format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

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Posted on 1 Feb 2019 10:46:30 by livingstonep

352

we have this formula in our MS Flow - Update Item task...

concat(items('Apply_to_each')['T_x002d_Code']
,'-'
,items('Apply_to_each')['BoxNo']
,'-'
,
items('Apply_to_each')['ID'])

but we need to add leading zeros to the BoxNo and ID so it ends up like this:

A02-00001-000235

How can we format those fields like that please?

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Answers (1)

Piper 177 on 13 May 2024 at 16:27:31

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

This helped me 4 years later. I was less than thrilled with my case statement and this worked perfectly.
Thanks!
hung1993 2 on 19 May 2022 at 12:19:14

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

You can use format number
Robyn_D 2 on 28 Apr 2022 at 03:39:37

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

You can also use the formatNumber function -
concat(items('Apply_to_each')['T_x002d_Code'] ,'-' ,formatNumber(items('Apply_to_each')['BoxNo'],'00000') ,'-' , formatNumber(items('Apply_to_each')['ID'],'000000')
kwilsson 8 on 13 Oct 2021 at 08:23:11

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

You can just use the "Format number" function this will return 0001 if the number 1 is inserted.
Murderbot 132 on 24 Sep 2021 at 22:50:04

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

Best value!
teylyn1 358 on 03 Jun 2020 at 04:54:34

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

This can also be done with a simple formatNumber() function. Use the expression

formatNumber(variables('myVariable'),'000000')
Setup in the editorresult in the run window
Community Power Pla... on 26 May 2020 at 10:19:27

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

Just to clarify...
First, I need to Initialize variable with name: FormID, string value: 1
...then Set variable name: FormID, ID (for me its the SP ID)
...then when I Update item, in the my running number field I use
concat(substring('0000', 0, sub(4,length(variables('FormID')))), variables('FormID')) ...
Axal 945 on 13 Nov 2019 at 09:33:25

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

@Lam01007 This trick is so cool.

GBU ! 😁
Lam01007 231 on 06 Nov 2019 at 08:44:27

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

I got one more simple solution, only use 1 step:
Just put the Expression in the value of "Set Variable" step:

concat(substring('00000', 0, sub(5,length(variables('FormID')))), variables('FormID'))

Where the '00000' is pad left zero template, the length is the maximum number of digit.
And '5' is the length of the above template
And replace 'FormID' to your variable name
Easy?
livingstonep 352 on 14 Feb 2019 at 21:26:57

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Re: format a string with leading zeros in MS Flow

Hi, we found an even better solution, and that is to use Substring and concat...

so we create the values we need in variables using substring and concat:

set a variable with the maximum leading zeros: variables('PaddingForBoxNo') = '00000'
PackedBoxNo = concat(variables('PaddingForBoxNo'),variables('BoxNo'))
get length of PackaedBoxNo: length(variables('packedBoxNo'))
set cut point for PackedBoxNo: sub(variables('lenPackedBoxNo'),variables('lenPaddingForBoxNo'))
generate formatted (packed) variable: substring(variables('packedBoxNo'),variables('startCutPackedBoxNo'),variables('lenPaddingForBoxNo'))
so basically we simulate the Right function using LEN and SUBSTRING in several steps...

and se end up with '00024' ...

the only alternative is to use a Switch case, or follow the answer above...

HTH
Philip