Passing Parameters from a Flow to an App

[BobG]

I've got a test app that is intended to run the Excel Flow function "Get row" and retrieve a given row of data from a simple 4 column Excel spreadsheet on OneDrive and populate 4 TextInput fields in the App.    From a slightly different Community example, I reckon my Flow needs to have a trigger, i.e. PowerApps, a "Get row" step, and a "Filter Array" step following that.   However, I don't know how to use the "Filter Array" and related Dynamic Content to capture the data and get it to my App.   My attempt at the Flow so far is shown in the image below.   The expression in the "From" field of the "Filter array" step is

@and(not(empty(item()?['Row'])),not(empty(item()?['Column A'])),not(empty(item()?['Column B'])),not(empty(item()?['Column C'])) )

All help is greatly appreciated.  Thx

Cheers,

Bob G

[v-xida-msft]

Hi @BobG, 

Do you want to pass the retrieved Excel data from your flow to your app?

Could you please share a bit more about the data structure of your Excel table?

Do you want to get a specific row in your Excel table based on the Row Id in your flow?

If you want to get a specific row in your Excel table based on the Row Id in your flow, I think it is not necessary to add a "Filter Array" action within your app, because the "Get row" action could only retrieve one record.

If you want to retrieve all records in your Excel table, and find the specific record based on the filter condition within the "Filter Array" action. I think there is something wrong with your "Filter Array" action. The From field of the "Filter Array" action is required to provided an Array data rather than a filter condition. You should modify your flow as below:

If you just want to get a specific row in your Excel table based on the Row Id (passed from your app) in your flow, and then pass returned result to your app, please take a try with the following workaround:

Flow's configuration as below:

Add a "Response" action within your flow, set the Body field to Body dynamic content of the "Get row" action. Set the Response Body JSON schema field to following:

{
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
        "@@odata.context": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "@@odata.etag": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "ItemInternalId": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "ID": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "EmployeeName": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Department": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "IsVolunteer": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "__PowerAppsId__": {
            "type": "string"
        }
    }
}

On your side, you should type:

{
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
        "@@odata.context": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "@@odata.etag": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "ItemInternalId": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Row": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Column_x0020_A": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Column_x0020_B": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Column_x0020_C": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "__PowerAppsId__": {
            "type": "string"
        }
    }
}

Note: The ID, EmployeeName, Departemnt and IsVolunteer are all columns in my Excel table.

App's configuration as below:

Set the OnSelect property of the "Collect" button to following:

ClearCollect(RecordsCollection, '20181228_case10'.Run(TextInput1.Text))

On your side, you should type:

ClearCollect(RecordsCollection, 'YourFlowName'.Run("Row Id you want to pass to your flow"))

The RecordsCollection stored well as below:

If you want to reference the returned value within your Text Input box, please take a try with the following formula:

Set the Default property of the Text Input box to following:

First(RecordsCollection).ColumnName

e.g. If you want to reference the Column A value from the RecordsCollection, please take a try with the following formula:

First(RecordsCollection).Column_x0020_A

Please check and see if the following blog would help in your scenario:

https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/return-an-array-from-flow-to-powerapps-response-method/

More details about starting a flow from an app, please check the following article:

Start a flow from an app

Best regards,

Kris

[BobG]

Kris,

    Many thanks for the comprehensive and clear response to my post.    I've tried the single row solution and the Flow runs is Test mode with no errors.   It looks like the following....

My App has one, "Start Test Flow", that includes the expression

Collect(RecordsCollection, {Pressed: Button3_1.Pressed}) 

which corresponds to your instructions and which, I believe, creates the Collection "RecordsCollection" and a Text Input field "TextInput8_1" with the expression

First(RecordsCollection).Row   (Note: Row is the name of my first column.  I also tried your exact expression with Column_x0020_A, my second column, but still got the error message)

intended to recieve the data from the first column of my Excel table when the Flow eventually runs.   At the moment, there is a error in that formula which states "Name isn't valid.  This identifier isn't recognized.  Etc..."   

My Spreadsheet is shown in the next image and my App is shown in the image following that.

It seems that you got me very close to the finish line on this so I'm hoping that the next step is easy for you to figure out.   Thanks again for the help!

[BobG]

Last image for prior post....

[BobG]

Another postscript....the script in my Flow Response step is as follows which should be exactly as you recommended....

