}
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply
Anonymous
Not applicable

Changing a column to date instead of text

Hello! I know this is not the right topic but I hope someone can help me, as the forum of Power Automate is very slow with replies.

I have a flow which will create a table of an excel file and then puts all of the information inside of a sharepoint list. 

The excel file looks like this when it is being exported (It is not a table yet but does have the column name there already):

Column name (text)
Row (date)
Row (date)
Row(date)

So the column name is set to Text and the rows are a Date value. Whenever I use the function create table in my flow, it will turn the whole column into a text value as the column name is a text value instead of a date value. 

How could I change my flow to turn it into a date column? 

Create table function: https://gyazo.com/731188e6407c22e0521a4a81fd0d41cd
Creating the sharepoint list with the information of the excel file: https://gyazo.com/ed9853f60bd6b44d177119a993649b9a

Edit: Here is how it looks after the create table function has been finished. https://gyazo.com/3d498ea3137426345a6006a3ee533b3a 

This shows that the column name is a text value and the rows are a date value.

12 REPLIES 12

So why add data to excel just to then add it to a sharepoint list? Can’t you just use the create item step and create your list items directly without having to go to excel?

 

you can also ore create your spreadsheet in OneDrive with the desired table format and use the excel connector insert item step to add a record to the spreadsheet table


dates in flow are difficult. You can convert text to date using the formulas shown in this post thread.

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Convert-string-to-date/td-p/289830

Anonymous
Not applicable

The Excel file is being exported from my Software and I need to use Sharepoint as a database for Power Apps because excel has limitations.  @jlindstrom 

I have tried this but it does not work: 

 

formatDateTime('Start_x002d_Date','dd-MM-yyyy')

 

I still get this error: 

 

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Create_item' inputs at line '1' and column '2144': 'In function 'formatDateTime', the value provided for date time string 'Start_x002d_Date' was not valid. The datetime string must match ISO 8601 format.'.

 


The date is formatted like this in the Excel file: 2-7-2020 (dd-mm-yyyy)

8601 is date format YYYY-MM-DD. Change the order of the date components 

Anonymous
Not applicable

I am not able to change the date inside of my Excel file, can we change the order using the formula? @jlindstrom 

Yes, instead of this

formatDateTime('Start_x002d_Date','dd-MM-yyyy')

 Do formatDateTime (‘Start_x002d_Date’,’yyyy-MM-dd’)

Anonymous
Not applicable

Anonymous
Not applicable

This is what happends. I export the Excel file from my software, at this moment, there is no table made.

The Start - Date column has 2 different formats. The text of the name of the of the column is set to text format and the other rows are date value, shown in this gif: https://gyazo.com/b961eb492e3ea9423e5d1d8638638bd6  (Top right)

I create a table using Power Automate and I think it is then a text column and not a date column. I then list all the rows inside of the excel table and create items inside of my SharePoint list. https://gyazo.com/5c3d537692129e43e2c35daa48de47fc 

It then transfers the date, for example "2-7-2020" to "44014", why is this happening? The column inside of my SharePoint is set to Date

After the create table flow goes off: https://gyazo.com/0678c3ceee3a76317e85c6991ea5e9cd

It creates the table and these are the values (on the top right)

How come the value "2-7-2020" gets changed to "44014" when it goes from a text column to another text column?

 

The reason that dates get changed to numbers is because it is the number of days since 1-1-1900.

 

If you change the formatting of the column to date it should show in date format.

 

Can you just format as a date after you export from your application?

 

What is the source system? Why not connect directly to it?

Anonymous
Not applicable

@jlindstrom I have explained this a few messages above this one, I am not able to change it.

 

Could you maybe show me what I have to do with the compose?

