Update excel row - Create a new row if it can't locate an existing match

[techiecraig]

Hello, I am currently trying to create two flows that are linked to separate MS forms but both feed the same excel sheet.

First Flow: Form Submission - Create new excel row (This one works fine.)

Second flow: Form Submission - Get list of Excel entries - Condition: Is there an existing email address that matches?

If yes: Update the row (this works fine.)

If no: Create a new row. 

The only way I can seem to create a new row is by using the 'apply to each' function when it checks for a matching email address, the problem is if it doesn't find a matching one it creates a new record every time, instead of just once. Can anyone help please?

[bibhupanigrahi · Accepted solution]

Hi @techiecraig, there may be other ways to handle this but I would handle it this way:

1. Initialize a Boolean variable called 'FormAdded' and set it to 'false' at the beginning.
2. Add a new condition in the 'No' block of the first condition. This new condition will check whether 'FormAdded' is 'true', and then create a new row only when it is 'false'. It means the new row will be created only when the client email is not found and also 'FormAdded' value is false.
3. Immediately after the 'Add a row into a table' action, update the 'FormAdded' variable to 'true'.

This will create only one row for the same client in an instance of the flow. Hope this helps!

[bradleyhorton]

There might be a neater way, but I think you should be able use Filter array (by email address) to find if the email address of the second forms exists. You can then use Length(filter array) to see how many entries were matched. Then you can use your condition if length = 0 add a row, otherwise update a row.

Currently I think if you had 5 entries in the list and a new email response, you'd get 5 rows with the new email address?

[techiecraig]

Yes that is currently what's happening, I had 11 existing entries and it added 11 rows of the new email address, it's going to end up quite a big spreadsheet... thanks for your idea I will give it a go!

[techiecraig]

Thank you for your suggestion! I shall give this a go and will report back.

[techiecraig]

This worked, thank you so much!

[Anonymous]

Can you post the solution in more detail (i.e. where you added the variable, and what you wrote) please? I'm trying to do something similar and having the same problem but don't understand how to add the Boolean variable as suggested above. 

Thanks.

[Rbeardsley]

Is it possible to elaborate on this solution, I am having the same issue and trying to figure out where the boolean filter array was added as well as when/how to apply the filter(length). Pictures would be much appreciated!