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Copy a record from one column to another in the same row in Model-driven app and Dataverse

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Posted on by JosLand

Hi All,

I'd like to understand what are the different solutions to copy the record of a lookup column to another column in the same row, in a model-driven app or directly in Dataverse.
And which one would be the most efficient in my example below?

Let's use the below example.
I have an Account and a Contact table both related to the Enrollment table with a 1:N relationship.
When I create a new enrollment row, I would like to copy the record of Account and Contact to columns in the Enrollment table.

The goal is to preserve the data recorded when the row is created, even if in the future the related Account or Contact info changes.

Thank you for your help

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Tables

Microsoft Dataverse

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JosLand 19 on at

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Re: Copy a record from one column to another in the same row in Model-driven app and Dataverse

Hi @dpoggemann ,

Thanks a lot for your reply.
I see that for background workflows they recommend the use of Flow
While for Real-time workflows they don't give this recommendation. Is it because there isn't yet an equivalent in Microsoft Flow?

Thanks
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Drew Poggemann 9,278 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Re: Copy a record from one column to another in the same row in Model-driven app and Dataverse

Hi @JosLand ,

The easiest way to do this is to create a classic real-time workflow that will be triggered on Create and maybe when the the Account or Contact field changes on the Enrollment table (I will explain this in a second).

Create the real time workflow (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/overview-realtime-workflows)

Trigger on creation of the record for sure and the reason I was saying on the Account and Contact change is in case you can create the Enrollment record without these populated. If you can add the Account and Contact later (for the first time) and you want to track these values, then you need to trigger on these field changes as well.

Utilize If Logic in the workflow to check if the Account Copy column does not contain data and the Account field contains data then do an update step on the Enrollment table and set the Account Copy field

Same thing as #2 with Contact

This should do it.

Note: You can also look at Auditing in Dataverse where you can audit a field and see the historical values anytime they change and who changed them where if this met your needs you would not need these additional fields.  https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/admin/manage-dataverse-auditing