SOLVED

Connet Multi Line Notes from One List To Another

Brass Contributor

I have 2 lists, I would like to connect the notes from one lists to another list.  The source list has a list of names with corresponding notes.  The second list has column which is connected to this list and is selectin the names from this list.  I would like to have some sort of a lookup that would take the notes from list one and copy it into list 2.  The problem is that list 2 has field that can select multiple names in this column so its not an easy lookup.

 

List 1:

VeeExcelLearn_1-1660782112506.png

 

List 2: I have to blind the  names but you can see that there can be 2 names in this Update columns.  So it would have to look up the 2 names in this columns and bring in the notes from list one.  The problem is how do I append the notes related to these 2 people and bring it to one column.  Please help. First I would like to copy the notes and then as we add items I want to have this done automatically

 

VeeExcelLearn_2-1660782176838.png

Maybe if someone can get me started I can slowly see if I can get it to work.

Please and thank you.

 

 

 

10 Replies

@VeeExcelLearn This is a limitation of SharePoint lookup columns. You cannot extend multiple lines of text columns using lookup settings. You can only extend below column types:

  1. Single line of text
  2. Number
  3. Date and Time
  4. Lookup (single value)

Documentation: Create list relationships by using lookup columns 

 

For your scenario, follow below approach:

  1. Create a power automate flow on item creation/update in list 2
  2. Get the multiple lines of text column values for selected lookup columns using get items action in power automate
  3. Append all values to single string variable in power automate using expressions
  4. Update the multiple line of text column in list 2 using variable value and update item action.

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@ganeshsanap 

 

Having a little bit of trouble.  It started to do an apply to each.  It doesn't like to variable. I probably messed something up for sure.

 

VeeExcelLearn_0-1660848017341.png

 

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@VeeExcelLearn Use "Initialize variable" action before Apply to each and use "Append to string variable" action inside Apply to each.

 

Use this variable to update column in destination list.

 

Are you trying to update single item or multiple items in destination list? Why are you using second Apply to each loop?


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@ganeshsanap When I try to add the notes it puts it like this and it doesn't see the initialize variable. Its forcing me to the apply to each.

VeeExcelLearn_1-1660907276516.png

 

 

 

What I am trying to do is is take multi-line notes from a multi line column to another multi line column.

 

Parent:

VeeExcelLearn_1-1660905540560.png

 

Child:

VeeExcelLearn_2-1660905597043.png

 

 

 

This is the Child List.  Recruitment Notes placeholder for input from Parent.

VeeExcelLearn_3-1660905691678.png

The flow would look up notes for Faiz and Allie and bring in both notes from parent list:  

 

These are the parent notes: Far right column.

VeeExcelLearn_4-1660905836840.png

 

@VeeExcelLearn Configure your power automate flow in this way: 

ganeshsanap_0-1660907810111.png

This is just an example (column names in actions might be different). You have to first initialize the variable with blank value & then append "Notes" to this variable inside apply to each loop. Then update the column in list 2 outside apply to each loop.


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@ganeshsanap As soon as I put in ID it tries to do an apply to each again:

1. 

VeeExcelLearn_0-1660909144423.png

 

2. 

VeeExcelLearn_1-1660909215428.png

VeeExcelLearn_2-1660909233528.png

 

@VeeExcelLearn Use ID from trigger outputs & not from Get items action: 

ganeshsanap_0-1660909466406.png


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@ganeshsanap Getting closer : The flow is creating 2 lines...and appending ALL of the notes from the parent list into these 2 lines.  But its not matching ibrahim and Samer.

 

 

VeeExcelLearn_1-1660912070313.png

 

 

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best response confirmed by VeeExcelLearn (Brass Contributor)
Solution

@VeeExcelLearn As it is a single text column where you are adding multiple notes, it will not match automatically with another column (lookup).

 

My suggestion:

While appending notes to the string variable, append the name of user who added note as well like <name of the user>: <note> ....

 

For example

Ibrahim: Note text added by Ibrahim
Samer: Note text added by Samer

 

You have to build your string variable in this way. You can take help from Microsoft documentation: Reference guide to workflow expression functions in Power Automate 


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After many trial and errors I finally got it to work. Here is what I ended up doing.  Thank you for your guidance.

 

VeeExcelLearn_0-1661005486791.png

 

1 best response

Accepted Solutions
best response confirmed by VeeExcelLearn (Brass Contributor)
Solution

@VeeExcelLearn As it is a single text column where you are adding multiple notes, it will not match automatically with another column (lookup).

 

My suggestion:

While appending notes to the string variable, append the name of user who added note as well like <name of the user>: <note> ....

 

For example

Ibrahim: Note text added by Ibrahim
Samer: Note text added by Samer

 

You have to build your string variable in this way. You can take help from Microsoft documentation: Reference guide to workflow expression functions in Power Automate 


Please click Mark as Best Response & Like if my post helped you to solve your issue. This will help others to find the correct solution easily. It also closes the item. If the post was useful in other ways, please consider giving it Like.

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