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Power Automate expression function reference

Explore 137 Power Automate expression functions with examples. Search by function name or task, browse categories, and open a function to see how it works. This independent reference is useful for building and troubleshooting cloud flows.

How to use this reference

Search for a function such as trim or formatDateTime, or browse by category. Select a result to review its example and implementation details, then use the Microsoft Expressions Guide link for official documentation.

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String functions

To work with strings, you can use these string functions and also some collection functions. String functions work only on strings.

  • chunk: Split a string or collection into chunks of equal length. Example: chunk('0123456789', 3) // Returns ['012', '345', '678', '9']
  • concat: Combine two or more strings, and return the combined string. Example: concat('Hello', ' ', 'World') // Returns 'Hello World'
  • endsWith: Check whether a string ends with the specified substring. Example: endsWith('Hello world', 'world') // Returns true
  • formatNumber: Return a number as a string based on the specified format Example: formatNumber(1234567890, '#,##0.00', 'en-US') // Returns '1,234,567,890.00' formatNumber(17.35, 'C2') // Returns '$17.35' formatNumber(17.35, 'C2', 'is-IS') // Returns '17,35 kr'
  • guid: Generate a globally unique identifier (GUID) as a string. Example: guid() // Returns e.g. 'c2ecc88d-88c8-4096-912c-d6f2e2b138ce' guid('P') // Returns e.g. '(c2ecc88d-88c8-4096-912c-d6f2e2b138ce)'
  • indexOf: Return the starting position for a substring. Example: indexOf('hello world', 'world') // Returns 6
  • isFloat: Return a boolean that indicates whether a string is a floating-point number. Example: isFloat('10.5') // Returns true isFloat('10.000,00', 'de-DE') // Returns true
  • isInt: Return a boolean that indicates whether a string is an integer. Example: isInt('10') // Returns true isInt('10.5') // Returns false
  • lastIndexOf: Return the starting position for the last occurrence of a substring. Example: lastIndexOf('hello world hello', 'hello') // Returns 12
  • length: Return the number of items in a string or array. Example: length('abcd') // Returns 4 length(createArray(0, 1, 2)) // Returns 3
  • nthIndexOf: Return the starting position or index value where the nth occurrence of a substring appears in a string. Example: nthIndexOf('123456789123456789', '1', 2) // Returns 9
  • replace: Replace a substring with the specified string, and return the updated string. Example: replace('the old string', 'old', 'new') // Returns 'the new string'
  • slice: Return a substring by specifying the starting and ending position or value. See also substring. Example: slice('Hello, World', 7, 12) // Returns 'World'
  • split: Return an array that contains substrings, separated by commas, from a larger string based on a specified delimiter character in the original string. Example: split('a,b,c', ',') // Returns ['a', 'b', 'c']
  • startsWith: Check whether a string starts with a specific substring. Example: startsWith('hello world', 'hello') // Returns true
  • substring: Return characters from a string, starting from the specified position. See also slice. Example: substring('hello world', 6, 5) // Returns 'world'
  • toLower: Return a string in lowercase format. Example: toLower('Hello World') // Returns 'hello world'
  • toUpper: Return a string in uppercase format. Example: toUpper('Hello World') // Returns 'HELLO WORLD'
  • trim: Remove leading and trailing whitespace from a string, and return the updated string. Example: trim(' hello ') // Returns 'hello'
  • trimByteOrderMark: Remove a byte order mark from the beginning of a string or binary content. Example: xml(trimByteOrderMark(concat(uriComponentToString('%EF%BB%BF'), '<produce><item>02</item></produce>'))) // Removes the UTF-8 BOM, then returns <produce><item>02</item></produce>

Collection functions

To work with collections, generally arrays, strings, and sometimes, dictionaries, you can use these collection functions.

