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 […]

Tip #1428: Replace Power Automate triggers without breaking too much, Part 1

Always stash trigger output into variables or compose before continuing with the flow. If your trigger output contains a record from the underlying storage (Dataverse, SharePoint, etc) get that record and use the output of the get step downstream. Why? Because when you need to replace or recreate a trigger (happens more often than you […]

Tip #1427: Single letter custom formats for dates in Power Automate cloud flows

Today’s tipster is Elaiza “What The Flow” Benitez. (And you can be a tipster too, just send your gem to jar@crmtipoftheday.com!) “Froyo Queen” Azure McFarlane mentioned in a birdie chat that she was having trouble with formatting the month value using the formatDateTime function in Power Automate cloud flows. She was attempting to only retrieve the month value without the […]

Tip #1426: Power Automate Gymnastics Reference Guide

Power Platform Tip of The Day presents: Power Automate expressions you didn’t know you needed until you found them. Everyone keeps a stash of useful Power Automate expressions in Notepad++, VS Code, EMacs, vi, or sticky notes if you don’t know what any of the above mean. Good citizens and developers (Amey “ABC” Holden, Antti […]