button-using-microsof...

In addition, I'm thinking about this way:

1. Use flow to add/update data to SharePoint list(cause it only needs ID to identify the rows, and could be updated by the items ID)

2. Export the SharePoint list to Excel file(Excel's data will be linked with SharePoint, and could be refresh by Cltr+Alt+F5)

3. Upload the Excel file to SharePoint Library

4. Let the Excel file refresh automatically in Sharepoint setting, then I don't care the unique key, the result achieves what I want.

But I'm stuck in the refresh the excel file automatically in SharePoint, do you have any idea how to do it?

Regards,

ilu989