#PowerPlatformTip 7 – ‘UNION and FilterArray’

💡 Challenge

Data manipulation in Power Automate often requires merging or filtering datasets, which can feel like sorting through a mountain of information by hand.

✅ Solution

Use the UNION function to merge arrays and eliminate duplicates, and use FilterArray to sift and retain only desired items.

🔧 How It’s Done

Here’s how to do it:

1. Use UNION
   🔸 The function merges two arrays into one.
   🔸 When the same array is used twice, it removes duplicates (like DISTINCT).
2. Use FilterArray
   🔸 Iterates through an array and applies a condition to keep only matching items.
3. Combine the functions
   🔸 First merge with UNION, then apply FilterArray to the result for precise filtering.

🎉 Result

You can easily merge datasets, remove duplicates, and filter arrays, streamlining your workflows and ensuring data integrity.

🌟 Key Advantages

🔸 Efficiency: Complete complex data manipulation in minutes.
🔸 Flexibility: Adaptable to various merging and filtering scenarios.
🔸 Data Integrity: Built-in deduplication when using UNION with identical arrays.

🛠️ FAQ

1. Does UNION automatically remove duplicates?
Yes, UNION automatically removes duplicate entries when combining arrays, ensuring unique values in the result.

2. Can I use FilterArray with complex nested objects?
Absolutely! FilterArray works with complex objects and supports advanced expressions to filter based on nested properties.

3. What’s the performance impact of combining UNION and FilterArray?
These functions are optimized for performance, but with very large datasets, consider processing in batches to maintain optimal flow execution times.

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