Using Flow to replace SPD2010 workflow - Issue with look up fields

[Ian_C]

Hi, 

My scenario is that we have a master sharepoint list "Projects Master" on our Technology site which contains columns such as:

Project name

Project manager name

Programme

Programme manager name

etc.

Then on a sub site "Change team site" we have a number of sharepoint lists e.g. Risks and Issues, Benefits etc. 

Each of these lists uses a site column to look up the parent table "Projects"  to pull through the project information to which that entry applies.

We then have a workflow written in SPD2010 on out Risks and Issues list so that when the item was changed, if it's status was "High" then it sent an email notification to the Project manager.

With the demise of SPD2010 I now need to re-write this workflow in Automate. 

I have created a flow which triggers when an item is raised or changed. However when I try to send an email notification to the project manager I cannot find the field in the dynamic content of the trigger (Presumably because this is a look up field) 
Also there seems to be no id or value visible that I can use to make a "Get Item" call to the master list.

Please could anyone advise how to solve this issue as I have only started using Automate this month.

Many thanks
 

[SVC_SP_Workflow]

Initialize a Variable , give it a Name. Type will be String. Value will be the url to your SharePoint List with ID. 

That should work.

[Ian_C]

Many thanks for your reply however what would be the syntax of the variable's value, and is the id the id of the trigger?
Would I then use that in a "Get Item" action? 

[Ian_C]

@SVC_SP_Workflow Apologies for being a newbie, just trying to pick this up from YouTube videos

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

Could share some screenshots of you Flow that you have made?

So if I understand it correctly you can't get the information on your rootsite where you need the information of the Projects Master list.

Normally when you use the action Get items you should be able to select your site and list to get the dynamic content.

Kind regards

Tom

[Ian_C]

Hi @Tom_Slosse ,

At the moment there is not much of a flow as I have encountered this straight away. 

My flow trigger is looking at a Sharepoint list which has look up fields in which are visible in the list

Then if the condition was not met I was going to send an email but cannot see the Programme Manager field in the dynamic content as it is a look up field to a list that resides on a parent site (Linked by the Project column).

If I use the Get items action I only have the ID from the trigger action, not the project ID 

Many thanks

[SVC_SP_Workflow]

The Syntax of your Variable Value is the Tenant url with List information.

https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/site name/Lists/...

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

Try and put a Get Item action right behind your trigger with the same site address and same list (ID will be the one you get from the trigger) like the trigger and see if you get more information in the dynamic content in the Email action.

Hope this helps

Kind regards

Tom

[Ian_C]

Hi @Tom_Slosse , 

Just tried that but unfortunately cannot see the Project, Project manager or Programme manager fields in the dynamic content for that action either ☹️

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

Are they present in that list?

Kind regards

Tom

[Ian_C]

Hi, @Tom_Slosse ,

so the Get items gets the same entry from the same list as the trigger action. The fields are visible on the Sharepoint list as they are look ups to the master table on the parent site.

What I need is to be able to get the value from the entry in the list that the lookup column is using to get the values from the Master project names table. This will be different for each entry in the sub table

[Ian_C]

Hi @SVC_SP_Workflow , I've got the list url and can put that into a variable. What I haven't got is the id from the trigger action which refers to that look up field. how would I get that and then use that variable?

Thanks 

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

You could try something like this in the expressions tab:

body('Get_item')?['<ColumnName>']?['Value'] to get the value of the Project or Programme lookup field.

Normally it should show up as a SharePoint dynamic content after saving you Flow get back to the details an click edit again.

Kind regards

Tom

[Ian_C]

Hi @Tom_Slosse, many thanks for helping with this. It does feel like it's getting closer. 

However unfortunatly that didn't work.

I can understand that your suggestion is trying to get  the value for the look up from the body of the get item action. However when interogating the body of that action on the workflow run report that column isn't visible.

And the workflow fails with "The 'inputs.parameters' of workflow operation 'Get_item_from_Master_table' of type 'OpenApiConnection' is not valid. Error details: The resolved string values for the following parameters are invalid, they may not be null or empty: 'id'

I've simplified the workflow as much as possible so I'll post it here (your expression evaluates to the Project.Value):

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

Now I see what you are trying to do.

The correct way to get those items is by using the action Get Items and then in the Filter Query Project eq '<Project.Value>'

Don't forget to put the value between single quotes.

After this action you could use your Get item from master data with the ID you get back from the Get Items action.

The reason why it doesn't work is you pass the project.value to the ID of the item in your get item from master data table action and that will never work.

This action needs a SharePoint ID to get the item.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards

Tom

[Ian_C]

HI @Tom_Slosse ,

Many thanks for your answer and I understand now that I have to do a "Get Items" from the master table filtering on the project value.  

The only problem is that I don't have that value.

I can see it when I look at the Sharepoint list but it does not appear anywhere within the body of the Get item action which I added after the trigger.

Is this a bug with Automate linking to Sharepoint?

[Ian_C · Accepted solution]

Hi @Tom_Slosse ,

Finally solved the issue. Many thanks for your help in this.

As previously stated the Sharepoint list itself contained a lookup to the master table for the Project name etc.

However in the flow the Get Item did not contain any reference to that field so I could not use this in the Get items to interrogate the master table and bring back the desired fields for use in the flow.

Solution:

• Add a hidden field into the Sharepoint list which is just a single line of text.
• Edit the form logic so that the hidden field is updated in the form itself whenever the project lookup is changed.
• Then within the flow you can now use the value of the hidden text field to do the "Get Items" interrogation of the master list.

[Tom_Slosse]

Hey @Ian_C 

I'm glad the issue was solved.

No problem for the assistance, thats what the community is for.

Kind regards

Tom