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Using Choice Values from Sharepoint list in email

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Hi, I'm building a flow from an item list that is supposed to send an email with what has been selected in the multiple choice column.

When I select the value of that column the apply to each is automatically selected, which I don't want as it causes separate emails to be created. How can i fix this? This is part of an approval flow hence we want to see what people would like to order. I have the approval flow figured out but not with this 'value' since it causes my flow to fail. Please help. I'm a flow beginner. ( can't seem to add pictures)

thanks

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Hardesh15 7,087 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Anonymous

Multiple choices make collection type that is why when you selected any dynamic content it automatically apply foreach loop i.e, "Apply to each".

Steps-
1. use Initialize a variable and select type string.
2. use append to string variable action
3. In name- select your initialize variable name from drop down and in value- put your dynamic content type in the value. it will use apply to each automatically.

see screen in this post : https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Power-Automate/New-to-Power-Automate-Copying-items-from-dropdown-from-List-A-to/m-p/599905#M52422

Thanks
Hardesh

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Ed Gonzales 4,531 Most Valuable Professional on at

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@Anonymous

Hi there. So first, what's happening is that because your field has the ability to have multiple selections, it is coming over as what is called an "array". Power Automate sees this and tries to make your life easier by figuring whatever action you want to do with this field, you want to do with each item in this field. As with most things that try to make our lives easier, sometimes the mark is missed and things are 'less-easy'.

One possible solution would be to convince Power Automate that the array that SharePoint is sending over is actually just an innocent line of text, or "String". We can do that by using an expression string(<SharePointField>) but we may need to clean up some weird characters (not a huge deal, just letting you know).

Another option might be to use a Select and Create HTML table to make a cool looking table to go in the emails. This is also not a huge deal...just takes a little bit the first couple times we do it.

Hope that helps.

Keep us posted.

-Ed

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v-bacao-msft on at

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Hi @Anonymous ,

Please check the following configuration and see if it helps:

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,

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Community Power Pla... on at

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@Hardesh15 Thank you, this worked, any idea how to make the string of text more readable? Now the items just follow each other in a string of text 🙂
Thank you.

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Community Power Pla... on at

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@edgonzales ,
Hi Ed, I'm curious about the table you mentioned, can you send some example or link to another solution?
Because the string option obviously makes it difficult to read the text.

thanks

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Verified answer

Hardesh15 7,087 Super User 2024 Season 1 on at

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@Anonymous

In Append to string value - add ";" after dynamic content in value. Then each choice will be separated by semicolon. you can choose according to your requirement.

If it solve your Problem please mark this as solution.

Thanks
Hardesh

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Ed Gonzales 4,531 Most Valuable Professional on at

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@Anonymous

On the HTML table, it's pretty fun and not too hard. What I'd suggest is to follow @Hardesh15 's solution, but switch the variable type to "Array". That will also mean you'll need to switch the append action to "Append to an array variable" rather than a string.

What will happen then is that for each different item in that field, it will add a new line to the array variable inside the apply to each loop.

On the outside of that loop, add the action "Create HTML table" and in the "From*" field, put the output of that variable. (April Dunnam has a great article on adding borders and such to the table).

Finally, drop the output from that Create HTML Table action into the body of your email and you should get something a bit easier to read.

Keep us posted.

-Ed

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