#PowerPlatformTip 129: 'Case-sensitive SharePoint Filtering'

TL;DR: Get case-sensitive SharePoint results in Power Automate by pre-filtering with OData, then refining with a ‘Filter array’ action.

💡 Challenge

SharePoint’s OData filtering doesn’t distinguish between uppercase and lowercase letters, so a query for ABC also returns abc.

✅ Solution

Use OData for a fast initial query, then refine the results with the “Filter array” action, which does distinguish uppercase from lowercase.

🔧 How It’s Done

1. Pre-filter with OData

🔸 Apply an OData filter in your SharePoint query for the first, coarse selection (e.g. based on a field value).

2. Refine with “Filter array”

🔸 Add a “Filter array” action and compare the text again, this check is case-sensitive, so only exact-case matches remain.

🎉 Result

You combine fast OData querying with precise, case-sensitive verification via “Filter array,” so you retrieve exactly the data you’re looking for.

🌟 Key Advantages

🔸 Fast queries with OData

🔸 Accurate filtering with “Filter array”

🔸 Combined efficiency and precision

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🎥 Video Tutorial

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🛠️ FAQ

1. Why is OData filtering case-insensitive? SharePoint’s OData endpoint applies string comparisons without distinguishing letter casing.

2. Can I perform case-sensitive filtering directly in OData? No. SharePoint OData does not support native case-sensitive comparisons in the query.

3. Does using Filter array impact performance? When used after OData pre-filtering, Filter array processes a smaller set in-memory, keeping performance good.

🔗 Related Tips

• #PowerPlatformTip 95: Optimized SharePoint Queries, design fast OData queries before refining.
• #PowerPlatformTip 3: Advanced Filtering Array, get the most out of the Filter array action.