Typeform connector "skipping" unanswered questions in Typeform and communicating different numbering for questions in PowerAutomate

[SquirrelntraNut]

My Typeform connector is "skipping" fields not filled in by users on typeform. This means that once the Typeform submission reaches PowerAutomate, the question fields appear in different orders numerically speaking, depending on what fields the user chose not to fill in.

Have a look at 2 runs below.

In Run 1, I filled in Question 3 in my typeform.

In Run 2, I did not fill in Question 3 in my Typeform

Notice how in Run 1, Question 3 is properly accounted for.

In Run 2, Question 3 is now Question 4, making the rest of the numbers out of order.

At this point, my flow relies on these numbers being in order, as this is how it recognises these fields.

Perhaps you have a suggestion that would make it so that PowerAutomate doesn't rely on the numbering here?
Or Perhaps you would suggest something else?

Please note that I am already using PARSE JSON in this flow, as so:

Also, please note that I have no plans to make all questions obligatory in my Typeform.

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

According to your screenshot , the trigger return can not be modified and will confuse the numbers.

So , you need to convert the json return from Trigger in the flow. In my understand , you need to extract the question and the answers.

For example , you can refer to my test flow, we can convert the json to array like this without the number:

This is my test flow:

xpath(xml(json(concat('{ "root": ', string(outputs('Compose') ), ' }') )) ,'/root/*')

replace(xpath(item(), 'name(/*)'),'_x0020_','')

xpath(item(), concat('/',xpath(item(), 'name(/*)'),'/text()') )[0]

If this can not help you ,you can give the format of the data you want to convert to in Power Automate.

If this reply can help you , you can click mark this reply as solution (Accept solution) which can help more people, thanks in advance! 

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft Thank you!

So how do I take the fields returned by the Typeform connector (which start with numbers like 1., 2., 3.) and get my Compose Array to recognise the questions separate from those numbers?

For example, if we take the example I provided in Run 1 the question is:

3. Do you go by a different name?

and in Run 2 the question is:

3. What is your last name?

How do we get the array to recognise these returned fields as separate from the number they are returned by the connector with?

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

According to your description, do you mean you need each question number in your side?

In my test flow , i have remove the question number :

And dose your all the question number and the questions  that will never change? Do you mean you want to get the Numbers+ Questions + Answers both and keep all the Questions even though the trigger do not return?

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft Alright, I think I understand now.

Could you provide me a step-by-step to creating my flow after my trigger using the actions you've outlined above?

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft 

So far, I've set my flow up this way:

However, this is the error I'm getting on the select field:

So I can see that the 'Select' action is pulling in the questions, which is great! But there is also something wrong with it, can you see what that issue is?

Additionally, I later need to be able to access each answer from Typeform in dynamic content later on in the flow. After your actions, how do I turn my parsed Typeform answers into dynamic content?

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

Thanks for your quick response! Can you show me which expressions you put in your select action?

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft 

I tried your initial expression: xpath(xml(json(concat('{ "root": ', string(outputs('Compose') ), ' }') )) ,'/root/*')

and got this error in the flow:

So I updated your that expression to the following:

xpath(xml(json(concat('{ "root" ', string(outputs('Compose') ), ' }') )) ,'/root/*')

And am now getting this error:

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi, @SquirrelntraNut 

Thanks for your quick response ! Can your show your output of your Compose action or your Trigger output in your run history.

As you can try to replace the compose to your output from your trigger.

We need to put this in the string() function:
{

"1:xxxx":"xxx",

"2:xxxx":"xxx"

}

xpath(xml(json(concat('{ "root" ', string(triggerOutputs()?['body'] ), ' }') )) ,'/root/*')

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft 

Here is the output of my trigger:

{

"1: To begin, we just need to cover your privacy rights. Do you consent to disclose your *personal information *to Company for the purposes of employment candidacy enquiry?": "True",

"2: We love that you want to apply!\n\nWhat's your *first name*?": "FirstName",

"3: Do you go by a different name in everyday life?\n\nIf so, what name do you prefer being called?": "PreferredName",

"4: And what is your* last name*?": "LastName",

"5: What about your* email address*?": "emailaddress",

"6: And would you mind providing us with your *mobile number*?": "5555555",

"7: Do you currently hold the right to work here?": "Yes, I currently have the right to work",

