#PowerPlatformTip 95 – ‘Optimized SharePoint Queries’

💡 Challenge

Filtering data within SharePoint via Power Automate can be cumbersome, particularly with large lists and intricate filter conditions.

✅ Solution

Employ OData query options in Power Automate’s standard SharePoint connectors to refine and streamline your queries.

🔧 How It’s Done

Here’s how to do it:

1. Configure the SharePoint action filter
   🔸 Use the Filter Query option in Get items
   🔸 Or in Get files (properties only)
2. Build your OData query using operators
   🔸 eq (Equal): Filters items where a field equals a value
   🔸 ne (Not Equal): Excludes items where a field equals a value
   🔸 gt (Greater Than): Includes items where a field’s value is greater than a value
   🔸 ge (Greater Than or Equal): Includes items where a field’s value is ≥ a value
   🔸 lt (Less Than): Includes items where a field’s value is less than a value
   🔸 le (Less Than or Equal): Includes items where a field’s value is ≤ a value
   🔸 and (And): Combines conditions; all must be true
   🔸 or (Or): Combines conditions; any can be true
   🔸 not (Not): Negates a condition
   🔸 startswith (Starts With): Field value begins with a substring
   🔸 endswith (Ends With): Field value ends with a substring
   🔸 substringof (Substring Of): Field value contains a substring

🎉 Result

This method enables more sophisticated and efficient queries, ensuring your workflows are optimized and only the necessary data is retrieved.

🌟 Key Advantages

🔸 Precision: Exact data retrieval with specific OData filters.
🔸 Efficiency: Minimize data processing and server load by fetching only needed data.
🔸 Flexibility: Craft complex queries by mixing various OData options to meet your needs.

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🎥 Video Tutorial

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🛠️ FAQ

1. What is the Filter Query option in Power Automate?
The Filter Query option lets you apply an OData expression directly in SharePoint actions like Get items or Get files, so only matching records are retrieved.

2. Which OData operators can I use in Power Automate?
Power Automate supports common OData operators such as eq, ne, gt, ge, lt, le, and, or, not, startswith, endswith, and substringof for flexible filtering.

3. How do I format date or text values in an OData query?
Enclose text values in single quotes (e.g., Title eq ‘Report’) and format dates in ISO 8601 (e.g., Created ge 2023-12-01T00:00:00Z) to avoid errors.