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Sorting (ordering) arrays

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Posted on by PWrobel Microsoft Employee

Hi! I'm building an array dynamically in flow and would like to order (sort) the data in the array. How can I acheive it?

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Building flows

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PieterVeenstra 31 on at

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Hi @PWrobel ,

This is the easiest approach, using an azure function:

https://veenstra.me.uk/2019/07/13/sort-an-array-or-collection-in-microsoft-flow/

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PWrobel Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks Pieter. To bad there is nothing out of the box that does not require access to Azure subscription.

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ilu989 164 on at

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Hi @PWrobel ,

I have the same issue but find two websites for me to solve it, it might help you to achieve your requirement:
http://johnliu.net/blog/2018/12/how-to-implement-sort-with-microsoft-flow-in-3-actions-within-a-loop

The answer from "v-bacao-msft"
https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Create-Update-Sharepoint-List-using-an-Excel-List-using-Flow/td-p/297835

Good luck!
ilu989

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PWrobel Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks Ilu

I was thinking about building my own sort function in loop, so now I can just copy it 🙂

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Mx81 860 on at

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If you need a build-in function, please vote for this idea:
https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Automate-Ideas/Sort-Array/idc-p/486807#

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somefloridaguy 5 on at

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TRY THIS EXPRESSION (as an Expression for a Compose Action in Flow):

(Assume that "my_array" is the array of POSITIVE INTEGERS that you want to sort.)

Expression (For Ascending Sorting):
intersection(range(min(my_array),max(my_array)), my_array)

Note: It only works on Positive Integers, but it does NOT require having to create any new Variables or "Apply to each" action loops.

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tom_riha 10,187 Most Valuable Professional on at

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I like the solution by @Paulie78 (https://www.tachytelic.net/2022/07/power-automate-sort-json-array/), it's more universal as it can handle objects and decimal numbers as well.

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Mx81 860 on at

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Finally: there is a sort() expression available.
And with reverse() you can also do descending sorting.

By the way: I cannot find the ideas section anymore... 😞

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Paulie78 8,422 Moderator on at

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I did a video on the new expressions:

How to sort arrays in Power Automate.

Blog: tachytelic.net

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PaulieM/videos

If I answered your question, please accept it as a solution 😘

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JerryFr83560 19 on at

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I can't find this.

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