Helpful resources

Announcements

November 2023 Community Newsletter

Welcome to our November Newsletter, where we highlight the latest news, product releases, upcoming events, and the amazing work of our outstanding Community members. If you're new to the Community, please make sure to follow the latest News & Announcements and check out the Community on LinkedIn as well! It's the best way to stay up-to-date with all the news from across the Power Platform and beyond.        This month's highlights:- - Our most active community members- Microsoft Power Up Program- Microsoft Community Days website - The latest blogs and more                 COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS Check out the most active community members of the last month. These hardworking members are posting regularly, answering questions, kudos, and providing top solutions in their communities. We are so thankful for each of you--keep up the great work! If you hope to see your name here next month, just get active! FLMikePstork1Nived_NambiarWarrenBelzSprongYeManishSolankiLaurensMwskinnermlcAgniusExpiscornovuscreativeopinion KatieAUinzil2kHaressh2728hafizsultan242douicmccaughanwoLucas001domliu   Power Up Program Click the image below to discover more about the amazing Microsoft Power Up Program, as Reem Omar, Abbas Godhrawala, Chahine Atallah, Ruby Ruiz Brown, Juan Francisco Sánchez Enciso, Joscelyne Andrade Arévalo, Eric G. and Paulina Pałczyńska share how non-tech professionals can successfully advance into a new career path using Microsoft #PowerPlatform.   To find out more about this amazing initiative, click here to apply for the program and reboot your journey into low-code app development today!     Community Days - Event Website Have you checked out the Community Days website yet? Dedicated to the volunteer community organizers around the world, Community Days is the perfect place to find an event near you or add an event for wider exposure. Many thanks to Thomas Daly, Sharon Weaver, Sedat Tum, Jonathan Weaver, Manpreet Singh, David Leveille, Jason Rivera, Mike Maadarani, Rob Windsor and the team for all their hard work. Anyone can host a Community Day on any topic relevant to our industry, just click the image below to find out more.       EVENT NEWS Power Platform French Summit - Paris/Virtual - 6-7th Dec It's not long now until the Power Platform French Summit, which takes place both virtually and in-person at the Microsoft France conference center in Paris on 6-7th December 2023. If you can't make it in-person, all sessions will also be broadcast on virtual networks for better distribution and accessibility.   There's a fantastic array of speakers, including Jérémy LAPLAINE, Amira Beldjilali, Rémi Chambard, Erika Beaumier, Makenson Frena, Assia Boutera, Elliott Pierret, Clothilde Facon, Gilles Pommier, Marie Aubert, Antoine Herbosa, Chloé Moreau, Raphaël Senis, Rym Ben Hamida, Loïc Cimon, Joséphine Salafia, David Zoonekyndt, Aïcha Charpentier, Henry Jammes, Milene Rochard, Mehdi EL YASSIR, and many more. Click the image below for more information.       LATEST COMMUNITY BLOG ARTICLES Power Apps Community Blog Power Automate Community Blog Copilot Community Blog Power Pages Community Blog

Unlocking the Power of Community: A Journey with Featured User Group leaders Geetha Sivasailam and Ben McMann

