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The second argument to the left function' is invalid.

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Posted on by ma770

Hello,

I am a new user to power apps and have started overseeing our ticketing system, which is deployed as a Canvas app.

I have a screen within Power apps which is causing a runtime error for 'the second argument to the left function' is invalid. The results are being presented as boolean rather than string value.

The screen essentially generates a ticket and send a copy to the line manager and helpdesk for approval.
Screen

Submit background

Submit Button:

Power Automate:

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BCBuizer 22,636 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @ma770 ,

Can you please post the screenshots at full size? They are not readable currently:

I did find this topic which may shine a light on your issue: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Power-Apps/Sporadic-issue-The-second-argument-to-the-Left-function-is/td-p/1510408

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ma770 16 on at

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Hello,

See below the Onvisble for the screen when patching:

Patch('Steps, Defaults('Steps'), {Title:Self.Name, User:User().FullName, SessionID: SessionID}); //Logs screen, person and time in Help-Steps for app analytics

UpdateContext({resetCan:false}); //takes you back to the top of the screen when page is reloaded
//Sets local variable to "X" to hide the "Submitting Ticket..." overlay
UpdateContext({
FlowResponse: {
flowcomplete: "X"
}
});

//String manipulation to get the trimmed subject line from the StepsPassedLabel collection
Set(Sub, Concat( StepsPassedLabel, Label & " - " ));
Set(Sub1, Substitute(Sub, " - Submit a ticket", ""));
Set(Sub2, Substitute(Sub1, Left(Sub1, Find(" - ", Sub1)+2), ""));
Set(SubjectLine, Left(Sub2,Len(Sub2) -3));

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ma770 16 on at

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ma770 16 on at

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ma770 16 on at

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ma770 16 on at

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code for Submit Button:

UpdateContext({LineMananger: IfError(Office365Users.ManagerV2(FRM_TNU_Submit_CB_UserName_1.Selected.Email).displayName, "")}); //gets line manager from AD if avaliable and supresses error if it's not available
Collect(StepsPassedLabel, {Key: CountRows(StepsPassedLabel) + 1, Label: "T new user ticket 2"}); //Adds this screen to the StepsPassedLabel collection as the universal back removes one entery for there so this prevents a it falling out of step
UpdateContext({TimerGo: true}); //activates timer that casuses the "..." to change in the "Submitting ticket..." overlay
UpdateContext({FlowResponse: {flowcomplete:"Y"}}); //changes the local variable of flow complete to "Y" which makes the "submitting ticket" .
//The below submits the data from the form into Power Automate
UpdateContext({FlowResponse:Flw_NewUser2.Run(
(JSON(AttatchmentArray, JSONFormat.IncludeBinaryData & JSONFormat.IgnoreUnsupportedTypes)),
SubjectLine, //The ticket subject created by string manipulation in the page "OnVisible"
(Concat( FRM_TNU_Submit_1.SelectedItems, DisplayName & "" )),
FRM_TNU_Submit_RB_UserType_1.SelectedText.Value,
FRM_TNU_Submit_DP_StartDate_1.SelectedDate,
(Concat( FRM_TNU_Submit_CB_TrainingDutyMangerHeading_1.SelectedItems, DisplayName & "" )),
FRM_TNU_Submit_RB_GDPR_1.SelectedText.Value,
FRM_TNU_Submit_Txt_TokenID_1.Text,
FRM_TNU_Submit_Txt_Passcode1_1.Text,
FRM_TNU_Submit_Txt_Passcode2_1.Text,
If(IsBlank(FRM_TNU_Submit_CB_CC_1),"",(Concat( FRM_TNU_Submit_CB_CC_1.SelectedItems, Email & ";" ))), //Passes the CC'd people as one email ready string unless CC is blank then it passes ""
(Concat( FRM_TNU_Submit_CB_UserName_1.SelectedItems, Email & "" )),
If(IsBlank(LineMananger), "", LineMananger)
)}); //Passes the attatchments as JSON
//If flow succeeds set message to say so
If(FlowResponse.flowcomplete = "1", UpdateContext({TimerGo: false}) && Navigate(Confirmation,ScreenTransition.Cover) && Set(ConfrMsg, "Your request has been submited and a ticket raised. The team will contact you shortly.") && Set(ConfrHead, "Confirmation"),
//If flow fails set message to say so
If(FlowResponse.flowcomplete = "0", UpdateContext({TimerGo: false}) && Navigate(Confirmation,ScreenTransition.Cover) && Set(ConfrMsg, "If the issue persists, please contact ServiceDesk directly: Email: <a href='mailto:example@domain.org.uk
"");
Set(FormActive, true); //Global variable that clears forms when set to false
Collect(Advice, "*!^%5"); //Adds a value to the advice collection to stop it getting out of step when the back button is used - anything with *!^% is the same as blank

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BCBuizer 22,636 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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HI @ma770 ,

Can you give an example of the values of the variables in the below formula when you get this error?

Set(Sub, Concat( StepsPassedLabel, Label & " - " )); Set(Sub1, Substitute(Sub, " - Submit a ticket", "")); Set(Sub2, Substitute(Sub1, Left(Sub1, Find(" - ", Sub1)+2), "")); Set(SubjectLine, Left(Sub2,Len(Sub2) -3));

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