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Power Automate - Building Flows
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How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

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Posted on by 119

I have a need to email a weekly list of new items added to a table in SQL. I have written a query in flow but some weeks there are no new items, which causes the flow the fail.

 

How can I add a condition which sends the query results if there are rows returned, but send a different email  when the query result is null? I have tried length(body('Get_items')?['value']) greater than 0, but this fails when the query is null.

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  • RezaDorrani Profile Picture
    12,141 on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

    Hi @Graham 

     

    just tried with length(body('Get_items')?['value'])  and it worked 

     

    can you post screenshot of output from sql query when flow fails

  • v-bacao-msft Profile Picture
    on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

     

    Hi @Graham ,

     

    Could you provide screenshot of Flow configuration?

    If you are using Get rows action, please refer to the following expression:

    152.PNG

    In the length() function we need to configure the name of the actual action and use an underscore instead of space.

     

    Best Regards,

  • Graham Profile Picture
    119 on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

    This is the error from flow;

    Flow1.png

     

    This is the content;

    Flow2.png

    The formula is: 

    length(body('Get_List_of_Funds_Requests')?['value'])
     
     
  • v-bacao-msft Profile Picture
    on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

     

    Hi @Graham ,

     

    Have you seen the execution results of Get List of Funds Requests action?

     

    Best Regards,

  • Graham Profile Picture
    119 on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

    The query results in no records being fetched, hence the 'Null'. That is what I expected, as this relates to a weekly flow that looks for records added during the previous weeks. Some weeks there will be no new records, so I need flow to do something else in the knowledge there are no results.

  • v-bacao-msft Profile Picture
    on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

     

    Hi @Graham ,

     

    Could you provide a screenshot of Get List of Funds Requests action?

    We need to provide a viable expression based on the specific execution results.

     

    Best Regards,

  • Graham Profile Picture
    119 on at
    Re: How to deal with SQL Query when there are no results

    Hi,

     

    It is a simple SELECT query - I would rather not share the exact contents, for obvious reasons, but here is something similar;

     

    SELECT

    dbo.Incidents.IncidentID,

    dbo.Incidents.Reference,

    dbo.Funds.RequestID,

    dbo.Funds.RequestAmount,

    FORMAT(dbo.Funds.RequestDate, 'dd/MM/yyyy', 'en-us') as FundsReqDate

    FROM

    dbo.Incidents INNER JOIN dbo.Funds ON dbo.Incidents.IncidentID=dbo.Funds.IncidentNumber INNER JOIN dbo.Timelapse ON dbo.Funds.RequestDate>dbo.Timelapse.Weekago

     

    Timelapse is a 'View' on SQL server and calculates the date of -7 days - It's something we use for a lot of queries.

     

    So when no new records are found for the last 7 days, it returns 'Null' to Flow, which breaks the condition statement.

     

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