In the bustling world of technology, two dynamic leaders, Geetha Sivasailam and Ben McMann, have been at the forefront, steering the ship of the Dallas Fort Worth Power Platform User Group since its inception in February 2019. As Practice Lead (Power Platform | Fusion Dev) at Lantern, Geetha brings a wealth of consulting experience, while Ben, a key member of the Studio Leadership team at Lantern, specializes in crafting strategies that leverage Microsoft digital technologies to transform business models.   Empowering Through Community Leadership Geetha and Ben's journey as user group leaders began with a simple yet powerful goal: to create a space where individuals across the DFW area could connect, grow their skills, and add value to their businesses through the Power Platform. The platform, known for its versatility, allows users to achieve more with less code and foster creativity.   The Power of Community Impact Reflecting on their experiences, Geetha and Ben emphasize the profound impact that community engagement has had on both their professional and personal lives. The Power Platform community, they note, is a wellspring of resources and opportunities, fostering continuous learning, skill enhancement, and networking with industry experts and peers.   Favorite Moments and Words of Wisdom The duo's favorite aspect of leading the user group lies in witnessing the transformative projects and innovations community members create with the Power Platform. Their advice to aspiring user group leaders? "Encourage diverse perspectives, maintain an open space for idea-sharing, stay curious, and, most importantly, have fun building a vibrant community."   Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers Geetha and Ben encourage others to step into the realm of user group leadership, citing the rewarding experience of creating and nurturing a community of like-minded individuals. They highlight the chance to influence, impact, and positively guide others, fostering connections that extend beyond mere technology discussions.   Joining a User Group: A Gateway to Growth The leaders stress the importance of joining a user group, emphasizing exposure to diverse perspectives, solutions, and career growth opportunities within the Power Platform community. "Being part of such a group provides a supportive environment for seeking advice, sharing experiences, and navigating challenges."   A Year of Milestones Looking back at the past year, Geetha and Ben express pride in the group's growth and global participation. They recount the enriching experience of meeting members in person at the Microsoft Power Platform conference, showcasing the diverse range of perspectives and guest speakers that enriched the community's overall experience.   Continuous Learning on the Leadership Journey As user group leaders, Geetha and Ben recognize the continuous learning curve, blending interpersonal skills, adaptability, and dedication to foster a vibrant community. They highlight the importance of patience, persistence, and flexibility in achieving group goals, noting the significance of listening to the needs and suggestions of group members.They invite all tech enthusiasts to join the Dallas Fort Worth Power Platform User Group, a thriving hub where the power of community propels individuals to new heights in the dynamic realm of technology.

Back to Basics Tuesday Tip #10: Community Support

This is the TENTH post in our ongoing series dedicated to helping the amazing members of our community--both new members and seasoned veterans--learn and grow in how to best engage in the community! Each Tuesday, we feature new content that will help you best understand the community--from ranking and badges to profile avatars, from Super Users to blogging in the community. Our hope is that this information will help each of our community members grow in their experience with Power Platform, with the community, and with each other!   This Week: All About Community Support   Whether you're a seasoned community veteran or just getting started, you may need a bit of help from time to time! If you need to share feedback with the Community Engagement team about the community or are looking for ways we can assist you with user groups, events, or something else, Community Support is the place to start.   Community Support is part of every one of our communities, accessible to all our community members.     Power Apps: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pa_community_support Power Automate: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpa_community_support Power Pages: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/mpp_community_support Copilot Studio: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Community-Support/ct-p/pva_community-support   Within each community's Community Support page, you'll find three distinct areas, each with a different focus to help you when you need support from us most.     Community Accounts & Registration is the go-to source for any and all information related to your account here in the community. It's full of great knowledge base articles that will help you manage your community account and know what steps to take if you wish to close your account.  ●  Power Apps  ●  Power Automate  ●  Power Pages, ●  Copilot Studio      Using the Community is your source for assistance with everything from Community User Groups to FAQ's and more. If you want to know what kudos are, how badges work, how to level up your User Group or something else, you will probably find the answers here. ●  Power Apps   ● Power Automate    ●  Power Pages  ●  Copilot Studio      Community Feedback is where you can share opportunities, concerns, or get information from the Community Engagement team. It's your best place to post a question about an issue you're having in the community, a general question you need answered. Whatever it is, visit Community Feedback to get the answers you need right away. Our team is honored to partner with you and can't wait to help you!   ●  Power Apps  ● Power Automate   ● Power Pages   ● Copilot Studio  