{

    "type": "object",

    "properties": {

        "@@odata.context": {

            "type": "string"

        }

        "@@odata.etag": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "ItemInternalId": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "Row": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "Column_x0020_A": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "Column_x0020_B": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "Column_x0020_C": {

            "type": "string"

        },

        "__PowerAppsId__": {

            "type": "string"

        }

    }

}

[BobG]

Kris,

   To avoid your wasting time, I need to correct a big error in my first response to you.

CORRECTION:  The expression for my "Start Test Flow" button was not correct and, because of that, my Flow did not run without errors.    In fact, I'm getting a error message associated with the expression below which, as near as I can tell is consistent with your instructions.

Expression: ClearCollect(RecordsCollection,'Get row'.Run(Label2_9.Text))  

The error messages associated with this expression are:

     1. Invocation of unknown or unsupported function

    2.  The function 'ClearCollect' has some invalid arguments

The current state of my App looks like this...

[v-xida-msft]

Hi @BobG,

Could you please share more details about the error message within your app?

Based on the screenshot that you provided, I think you have something wrong with the 'Get row'.Run() function within your formula.

If you want to use 'Get row'.Run() function within your app, you need to add your 'Get row' flow connection within your app.

More details about adding a flow connection within an app, please check the following article:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/canvas-apps/using-logic-flows#add-a-flow-to-an-app

Please check if you have added your 'Get row' flow connection within your app. Also please check if you have deleted or renamed the specific flow within your Flow Environment.

In addition, please also check if you have typed proper argument or arguments within the 'Get row'.Run() function. The parameter value(s) you typed within the 'Get row'.Run() function must match the arguments you specified within your flow.

If the issue still exists, please consider take a try to re-create a new app, then add your 'Get row' flow connection within it, try your formula again to check if the issue is solved.

Best regards,

Kris

[BobG · Accepted solution]

Kris, Happy New Year and thanks for getting back to me a few days ago. It took me a few days to get to your instructions but they helped me get my test flow of “Get row” working with my app😊 The main ingredients to the solution were as follows: You said: “Based on the screenshot that you provided, I think you have something wrong with the 'Get row'.Run() function within your formula.” The above was correct. My initial expression was: “ClearCollect(RecordsCollection,Get row.Run(Label2_9.Text))”. Pwr Apps didn’t like the space between Get and row. I had labeled my flow “Get row”. Not really knowing that the space was a problem, I relabeled my flow “Getrow” and changed the expression in my app accordingly. The error went away! You had additionally said: If you wantt to use 'Get row'.Run() function within your app, you need to add your 'Get row' flow connection within your app." I didn’t know how to add the flow connection at first but, your reference to the Pwr App help text ( https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/canvas-apps/using-logic-flows#add-a-flow-to-an-app ) eventually led me to try something that did the trick. I inserted a test button then, using the Action tab and the Flow subtab, I associated my flow with the button. That produced the prompt “Getrow.Run(“ and I kinda new that I was on the right track. When I completed the expression using the last part of the expression mentioned two paragraphs above, the other error messages associated with my Input Text fields also went away! The error messages also stayed away even after I deleted the added test button. I conclude from this that one way to *add a flow connection* to an app is to create a button and correctly assign the flow to it. Once done and saved, the connection is established. NOTE: I had fixed a minor error in one column references in the flow’s Response Body script from your initial response before clicking the newly edited Start Test Flow button. The correct column reference seems to be Column_x0020_B_x0020_ vs Column_x0020_B. Beforehand, I also added the appropriate version of the expression you advised for target TextInput fields, First(RecordsCollection).ColumnName, to 3 additional TextInput fields to ensure that all 4 columns in my Excel spreadsheet were had targets for the “Get row” Action. Many thanks again for your expert and clearly stated responses to my questions. Cheers, Bob G.

[BobG]

Kris,

   The solution that you provided for me was very helpful but I didn't realize until later that the script you provided for the Reponse Body passed absolute values to my app as opposed to spreadsheet values.   I'd appreciate it if you could send me a revised script that would retrieve the spreadsheet values dynamically.   Thx.

Cheers,

Bob G.

[BobG]

Kris, Please ignore my last response. Upon further testing, I've discovered that only two rows, 7 and 8, display the errant behavior that led me to believe that your script was sending absolute values to me.   I'm pretty sure that, along the way, I corrupted rows 7 and 8, which will probably explain this behavior.   I'll do some more work before crying wolf again!

Cheers,

Bob G.