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How can i use flow to separate/split out text from a open text field in Forms and add to different columns in SharePoint Online/Excel?

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Hi, Hoping to get some help on my case here 🙂

I have a forms where i have a open text field - the users will use this one text field to write comments on three different topics (do not want to divide them into several questions because the topics might change). I want Powerautomate to automatically differentiate the text in this textfield based on a sign like : or starting with (...) and then creating cells in different columns (one column per topic) in a sharepoint online list or in excel. Any advice/help on how to set this up?

I have also looked at the text to columns in excel - but i dont know how you could do that action automatically.

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annajhaveri 8,531 Most Valuable Professional on at

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You can use the split function to split as per the sign reference: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/logic-apps/workflow-definition-language-functions-reference#split

Let me know if you need further inputs on this

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks for the reply Annajhaveri, maybe i should have mentioned i am quite new to this - so i wouldnt know how to even put this function into my flow - like what "boxes" do i have to use (compose etc.). I have tried to google, but i am not finding the right resources. any idea of how i design it in powerautomate with this split option?

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annajhaveri 8,531 Most Valuable Professional on at

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@Anonymous , please configure your flow as follows:

1. Initialize variable of type string and assign it value from your form, here just for example I have assigned it a static value

2. Add compose action and copy following expression from dynamic content -> expressions and click on ok button
split(variables('text'),':')

3. Then add apply to each action and configure it as shown in below screenshot

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adam0s 47 on at

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Hello, I know this is an old post but i am hopeful you will reply, I am having the same issue and have followed the steps you laid out but I feel like the last step is missing, I have initialized a variable as a string the value being the form response that needs to be split into multiple columns, done the compose step where I split the variables based on my chosen delimiter, and created an apply to each based on your steps, but how then do I take what I have split up and input it into separate columns of an excel table?

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