  • contains: Check whether a collection has a specific item. Example: contains('hello world', 'world') // Returns true contains(createArray(1, 2, 3), 2) // Returns true
  • empty: Check whether a collection is empty. Example: empty('') // Returns true empty(createArray('a')) // Returns false
  • first: Return the first item from a collection. Example: first('hello') // Returns 'h' first(createArray(10, 20, 30)) // Returns 10
  • intersection: Return a collection that has only the common items across the specified collections. Example: intersection(createArray(1, 2, 3), createArray(2, 3, 4)) // Returns [2, 3]
  • item: If this function appears inside a repeating action over an array, return the current item in the array during the action's current iteration. Example: item()?['Title'] // Inside a loop, returns the Title of the current item
  • join: Return a string that has all the items from an array, separated by the specified character. Example: join(createArray('a', 'b', 'c'), '-') // Returns 'a-b-c'
  • last: Return the last item from a collection. Example: last('hello') // Returns 'o' last(createArray(10, 20, 30)) // Returns 30
  • reverse: Reverse the order of items in an array. Example: reverse(createArray(1, 2, 3)) // Returns [3, 2, 1]
  • skip: Remove items from the front of a collection, and return all the other items. Example: skip(createArray(0, 1, 2, 3), 1) // Returns [1, 2, 3]
  • sort: Sort items in a collection. Example: sort(createArray('c', 'a', 'b')) // Returns ['a', 'b', 'c'] sort(createArray(2, 1, 0, 3)) // Returns [0, 1, 2, 3] sort(createArray(json('{ "first": "Amalie", "last": "Rose" }'), json('{ "first": "Elise", "last": "Renee" }')), 'last') // Returns the Elise Renee object first, then the Amalie Rose object
  • take: Return items from the front of a collection. Example: take(createArray(0, 1, 2, 3), 2) // Returns [0, 1]
  • union: Return a collection that has all the items from the specified collections. Example: union(createArray(1, 2, 3), createArray(3, 4, 5)) // Returns [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Logical comparison functions

To work with conditions, compare values and expression results, or evaluate various kinds of logic, you can use these logical comparison functions.

  • and: Check whether all expressions are true. Example: and(equals(1, 1), equals(2, 2)) // Returns true
  • equals: Check whether both values are equivalent. Example: equals(10, 10) // Returns true equals(true, 1) // Returns true equals('abc', 'abcd') // Returns false
  • greater: Check whether the first value is greater than the second value. Example: greater(10, 5) // Returns true
  • greaterOrEquals: Check whether the first value is greater than or equal to the second value. Example: greaterOrEquals(5, 5) // Returns true
  • if: Check whether an expression is true or false. Based on the result, return a specified value. Example: if(equals(1, 1), 'yes', 'no') // Returns 'yes'
  • less: Check whether the first value is less than the second value. Example: less(5, 10) // Returns true
  • lessOrEquals: Check whether the first value is less than or equal to the second value. Example: lessOrEquals(5, 5) // Returns true
  • not: Check whether an expression is false. Example: not(equals(1, 2)) // Returns true
  • or: Check whether at least one expression is true. Example: or(equals(1, 2), equals(2, 2)) // Returns true
  • strongEquals: Check whether values of the same type are equivalen Example: strongEquals(1, 1.0) // Returns true

Conversion functions

To change a value's type or format, you can use these conversion functions.

