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power automate runtime error: null doesn't have expected String/date format

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Posted on by KdP_300

I have a condition handled in my Microsoft Form with branching: are samples ready? If the answer is yes, then the user won't see the "by when" [due date] question (hence no response).

In my flow I get an error if I set the Sample Date variable to null for that condition. What is the correct "null" equivalent?

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Michael E. Gernaey 53,335 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi

Question, did you put the expression null from the expression tab or did you put null as in you just typed it in?

Also, why put anything there if its null/blank?

Is Condition 1, just checking if its null/blank and then setting it to either the value or not?

just add this expression to your Create item for the date field. This is what mine looks like for my date field on my form that is possibly blank/null/empty

coalesce(outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/r94402850cc3a418f878b0f01beeedd91'], outputs('Get_response_details')?['body/r94402850cc3a418f878b0f01beeedd91'])

Here is my example

I have a form with a Date, I will leave it blank, since its blank, i don't have to say null or empty or anything IN the field value. the expression will just do nothing

and as long as in the table, its ok to be null/empty, you are done.

And so in my flow if its NOT sent in, it leaves nothing for the Date, if its sent in, it sets the Date

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KdP_300 14 on at

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Thanks very much for the response. I have removed the variable & condition and have simplified the flow.

When I run it with the proposed function:

I get the following error message:

"Action 'Create_item' failed: The 'inputs.parameters' of workflow operation 'Create_item' of type 'OpenApiConnection' is not valid. Error details: Input parameter 'item/sampleduedate' is required to be of type 'String/date'. The runtime value '""' to be converted doesn't have the expected format 'String/date'.

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KdP_300 14 on at

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And just to be clear: if there is a date it executes OK:

It aligns with your flow "And so in my flow if its NOT sent in, it leaves nothing for the Date, if its sent in, it sets the Date", however when there is no date I get an error. I guess it's because the Create Item cannot accept the null that the coalesce function returns if there is no date?
How do I resolve this? Thanks

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