I tried using the update item action to set a Hyperlink type column in my custom list. The Flow field for this column only accepts the url so there seems to be no way to add the description part. Anyone got this working? In SharePoint: In Flow:

I too found updating the hyperlink description much harder than it should be. The best solution that worked for me is detailed below. I had a client ask for the ability to export individual items to Excel. SPO export function by default exports all items so long story short I ended up using Flow. I used the below action to update the URL to the CSV file and changed the display name to "CSV" TestURL2 is the column name

Henning Strand A co-worker and I found a work-around. We are not updating both parts of the Hyperlink field, but this works nicely as an alternative. Instead of a hyperlink field, we use a Multiple Lines of Text field with the text type set to "Enhanced Rich Text". In the flow, we insert something like this into the field: <a target="_blank" href="[CURRENT ITEM:URL]">[CURRENT ITEM:URL PREVIEW]</a> [CURRENT ITEM:URL] and [CURRENT ITEM:ID] are the dynamic content. The result is a link that appears in the list, under whatever column you chose. This method has the downside of being less user friendly (unless you hide the field in the New Item/Edit Item forms), but I find it simple and reliable. A note to any Microsoft moderators reading this: I realize that this could potentially be abused to inject code into a list. If something must be done about it, I humbly request that either A) certain DOM elements are white-listed or black-listed as necessary, so that some part of this functionality will survive, or B) the functionality to resolve OP's question is implemented.

Set the value to "URL, Description" without quotes, has to have URL then comma then a space after comma then Description.

Thanks, but that is what I tried and that did not work. As you see from my attached image with "http://www.cnn.com, CNN" (without quotes), I get an error saying to add a proper URI. Or did I misunderstand you?

Hi,I have tried your solution, but I have an code error 412. message": "La valeur « » ETag de la demande ne correspond pas à la valeur « \"4\" » ETag de l'objet. The message are in french ,but that said : Etag Request doesn't match to value 4 of the Etag Object.Please can you help me?

Updating a Hyperlink field (both url and description) using Flow?

22 Replies

CXRL--
Copper Contributor
Jun 30, 2020
Henning Strand

A co-worker and I found a work-around. We are not updating both parts of the Hyperlink field, but this works nicely as an alternative.

Instead of a hyperlink field, we use a Multiple Lines of Text field with the text type set to "Enhanced Rich Text". In the flow, we insert something like this into the field:

<a target="_blank" href="[CURRENT ITEM:URL]">[CURRENT ITEM:URL PREVIEW]</a>

[CURRENT ITEM:URL] and [CURRENT ITEM:ID] are the dynamic content. The result is a link that appears in the list, under whatever column you chose.

This method has the downside of being less user friendly (unless you hide the field in the New Item/Edit Item forms), but I find it simple and reliable.

A note to any Microsoft moderators reading this: I realize that this could potentially be abused to inject code into a list. If something must be done about it, I humbly request that either A) certain DOM elements are white-listed or black-listed as necessary, so that some part of this functionality will survive, or B) the functionality to resolve OP's question is implemented.
- _KarlH
  Brass Contributor
  Jun 30, 2022
  CXRL-- That Rich Text works well, thanks so much for sharing.
  
  We were struggling with URL Text not displaying correctly within the Calendar View - but thankfully Rich Text fields do work well with the Calendar View.
danmitchell36
Copper Contributor
Mar 13, 2019
Henning Strand ,

If you're still having issues implementing the REST API I wrote a blog post on how to update hyperlinks below:

https://www.dmcinfo.com/latest-thinking/blog/id/9832/creating-sharepoint-list-items-in-microsoft-flow-using-a-rest-api
- mo_mkf
  Copper Contributor
  Mar 15, 2019
  Hey danmitchell36,
  
  Thanks for the link, I gave yours a try, but got this error:
  
  Not well formatted JSON stream.
  clientRequestId: 865768ab-bec3-44ed-a436-fb15aa25cd69
  serviceRequestId: a805c99e-a06d-8000-aa83-4de13cfb3351
  
  Thanks
  - Jean-Paul van den Bogert
    Copper Contributor
    Oct 30, 2020
    mo_mkf Probably because his code contains the wrong quotes:
    “ AND ”
    If you replace them with the default quotes
    " AND "
    Then the JSON error is resolved
    
    { "Title": "Test", "Link":{ "_metadata": {"type": "SP.FieldUrlValue"}, "Description": "Link", "Url": "https://www.google.com" } }
Jason H
Copper Contributor
Aug 29, 2018

I too found updating the hyperlink description much harder than it should be. The best solution that worked for me is detailed below.

I had a client ask for the ability to export individual items to Excel. SPO export function by default exports all items so long story short I ended up using Flow. I used the below action to update the URL to the CSV file and changed the display name to "CSV"

TestURL2 is the column name
- Chintan123
  Copper Contributor
  Nov 15, 2021
  Jason - there is a correction in your screenshot. YOu need to correct it to avoid confusion by reader.
  Body Text is as follow:-
  {'__metadata': {'type':'SP.Data.TaskListItem'},
  'InternalFieldName':{'Description': 'Click Here','Url': 'siteUrl/sites/site1/Lists/Task/DispForm.aspx?ID=1'}
  }
  if your list name is "abc" then type value should be "SP.Data.abcListItem".
  Field name should be Internal field name and not display name.
- Anonymous
  Feb 20, 2019
  Hi Jason, For me, it was bit complicated that my site name and list name contain some spaces. But, it just works fine. Thanks. Masahiro
  - Jason H
    Copper Contributor
    Feb 22, 2019
    Deleted wrote:
    Hi Jason, For me, it was bit complicated that my site name and list name contain some spaces. But, it just works fine. Thanks. Masahiro
    I'm glad that worked for you Masahiro. Yes spaces are nasty and I try to avoid them if I can :)
- Marianne Chalupt
  Copper Contributor
  Oct 29, 2018
  Hi,
  I have tried your solution, but I have an code error 412.
  message": "La valeur « » ETag de la demande ne correspond pas à la valeur « \"4\" » ETag de l'objet.
  The message are in french ,but that said : Etag Request doesn't match to value 4 of the Etag Object.
  Please can you help me?
  - Jason H
    Copper Contributor
    Nov 08, 2018
    1. Could it be that your column name is actually different to the display name?
    
    You can check this by browsing to the URL
    https://<sharepoint server or tenant>/<site collection>/<subsite>/_api/web/lists/getbytitle('<listname>')/Items
    
    Then view the source which will display what your columns are actually named.
    
    2. Check that the "type" is correct. This can also be found in the source above
    3. Check that the destination column you are trying to update, is the type "Hyperlink or Picture"
    
    See how you go with that. If you still can't find the issue, send screenshots of your flow, attach the source file and screenshot the column type in list settings
Anonymous
Jun 14, 2018
Set the value to "URL, Description" without quotes, has to have URL then comma then a space after comma then Description.
- Henning Strand
  Brass Contributor
  Jun 15, 2018
  Thanks, but that is what I tried and that did not work. As you see from my attached image with "http://www.cnn.com, CNN" (without quotes), I get an error saying to add a proper URI. Or did I misunderstand you?

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Updating a Hyperlink field (both url and description) using Flow?

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