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Null Value Date Time Conversion SharePoint list

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Posted on by CindyZ

I am trying to convert a date so that I can have it show up in my email. The date originates in a SharePoint list and is in a PowerApp. I'm showing the detail in the below images from only two attempts I've made, but I've tried this no less than 50 times, 20+ different ways, by following suggestions (many different from the other) in this forum and still not showing as resolved in many cases. I cannot see what step I'm missing or where the failure is occurring.

I get this message every time.
Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Compose' inputs at line '1' and column '2810': 'The template language function 'formatdatetime' expects its first parameter to be of type string. The provided value is of type 'Null'.

Here's hoping someone will see the obvious and help me get out of this time consuming rabbit hole I'm in. Thanks so much.

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Gristy 2,429 on at

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Hello,

1) use it from your "GET ITEM" not Trigger body as the trigger body maybe it is null (it is or you would not get error).
2) you can not get the error by doing this type of expression it does not format the date if there is not one:

if(empty(triggerBody()?['StartDate']),'',formatDateTime(triggerBody()?['StartDate'],'dd-MM-yyyy'))

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CindyZ on at

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@Gristy, thanks so much but I do not understand what you mean about the Get Items.

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Gristy 2,429 on at

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you have the trigger for selected item
you then have the action get item

you are showing us the date value from get item
you are using the date value from for selected item (which is null)

hopefully that helps make sense for you 🙂

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CindyZ on at

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@Gristy Thanks again for your help. I was still not able to understand what you were proposing but it did lead me down lots of helpful paths and to more learning about trigger body so your suggestion was still beneficial.

I finally found this solution that worked well for me which I'm sharing here in case someone else is not able to overcome their own limitations with your excellent guidance. https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Power-Automate/How-to-format-date-value-in-email-body-to-display-as-MM-dd-yyyy/m-p/420210#M35342

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et1mark 9 on at

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I'm parsing incoming emails but having trouble with null values as I write to a sharepoint list. I'm sure I'm on the right track after reading about "if(empty(" but i'm unsure how to modify my expression below. I've got multiple fields with dates or numbers that I'd like to use but I'm stuck letting Sharepoint list convert it to text.

trim(first(split(last(split(variables('newLines'),'*Surgery Date:')),'*Laser Serial Number:')))

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et1mark 9 on at

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As soon as I post, I had some luck. This worked at least for the first try. But what an awful long expression...

if(empty(trim(first(split(last(split(variables('newLines'),'*Surgery Date:')),'*Laser Serial Number:')))),null,trim(first(split(last(split(variables('newLines'),'*Surgery Date:')),'*Laser Serial Number:'))))

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