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How to select the output of a previous steps

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Posted on by H_Insights

Hi all,

I am stuck trying to select the output from the previous step. My goal is to get the output from "Apply to each" to use it in a new "Apply to each 2". How can achieve this, please? maybe I need variables? if yes, not sure how to implement it.

Your help is highly appreciated.

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Building flows

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Pstork1 68,707 Most Valuable Professional on at

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There normally is no Output of an apply to each action. However, if you want an array of items created by one apply to each that you can use in a new apply to each you can add a Compose as you do in the screenshot above. Then the following code will retrieve an array of all the items added to the Compose statement inside the first loop after you exit the loop.

outputs('ComposeActionName')

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H_Insights 79 on at

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Hi @Pstork1

Thanks for looking into my question.

I have tried adding the expression as below:
outputs('Compose')

But still, I can't see the array of items when I try to do any more actions?

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Pstork1 68,707 Most Valuable Professional on at

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What does the compose look like inside the first loop? if its just a value then you won't see a choice in the dynamic content other than current item because its not a name value pair. I could give you a better answer if I had an idea what you are trying to accomplish.

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H_Insights 79 on at

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In summary, my flow goal is to:

1- When a condition is met, create an SP list;
2- Then prompt the user to add comments via MS Teams;
3- Once a comment is made, the flow will update the SP column.

My original flow gets triggered manually from power bi, but the issue is that the flow creates a single row of data on the SP list until the first user responds to the MS team's message. That’s why I am breaking the process into:

a) Apply to Each: to create the SP list when the condition is met (not to wait for the user's input).
b) Apply to Each 2: Send MS teams messages and get the user's comments to update the SP.

So, 'Compose' contains the SP links to items, so the flow can update it later when I have the user's input.

Proposed: Original:

Thanks again for your time.

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Pstork1 68,707 Most Valuable Professional on at

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If the Compose in the first loop is the link to item, then the array you'll get is a simple array of links when you use outputs('Compose') after the first loop exits. So in the second loop the Current Item dynamic content will contain each link. Since the compose didn't create a record, just a value it will be a simple array rather than an array of objects. That's why there is no dynamic content in the second loop other than current item.

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Riyaz_riz11 3,860 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi @H_Insights ,

You can try output('compose') here you will get compose result.

Next action if you are passing inside apply to each you can try this it will work for you.

you can pass expression eg:---

items('Apply_to_each')['Emp Code'])

Here Emp_Code is a value you can mention your source name, or identity .

It will work as expected.

Regards

Ahammad Riyaz

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H_Insights 79 on at

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Thanks all for your input.

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