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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / How To Use a Variable ...
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How To Use a Variable to Parse JSON

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Posted on by 12
I have a flow that triggers when a form is submitted.
 
I have a .json file with a list of offices and their corresponding property manager's email address. 
 
It looks like this:
{
  "139 - Site1": ["ManagerName1", "manager1@email.com"],
  "101 - Site2": ["ManagerName2", "manager2@email.com"],
  "116 - site3": ["ManagerName3", "manager3@email.com"],
  "153 - site3": ["ManagerName4", "manager4@email.com"]
  ...
}
I can get the JSON key (e.g., "139 - Site1") from an AD field from an employee who submits the form. I want to use that key to parse the JSON object and get back the array containing ["ManagerName1", "manager1@email.com"] and use it to email the manager.
 
Here are the relevant actions I have set up:
  1. When a new response is submitted
  2. Get user profile (V2)
  3. Get file content using path
  4. Parse JSON
  5. Compose
  6. Send Email Notification
I'm using a compose action with an input of @outputs('Parse_JSON')?['body']?[SITENAME]
 
This flow works flawlessly when I manually input the SITENAME with a string like so: @outputs('Parse_JSON')?['body']?['139 - Site1']
 
However, when I try to use the string from the Get user profile (V2) action, I get an error message complaining that the Compose action contains an invalid expression.
@outputs('Parse_JSON')?['body']?[/OfficeLocation] (the /OfficeLocation is dynamic content from the Get user profile (V2) action).
 
It seems like it's impossible to use dynamic content in a Compose action like this.
 
Has anyone done something similar before?

Any advice for working around this limitation? If there's a better way to do the same thing, I'm all ears.
 
Thanks.
 
I have the same question (0)
  • ninihen Profile Picture
    153 on at
    Try this expression:
    outputs('Get_User_Profile')?['body/officeLocation']
  • NM-27042108-0 Profile Picture
    12 on at
    Thanks for your response.
     
    That code snippet will get me the output named officeLocation from the Get user profile (V2) action. I don't need that string. I'm already able to get that string without error.
     
    The error occurs when I try to use that string to access the JSON data.
     
    I'm looking for a way to use the Office Location as a key in the JSON data to access the values stored within.
  • Suggested answer
    11manish Profile Picture
    3,333 on at
    Try this syntax in your Compose action:

    outputs('Parse_JSON')?['body']?[outputs('Get_user_profile_(V2)')?['body/officeLocation']]
  • NM-27042108-0 Profile Picture
    12 on at
    That worked! Thank you! Now I see the previous answer was saying the same thing. Thank you for being more verbose.
  • Vish WR Profile Picture
    3,748 on at
     
    If it resolved please mark the answer as verified 

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