Compare two datatable

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Posted on by laclws

I got this steps and code from chatgpt. I have extracted data from website. I want to compare the data from current with old one to see if got any new changes. The data is 155 row in 2 columns. Is this steps and coding correct? When I run it, the loop section is like running forever for about 44 minutes but still not finish. is this normal? So I try to change the first item url in the old data, let it run and stop halfway to see if it can capture the changes. but seems like the name of the item is not coming out. only this come out : "" & "Updated: " & CurrentSOP[0] & NewLine. Can someone help me please? How should I do it?

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Power Automate Desktop

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stampcoin 5,158 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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@laclws Hi,

I think there are some tiny logic problem.

see below pseudocode：

For each CurrentSOP in ExtractedSOPList Set MatchFound = 'False' For each OldSOP in BaselineSOPList If CurrentSOP[0] = OldSOP[0] // when row found Set MatchFound = 'True' If CurrentSOP[1] <> OldSOP[1] ← different link Set UpdatedSOPs = %UpdatedSOPs% + 'Updated: ' + %CurrentSOP[0]% + %NewLine% End Exit loop //this must sit here End // end of the “If CurrentSOP[0]” End //end of the inner For-each If %MatchFound% = 'False' Set NewSOPs = %NewSOPs% + 'New: ' + %CurrentSOP[0]% + %NewLine% End End

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laclws 45 on at

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Thanks stampcoin for your sharp eye. Now its not looping forever.

But the display message show: UpdatedSOPs: "" & "Updated: " & CurrentSOP[0] & NewLine. It still cannot capture the item name that has been updated manually by me for testing.

I believe there is something wrong with the above value for the variable set for UpdatedSOPs. Can you help me to look at the above formula?

New update: I'm revising the steps to ask Chatgpt to just compare the url only which is column 1. able to get some results although messy. I believe the above formula got something wrong as I'm not able to get more than one item(url) as I manually edited 2 url for testing.

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stampcoin 5,158 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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@laclws Hi,

CurrentSOP[0] ,should be inside %CurrentSOP[0]%,

NewLine, if this is a variable, should be wrapped in %%.

before the loop, make sure :
Set NewSOPs with empty value
Set UpdatedSOPs with empty value

give it a try. feel free if you still get problem.

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Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @laclws

Can you try this flow design, i believe this reduces the execution time

Variables.CreateNewDatatable InputTable: { ^['Column1', 'Column2'], [$'''AB1''', $'''Data'''], [$'''AB2''', $'''HJK'''], [$'''AB3''', $'''OLK'''], [$'''AB4''', $'''ASD'''], [$'''AB5''', 123] } DataTable=> ExtractedSOPList Variables.CreateNewDatatable InputTable: { ^['Column1', 'Column2'], [$'''AB1''', $'''Data12'''], [$'''AB2''', $'''HJK1'''], [$'''AB3''', $'''OLK'''] } DataTable=> BaselineSOPList SET NewSOPs TO $'''%''%''' SET UpdatedSOPs TO $'''%''%''' LOOP FOREACH CurrentSOP IN ExtractedSOPList Variables.FindOrReplaceInDataTable.FindItemInDataTableByColumnIndex DataTable: BaselineSOPList AllMatches: False ValueToFind: CurrentSOP[0] MatchCase: False MatchEntireCellContents: True ColumnNameOrIndex: 0 DataTableMatches=> MatchesDt IF MatchesDt.RowsCount = 0 THEN Text.AppendLine Text: NewSOPs LineToAppend: $'''New SOP: %CurrentSOP[0]%''' Result=> NewSOPs ELSE Text.ToNumber Text: MatchesDt[0][0] Number=> RowIndex IF BaselineSOPList[RowIndex][1] <> CurrentSOP[1] THEN Text.AppendLine Text: UpdatedSOPs LineToAppend: $'''Updated SOP: %CurrentSOP[0]%''' Result=> UpdatedSOPs END END END

Thanks & Regards,
Nived N

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Riyaz_riz11 4,150 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi,

1: Create a dictionary of old SOPs

Initialize Dictionary

Action: Set Variable

Name: OldSOPDict

Value: Dictionary()

Loop through BaselineSOPList

For each OldSOP in BaselineSOPList Set variable Name: OldSOPDict Value: Add item to dictionary %OldSOPDict% Key = %OldSOP[0]% Value = %OldSOP[1]%

Step 2: Loop through Current SOPs

For each CurrentSOP in ExtractedSOPList If OldSOPDict contains key %CurrentSOP[0]% then If %OldSOPDict[CurrentSOP[0]]% <> %CurrentSOP[1]% then Set variable UpdatedSOPs = %UpdatedSOPs% + "Updated: " + %CurrentSOP[0]% + %NewLine% Else Set variable NewSOPs = %NewSOPs% + "New: " + %CurrentSOP[0]% + %NewLine%

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Regards,
Riyaz

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laclws 45 on at

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Hi stampcoin , Riyaz_riz11, Nived_Nambiar,

I redo again the formula using remove common lists action. I find this to be more friendly and easy for me to understand. But still I cannot get the correct results.

here is my flow:

here is my csvtable from web extraction.

I just want to compare the url under column value #2 from same website at different times of extraction for eg monthly.

is my formula ok?

I found some prblm with the formula. and also the way i test my data. will post my update later

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