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Convert Column to Plain Text and Use in Table

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I have tried this a number of ways. I am grabbing a SharePoint list, which has a rich text column. I am trying to convert that to plain text and use it when I build an HTML table. The problem is if I don't create a variable, then when I create my table, I cannot call "the plain text content" that is created in the "for each" action (where the comments column is converted to plain text).

So I have tried to create a variable, if it is a string variable, then it converts to plain text and appends all the comments together as one variable. I tried using the array variable but I am not familiar enough to make this work. Any ideas / work around??

Here is my flow...

Flow Screenshot.png

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CollabTechie 442 on at

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AlanPs1 2,471 on at

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Hi @Anonymous

Can you please go to a Flow run and take a screen shot &/or post the JSON from the Get items and tell us the name of the column you are having issues with and I will see if I can recreate?

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Thanks, Alan

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Community Power Pla... on at

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Hi @AlanPs1

You should be able to recreate with any SharePoint list that has a multiline text column type of Enhanced Rich Text.

Type some bulletpoints in the column contents, and then use MS FLOW to try to grab it, convert the text to plain text, and use it when you create an HTML table.

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AlanPs1 2,471 on at

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Hi @Anonymous

It still would be helpful to see your output, although based on what you have said above:

"So I have tried to create a variable, if it is a string variable, then it converts to plain text and appends all the comments together as one variable. I tried using the array variable but I am not familiar enough to make this work. Any ideas / work around??"

So sounds like you are getting the plain text.

Please see this post.

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Power-Automate/How-to-split-a-text-to-a-JSON/m-p/373642#M31549

Assuming you wanted to break on a carriage return and create an array that in turn you could work with, please try something like what's in the post.

This is what I would do regularly.

If you find my posts helpful, please mark with thumbs up

If this solves your issue, please click "Accept as Solution"

Any questions, just ask.

Thanks, Alan

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Community Power Pla... on at

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@AlanPs1
Sorry, didnt paste the code due to some company specific info

The JSON split sounds like a pretty complicated way to get my plain text out of the "for each" loop. I guess I could, but I would have to split it on each new list row. There is no specific character to split it on.

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v-bacao-msft on at

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Hi @Anonymous ,

Please try the following methods to achieve your needs.

Initialize array variable to store the data that needs to be displayed in the table.

Append the fields that need to be displayed in the table to the array in JSON format.

Then use the array variable as the data source to create the HTML table.

Image reference:

Details in Apply to each:

Hope it helps.

Best Regards,

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Community Power Pla... on at

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@v-bacao-msft

Beautiful! Thanks a lot. The next bit that tripped me up was calling the column from the array in the "Create_HTML_table" action. For anyone else looking for this solution here is how I did it.

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