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When using the SharePoint list 'update item', I only need to update 3 columns. However, the list item has numerous choice fields (that I don't want to change). However, in the 'update item' details, every single choice column is populated, which if run, will update all of those fields (It may be selecting a default value, or the first alpha value).
Other column values are blank, and I understand if I do nothing, they will not update. However, every choice column already has a value in the flow details for 'update item'. Is there a simpler way of ONLY updating the fields/columns we select as opposed to every column being visible?
I'm getting an API id from the list and calling an HTTP Request, and using some properties from the API call to update corresponding columns in the list.
Get Items > Apply to Each1 [ Get Item > HTTP Request > Parse JSON > Apply to Each2 [ Update Item ]]
I'm experiencing the very same thing. I have a flow that does an "update item" when I cancel the flow or answer "reject" in the approval connector. I had the flow write to a SharePoint development site and it correctly only updated the appropriate choice columns. However when I deployed the same flow to my SharePoint staging site it updated ALL the choice columns. I don't think it updated them to default necessarily as I removed the default value from the staging site columns in case that's what caused it. This is very inconvenient. I think we have two choices now: (1) convert our choice columns to text and recode the app to write text into there instead to avoid this issue. Not ideal. (2) go into the flow and assert the value field in every choice field, not leave any blank in case it updates to something we don't want. Option 2 is far better for my situation.
*** UPDATE. Have now go this to work. The flow was in a managed solution. When we removed the unmanaged layer in that staging environment, this problem disappeared!
There are a host of ways to do this, @DaveDave, and I won't derail your attempts with others in the thread, however I have found that the simplest way to do this is to references for the List Name and the 'Id' fields on the 'Update item' action.
It would look something like this:
Where the 'Custom value' in my example simply picks the ListIdCNST.
If you are unsure of how to get a list (or library) id, just select the settings for the list from the 'Site Contents' on SharePoint, and it is the number at the end of the URL in the address bar of your browser ... minus any curly ('{' or '}') brackets, of course!
So, now when the 'List Name' field cannot immediately discern what the list is, it does not constrain you as to what you enter. 🙂
Now you can just place a correctly formatted JSON object of the fields that you WANT to update in the 'Item' field.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
I agree. This is still issue in 2024.
I have a list with 'Yes/No' column. This column type need to have a default value when creating. When I create power automate flow to update a different column, all Yes/No columns are being updated to their default value. In power automate step, I removed them, selected blank for them, many other things. But as soon as I save flow, they come back again in code to be updated to default value. This is such a hassle.
Thank you @Phil888
This has been driving me nuts. I have such a simple list and flow and some basic functionality seems to be missing, making the learning curve steeper than it needs to be. Some basic things shouldn't require tricks.
Just wanted to chime in with my solution;
You can create custom view just for the specific column(s) you need, then select that in `Limit Columns by View` option.
This will only provide fields from given view to update.
Hi @gerryflores
OP here. Since this behaviour wasn't consistent (even within my team), I chose to tackle the underlying problem using a different connector method.
From what I can recall, this is expected behaviour from what I read. If a choice field is required, it must have a value when updating the item. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to ALWAYS demand a value from every required field, making this task even more frustrating.
2 suggestions I recall.
- Use an http connector and update the item rather than using the SharePoint update item connector
- Add an extra step before the item update (get item), so you can dynamically populate the required field with the existing item value
Hi Abm,
This is nearly a year from when you posted this, but I am experiencing the same issue. However, I cannot leave the choice field blank as my field is a required field... so PowerAutomate won't let me save the flow unless I specify a value for it. How do I proceed then and tell the flow to leave that field alone? I've tried setting it to the existing value but I can't work out the syntax to do this (it's easy on other fields but I cannot figure out how for choice fields).
Any help?
Thanks and regards
Gerry
Hi @abm ,
I appreciate you taking the time to test this. I'm not sure either.
As you can see from my screenshot, choice fields already have values in them in the 'update item' step (I didn't select anything, I would expect blank by default). Of course if there was no value (it was blank), and I didn't change the value, it will not change the choice field value when it 'updates item'. It's not about the ability to choose a value in the choice field (yes, it does show up as well for me).
The problem is there ALREADY IS a value in the 'update item' (instead of blank), and I wonder if it has something to do with being in a 'apply to each'. I can't ignore the value because it will actually change EVERY list item to that choice field value.
This is quite frustrating. For something seemingly so simple it is forcing me to create additional workaround and create additional lists with limited number of columns to avoid this.
Hi @DaveDave
I have tested this. I have a choice column with default value and also it allows multiple values.
Here are my test results:
Test using default value
1. Created a list with no choice. List created with default value.
2. Update the list item and left the choice field blank.
3. It still shows the default value which is the expected result.
Test using multiple values
1. Created a list with multiple values under choice column.
2. Update the list item and left the choice field blank.
3. It still shows the multiple values which is the expected result.
Not sure why in your case it is going wrong?
Thanks
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