Is there any way to temporarily apply a "For Selected Item" flow to all or a number of items on a list?

[MikeRodgers]

Hello,

I have a "For Selected Item" triggered flow that works as it  should. However, I have been asked if there is a way to temporarily apply it all rows on a list or a selected amount.

I have used a workaround before where I added a column , a checkbox ( boolean ) and either modified the flow or copied the flow and changed the trigger to "If an item has been modified" then run flow. 
Sure that worked most of the time but because of that added checkbox and modifying each to true to tun the flow and then back to no to reset it modifies all records. There are times this can eb a sensitive issue and I would like to circumvent that.
So I kindly ask,  is there is a way to temporarily apply "For a selected item" flow to all rows on a list or a selected amount of items without necessarily modifying each item?

Thank you.

[Rhiassuring]

Hi there, 

Can you share screenshots of your flow?

I would recommend creating a copy of the flow and renaming it to modify it for all list items - then you can just turn on / off the flow that is applicable at the time. 

So now the users are checking a box to identify if they want the list item to be included? Is it not determined by a status, or a number, or something else? Because you can always use trigger conditions to tell the flow not to run except for certain circumstances.

Cheers,

Rhia

[MikeRodgers]

Hello Rhia and thank you. Yes, I  forget I can use the trigger function.

Actually it is a templated message with dynamic fields to send out to selected users. It would be cumbersome for the user to have to select each row/item on the list that would require that message so it would be good if there was a way to select some or all rows on the list and then run the flow without having to modify any items.

[Rhiassuring]

Oh, I see. Your best option in that scenario would be a PowerApp where they can select all the items they want to apply the flow to in a multi-choice dropdown.  I'm not a PowerApp person unfortunately, but I think it would be a relatively simple thing to do... (which I guess I should never say, as someone without the knowledge...) 

I think the half-purple people are PowerApps experts as well? Let's poke some and see what happens.. @Expiscornovus & @Pstork1 ? Do you agree with my assessment?

[Pstork1]

You can do a Power App where you load the records into a collection and add a column for the checkbox.  Display that collection in a Gallery and the user can select the records that need to be changed by clicking the checkbox.  Then a Submit that passes the array of records to the flow in Power Automate. You would have to do a save as on the current flow because you would have to change the trigger.  In the flow you would parse the collection you passed and then do an update on the corresponding SharePoint item if the checkbox is checked.  Otherwise don't change the record.  When you return to the Power App reload the collection to reset all the checkboxes to unchecked.

[MikeRodgers]

Thank you so much @Rhiassuring  and @Pstork1 . I am astounded by the expertise and generosity.
@Rhiassuring , especially for going the extra mile! 🙂

I don't know PowerApps much at all so this would be a challenge. At some point I would need to know it. However it would seem there is no solution via Power Automate otherwise, ( save the solution does requires modification of data)  would that be the correct assumption? 
Thanks again.

[Rhiassuring · Accepted solution]

Hey @MikeRodgers - based on what you've told us, I think that would be the least painful for your end users to have a PowerApp.

There are other options .. like, if the list never changed (no new items added), you could always put the titles into a dropdown box in an MS Form to forego needing Power Apps. 

You could also create a Flow button column to trigger the flow, so they can at least just do a few clicks for their selections. Here's a blog by @WonderLaura about that: 

https://wonderlaura.com/2018/07/18/button-in-sharepoint-list-to-trigger-microsoft-flow/

And then of course there's also the flag method which I think you're employing now...

[MikeRodgers]

Thank you for your diligence and generosity.  You're like a Power Automate angel 🙂
I will run the solutions by the stakeholders and get their decision.

Thank you very much!

And kudos and thanks to  @Pstork1 
A total guru!  Much obliged.

Mike