Syntax Error when Querying Azure Table

[Jimmy1]

Hi Community,

I followed this Microsoft Blog on Lead Management Instructions to use a Flow to monitor and send notification based on an Azure Storage Table. There seems to be some minor differences on the documentation and the actual Flow application; but I still managed to create the Flow.

But When I ran the flow, it returned some syntax error in the "Get Entities" step, so the Flow failed. Is there anything about the syntax I can fix on this step?

Thanks in advance,

Jimmy

[v-bacao-msft]

Hi @Jimmy1,

Could you please share a full screenshot of the configuration of your flow?

Could you provide the details of the expression or formula you configured in Get entities action?

I don't know your specific configuration, I can't reproduce a similar issue on my side.

Please provide more details and we would provide proper workaround for you.

Best Regards,

Barry

[Jimmy1]

Hello Barry,

Thanks for the reply. I did some other attempts yesterday, but got the similar syntax error outcome. Please see my setup below:

- In the Recurrence window, keep the default setting of 1 for Interval. From the Frequency dropdown list, select Hour:

- In the Get past time window, set the Interval to 1. From the Time unit dropdown list, select Hour.

- In the Get entities window, provide information for the Table and Filter Query fields. Here is where the error returned. And the next Condition step is also stopped.

My settings of the above two steps:

The last Send Email step is just for my test email address. And since it didn't get through to that step, I will skip that setting box.

Let me know if I am missing anything. Thank you very much in advance.

Jimmy

[v-bacao-msft]

Hi @Jimmy1,

From the screenshot you provided, the problem is in the configuration of Filter Query.

Is "datetime" a field in the entity?

If this is the case, the syntax you configured is wrong. The syntax configured in Filter Query should look like this:

Column gt ‘Value’

Image reference:

You could try configuring: datetime gt ‘Past Time’.

Please take a try.

Best Regards,

Barry

[Jimmy1]

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the reply. I am new to Flow so not familiar with the syntax. I followed the post and thought "datetime" was a function to convert the data type, but didn't think of it is referring to a column. 

The syntax I was using is actually from this post - Lead Management Instructions Azure Table. I was using the "Dynamics Content" tab instead of "Expression" tab in the blue box. Did you mean the syntax mentioned in this post is not up-to-dated anymore? 

Back to my test, I checked our table and there are actually two date/time columns. I updated my Flow using the "CreatedTime" column with your suggested syntax: 

Then I went through the AppSource to create a test record in my Azure table:

The error seemed to be gone but the Flow didn't capture the expected record to trigger the next step. You can tell that my test record date/time value pushed into the table is "2018-12-21 17:50:19"; the Filter Query captured  date/time value is "2018-12-21 17:51:48". But the Flow didn't retrieve the record to process. Am I still missing anything? Do I need to update any syntax to satisfy the Output section?

Thanks again for the help in advance,

Jimmy

[v-bacao-msft]

Hi @Jimmy1,

You configure Filter Query like this, the syntax is no problem.

The reason why you don't get the expected results is because there is a delay in the execution of each action of Flow, so the judgment to the minute or second level may not be particularly accurate.

Similar to your use of Get past time, but the output time will be tens of seconds, which affects the minute.

Best Regards,

Barry

[Jimmy1]

Hi Barry,

Hope you are doing well and Happy Belated New Year!

I understand that there could be some delay on the judgement based on the time difference from your last reply. But after some observations, I feel like I am still missing something to make my Flow work as expected. I am working on some Power BI projects too so I feel that understanding how Flow works will be helpful in some data integration scenarios.

Back to my Flow test, in the Azure table, I can tell there are two more records added today after my test record on Dec 21st 2018. However, I didn't receive any email for the day so far. 

When I checked the Flow run history, it showes all runs are "succeeded". 

I then downloaded the csv version of the run history, but found that although the runs are successful, the last step "Send an Notification Email" is always skipped for each run:

When I open one of the runs, I see this. My guess is that the Flow doesn't capture anything in the "Get Entities" step, so the "Outputs" field returns blank. And then it goes to "do nothing" in the condition step. 

   

Please advice and thank you for your help in advance.

Thanks,

Jimmy

[Jimmy1 · Accepted solution]

Hi Community,

After reaching out to the Support team and running some tests, this Flow is running for us now.

Just sharing an update in case others run into this case.

1. Flow likes to have a "datetime" type column specified in the "Filter Query". 

The screenshot on the left below is from the Microsoft Doc instruction, which didn't work for me. The screenshot on the right is the working version which I added the "Timestamp" column name:

2. There are two "datetime" type columns in our Azure table. Flow actually likes the "Timestamp" column more than the "CreatedTime" column in our case.

Hope it helps.

A special thanks to Mr. Corey Hanson from the Partner Support team!

Cheers,

Jimmy

[girishj]

Thanks for the solution with screenshots, it has resolved issue

[Jimmy1]

Hi @girishj,

I am just curious if you are also using Flow for the same scenario - connecting to an Azure lead table?

Thanks,

Jimmy

[girishj]

Yes, Also trying to figure out how to format out put data in tabular format. Do you have any idea on this?

[Abduvali]

Thanks, @Jimmy1!!! Very helpful was trying to solve that issue for days now =D

[Jimmy1]

Hi @girishj,

Sorry about the delay. I initailly thought about that after getting it working, but didn't get a way through.

In my case, ideally, AppSource will eventually push the lead to CRM; then CRM will handle the notification step. Using this Flow idea is a temporary solution.

I recall the challege I was facing is the cusotmer info has been stuffed in one field with the "|" sign as the delimiter. If you have found a solution, please do share.

Thank you,

Jimmy