Tip #1443: Let SharePoint deal with rogue data

The image depicts a flowchart illustrating the process of importing data into a SharePoint list using Power Automate, highlighting the challenges of handling 'dirty' data. The diagram shows the initial data import encountering errors symbolized by warning signs, due to non-standard or 'dirty' data. Subsequent steps demonstrate the use of Power Automate to clean or filter out these errors, with symbols like checkmarks indicating successfully cleaned data. The overall image conveys a journey from obstacle-laden data processing to achieving a streamlined and efficient import process, emphasizing the transformation from 'dirty' to clean, usable data.

Using Power Automate to import data into an existing SharePoint list is fairly straightforward, except when the data isn’t very clean. For instance, if a number column contains blank values or some non-numerical garbage, SharePoint connector will flip out. OpenApiOperationParameterTypeConversionFailed The ‘inputs.parameters’ of workflow operation ‘Create_item’ of type ‘OpenApiConnection’ is not valid. Error details: Input […]

Tip #1437: Duplicate property names in JSON objects in Power Automate

From time to time you may be forced to deal with JSON objects in Power Automate that contain duplicate property names. Consider this object, for example: To make this object maker-friendly, the common approach is to use Parse JSON action and derive schema from the data itself. When done, maker can use properties as dynamic […]

Tip #1435: Update Dataverse user photo from Office 365 profile

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If you think that the title looks suspiciously close to Tip #1378: Update Common Data Service user photo from Office 365 profile, you’d be absolutely right. Why? Because historically Power Platform is renowned for two traits: renaming things and changing behaviors of those things. I’ve taken care of the former by replacing Dataflex Common Data […]

Tip #1432: Create records in Power Automate without mandatory fields

I really like mini truck stops when two or more MVPs brainstorm a random problem, usually because they are bored 😈. Help me understand scenarios where one would use a guid() expression in flow when creating new rows. Antti Pajunen What Antti left out was (reasonably) common wisdom that explicitly setting identifiers for new records […]

Tip #1430: Add Power Automate flows into solution like a boss

You didn’t think I was waffling about replacing triggers in Power Automate flows for no reason, did you? Not once but twice, in fact. The technique of painlessly replacing triggers is more like a kata before you master the art of breaking bricks with your head 🧱🤕. Enter the world of solutions where nine out […]