Microsoft Ignite 2023: The Recap

What an amazing event we had this year, as Microsoft showcased the latest advancements in how AI has the potential to reshape how customers, partners and developers strategize the future of work. Check out below some of our handpicked videos and Ignite announcements to see how Microsoft is driving real change for users and businesses across the globe.   Video Highlights Click the image below to check out a selection of Ignite 2023 videos, including the "Microsoft Cloud in the era of AI" keynote from Scott Guthrie, Charles Lamanna, Arun Ulag, Sarah Bird, Rani Borkar, Eric Boyd, Erin Chapple, Ali Ghodsi, and Seth Juarez. There's also a great breakdown of the amazing Microsoft Copilot Studio with Omar Aftab, Gary Pretty, and Kendra Springer, plus exciting sessions from Rajesh Jha, Jared Spataro, Ryan Jones, Zohar Raz, and many more.     Blog Announcements Microsoft Copilot presents an opportunity to reimagine the way we work—turning natural language into the most powerful productivity tool on the planet. With AI, organizations can unearth value in data across productivity tools like business applications and Microsoft 365. Click the link below to find out more.     Check out the latest features in Microsoft Power Apps that will help developers create AI-infused apps faster, give administrators more control over managing thousands of Microsoft Power Platform makers at scale, and deliver better experiences to users around the world. Click the image below to find out more.     Click below to discover new ways to orchestrate business processes across your organization with Copilot in Power Automate. With its user-friendly interface that offers hundreds of prebuilt drag-and-drop actions, more customers have been able to benefit from the power of automation.     Discover how Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft Dataverse are activating the strength of your enterprise data using AI, the announcement of “plugins for Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365”, plus two new Power Apps creator experiences using Excel and natural language.       Click below to find out more about the general availability of Microsoft Fabric and the public preview of Copilot in Microsoft Fabric. With the launch of these next-generation analytics tools, you can empower your data teams to easily scale the demand on your growing business.     And for the rest of all the good stuff, click the link below to visit the Microsoft Ignite 2023 "Book of News", with over ONE HUNDRED announcements across infrastructure, data, security, new tools, AI, and everything else in-between!        

Back to Basics Tuesday Tip #9: All About the Galleries

This is the ninth post in our series dedicated to helping the amazing members of our community--both new members and seasoned veterans--learn and grow in how to best engage in the community! Each Tuesday, we feature new content that will help you best understand the community--from ranking and badges to profile avatars, from Super Users to blogging in the community. Our hope is that this information will help each of our community members grow in their experience with Power Platform, with the community, and with each other!     Today's Tip: All About the Galleries Have you checked out the library of content in our galleries? Whether you're looking for the latest info on an upcoming event, a helpful webinar, or tips and tricks from some of our most experienced community members, our galleries are full of the latest and greatest video content for the Power Platform communities.   There are several different galleries in each community, but we recommend checking these out first:   Community Connections & How-To Videos Hosted by members of the Power Platform Community Engagement  Team and featuring community members from around the world, these helpful videos are a great way to "kick the tires" of Power Platform and find out more about your fellow community members! Check them out in Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio!         Webinars & Video Gallery Each community has its own unique webinars and videos highlighting some of the great work being done across the Power Platform. Watch tutorials and demos by Microsoft staff, partners, and community gurus! Check them out: Power Apps Webinars & Video Gallery Power Automate Webinars & Video Gallery Power Pages Webinars & Video Gallery Copilot Studio Webinars & Video Gallery   Events Whether it's the excitement of the Microsoft Power Platform Conference, a local event near you, or one of the many other in-person and virtual connection opportunities around the world, this is the place to find out more about all the Power Platform-centered events. Power Apps Events Power Automate Events Power Pages Events Copilot Studio Events   Unique Galleries to Each Community Because each area of Power Platform has its own unique features and benefits, there are areas of the galleries dedicated specifically to videos about that product. Whether it's Power Apps samples from the community or the Power Automate Cookbook highlighting unique flows, the Bot Sharing Gallery in Copilot Studio or Front-End Code Samples in Power Pages, there's a gallery for you!   Check out each community's gallery today! Power Apps Gallery Power Automate Gallery Power Pages Gallery Copilot Studio Gallery

Visit the Community Lounge at Microsoft Ignite!

Are you attending Microsoft Ignite in Seattle this week? If so, we'd love to see you at the Community Lounge! Hosted by members of our Community team, it's a great place to connect, meet some Microsoft executives, and get a sticker or two. And if you're an MVP there are some special opportunities to meet up!     The Community Lounge is more than just a space—it's a hub of activity, collaboration, and camaraderie. So, dive in, explore, and make the most of your Microsoft Ignite experience by immersing yourself in the vibrant and dynamic community that awaits you.Find out the schedule and all the details here: Community Lounge at Ignite! See you at #MSIgnite!    

Top Solution Authors
Users online (2,134)