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If always returns null

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Posted on by Rex2025

I have a flow pulling sharepoint data and the if-empty always returns null, even when there is a value. What am I doing wrong?

if(empty(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time']),null,formatDateTime(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time'],'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'))

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Srini007 3,483 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @Rex2025

You can try as below

if(isNull(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time']), null, formatDateTime(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time'],'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'))

Also make sure that the Closed Time field is of Correct data type(DateTime) in your Sharepoint list.

Hope this may help you

Thanks,
Srini

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Rex2025 on at

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I get this error with that formula:

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Compose_-_Sharepoint_Data' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template function 'isNull' is not defined or not valid.'.

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Srini007 3,483 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @Rex2025

Apologies for the error, try below?

if(empty(trim(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time'])), null, formatDateTime(items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time'],'yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss'))

Thanks,
Srini

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Rex2025 on at

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I put empty and I'm back to the original issue, every single value becomes null.

I know the values are there, if I remove any expressions and just put the value then it returns the date (in a bad format for me), it's just when I use the if(empty) I'm getting everything as null.

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Rex2025 on at

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I tried the trim formula, but that resulted in this:

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Compose_-_Sharepoint_Data' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The provided parameters for template language function 'trim' are not valid.'.

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Chriddle 8,706 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Since empty(null) also returns true, I suspect that items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')?['Closed Time']) does not exist. Try items('Apply_to_each_-_Sharepoint_Data')['Closed Time']) (without the question mark) and check if there is an error.

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Rex2025 on at

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Thank you. I will try this tomorrow and report back.

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Rex2025 on at

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Question though - when I replace the expression with just the SharePoint value, it DOES return the date/time (just not in the format I need and I need to deal with null returns). So why would a field not exist? All of the other fields are returning fine.

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Chriddle 8,706 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Sorry, I'm just guessing 😉
Without having seen more of you flow I cannot anwer this.

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Rex2025 on at

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Here are some screenshots.

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