"8: Amazing! Now to upload your *CV:*": "link",

"9: And {{field:d6211152d8003e69}}, if we were to look you up on Linkedin, at what URL might we find you?": "link",

"10: Now for the good stuff, what department are applying to?": "Department",

"11: And {{field:d6211152d8003e69}}, what *specific role* are you interested in applying for?": "Role",

"12: Just so we have the full picture, what *prompted* you to apply?": "Someone who works for you thought I'd be a great fit and encouraged me to apply",

"13: And who *referred* you?": "ReferrerName",

"14: And how do you know them?": "Former Colleague",

"Submitted date-time": "2024-02-01T21:25:10.000Z",

"Sent date-time": "2024-02-01T21:23:45.000Z"

}

Please also let me know if I've set up my flow correctly so far:

The goal is to have dynamic content for each typeform answer that is separate from the numbers the trigger delivers each question with (as these numbers change from flow to flow depending on how many fields are filled in on Typeform by each user). I will then apply each typeform answer to pre-determined fields in a sharepoint list in the flow.

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft  I've tried your new Select expression but am still getting errors:

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

Thanks for you quick response and your sample json for me to test !

As the json have the ':' so when we use the xml() function will return error in flow. So we may need to change the method..

This is my test flow:

split(replace( replace( string(outputs('Compose')) ,'{' ,'') ,'}',''),'",')

reverse(skip(reverse(outputs('Compose_2')),2))

replace(trim( slice(split(item(),':"')[0], indexOf( split(item(),':"')[0] , ' ')  )),'"','')

split(split(item(),':"')?[0],':')?[1]

json(replace(replace(replace(replace(string(body('Select')) ,'{','') , '}','') , '[','{'),']','}') )

If this reply can help you , you can click mark this reply as solution (Accept solution) which can help more people, thanks in advance! 

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

Thanks for this, @v-yueyun-msft. I now need the outputs of each question/answer to use as dynamic content later in the flow. Here is how I was trying to use the original trigger outputs. How do I go about doing that using your new actions?

[v-yueyun-msft]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

Thanks for your response! In my understand , we can delete the number in your question in my above reply.

Then we can use the Parse Json action :

And then we can select the question Name and then get each answer:

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft Thanks for all the time you have spent assisting me.

However, it looks like your Select function is taking the Questions (with numbers) & Answers and turning it into the Questions (without numbers) and no Answers.

I know this because when I use the Parse JSON dynamic content, it is only returning the questions and not the answers.

Do you know how to return only the answers to use for dynamic content?

Please note that I still need the questions without numbers to identify the proper answers for this dynamic content.

[v-yueyun-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi , @SquirrelntraNut 

Thanks for your response! In my understand , the Select action should return the questions && answers:

Oh! Sorry i add the wrong expression here:

split(item(),':"')?[1]

Best Regards,

Yueyun Zhang

[SquirrelntraNut]

@v-yueyun-msft You have resolved this issue for me. Thank you!

For anyone else reading this trying to figure out the solution (across all our comments), here is the flow that Yueyun Zhang so kindly put together, that works perfectly to solve this problem:

split(replace( replace( string(outputs('Compose')) ,'{' ,'') ,'}',''),'",')

reverse(skip(reverse(outputs('Compose_2')),2))

replace(trim( slice(split(item(),':"')[0], indexOf( split(item(),':"')[0] , ' ')  )),'"','')

split(item(),':"')?[1]

json(replace(replace(replace(replace(string(body('Select')) ,'{','') , '}','') , '[','{'),']','}') )

Important: Ensure you have set up your flow with the exact action names here:

If you have never worked with Parse JSON before, add all actions up until Parse JSON and save the run. Then, run a test through it. Don't worry, this will fail, but what you will get from it will be the outputs of your Compose 3 action. Copy the outputs of Compose 3, and click back into edit the flow. Now create the the Parse JSON action, add the Compose 3 dynamic content to the Content field. Then click 'Generate from Sample', and paste the outputs of Compose 3 from your test run flow as a sample body of content. Your schema will auto-generate from that.

Then click Save on your flow again, and go back to editing it again. You will now find your answers from Typeform, named according to the questions under the Parse JSON action without numbers attached:

Amazing, right? ✨