  • array: Return an array from a single specified input. For multiple inputs, see createArray. Example: array('hello') // Returns ['hello']
  • base64: Return the base64-encoded version for a string. Example: base64('hello') // Returns 'aGVsbG8='
  • base64ToBinary: Return the binary version for a base64-encoded string. Example: base64ToBinary('aGVsbG8=') // Returns the binary for 'hello'
  • base64ToJson: Return the JSON value for a base64-encoded string. Example: base64ToJson('eyJuYW1lIjoiQW5uIn0=') // Returns {"name": "Ann"}
  • base64ToString: Return the string version for a base64-encoded string. Example: base64ToString('aGVsbG8=') // Returns 'hello'
  • binary: Return the binary version for an input value. Example: binary('hello') // Returns the binary version of 'hello'
  • bool: Return the Boolean version for an input value. Example: bool(1) // Returns true bool('false') // Returns false
  • createArray: Return an array from multiple inputs. Example: createArray('a', 'b', 'c') // Returns ['a', 'b', 'c']
  • dataUri: Return the data URI for an input value. Example: dataUri('hello') // Returns 'data:text/plain;charset=utf-8;base64,aGVsbG8='
  • dataUriToBinary: Return the binary version for a data URI. Example: dataUriToBinary('data:text/plain;charset=utf-8;base64,aGVsbG8=') // Returns the binary for 'hello'
  • dataUriToString: Return the string version for a data URI. Example: dataUriToString('data:text/plain;charset=utf-8;base64,aGVsbG8=') // Returns 'hello'
  • decimal: Return the decimal number for a decimal string. Example: decimal('1.2345678912312131') // Returns 1.234567891231213 string(decimal('1.2345678912312131')) // Returns '1.2345678912312131'
  • decodeBase64: Return the string version for a base64-encoded string. Example: decodeBase64('aGVsbG8=') // Returns 'hello'
  • decodeDataUri: Return the binary version for a data URI. Example: decodeDataUri('data:text/plain;charset=utf-8;base64,aGVsbG8=') // Returns the binary for 'hello'
  • decodeUriComponent: Return a string that replaces escape characters with decoded versions. Example: decodeUriComponent('https%3A%2F%2Fcontoso.com') // Returns 'https://contoso.com'
  • encodeBase64: Return the base64-encoded version for a string. Example: encodeBase64('hello') // Returns 'aGVsbG8='
  • encodeUriComponent: Return a string that replaces URL-unsafe characters with escape characters. Example: encodeUriComponent('https://contoso.com') // Returns 'https%3A%2F%2Fcontoso.com'
  • float: Return a floating point number for an input value. Example: float('10.333') // Returns 10.333
  • int: Return the integer version for a string. Example: int('10') // Returns 10
  • json: Return the JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) type value or object for a string or XML. Example: json('{"fullName": "Sophia Owen"}') // Returns {"fullName": "Sophia Owen"} json(xml('<?xml version="1.0"?><root><a>1</a></root>'))
  • parse (deprecated): Return the JSON value or object for a string or XML. Example: // Deprecated - use json() or the Parse JSON action instead
  • string: Return the string version for an input value. Example: string(10) // Returns '10' string({ "name": "Sophie Owen" }) // Returns '{ \"name\": \"Sophie Owen\" }' (the quotation marks are escaped)
  • uriComponent: Return the URI-encoded version for an input value by replacing URL-unsafe characters with escape characters. Example: uriComponent('https://contoso.com') // Returns 'https%3A%2F%2Fcontoso.com'
  • uriComponentToBinary: Return the binary version for a URI-encoded string. Example: uriComponentToBinary('https%3A%2F%2Fcontoso.com') // Returns the binary for the decoded string
  • uriComponentToString: Return the string version for a URI-encoded string. Example: uriComponentToString('https%3A%2F%2Fcontoso.com') // Returns 'https://contoso.com'
  • xml: Return the XML version for a string. Example: xml(json('{"name": "Sophia"}')) // Returns '<name>Sophia</name>'

Math functions

To work with integers and floats, you can use these math functions.

  • add: Return the result from adding two numbers. Example: add(1, 1.5) // Returns 2.5
  • div: Return the result from dividing two numbers. Example: div(10, 5) // Returns 2
  • max: Return the highest value from a set of numbers or an array. Example: max(1, 3, 2) // Returns 3 max(createArray(1, 3, 2)) // Returns 3
  • min: Return the lowest value from a set of numbers or an array. Example: min(1, 3, 2) // Returns 1
  • mod: Return the remainder from dividing two numbers. Example: mod(7, 3) // Returns 1
  • mul: Return the product from multiplying two numbers. Example: mul(3, 4) // Returns 12
  • pow: Return a number raised to a specified power. Example: pow(2, 10) // Returns 1024.0
  • rand: Return a random integer from a specified range. Example: rand(1, 5) // Returns 1, 2, 3 or 4
  • range: Return an integer array that starts from a specified integer. Example: range(1, 4) // Returns [1, 2, 3, 4]
  • sub: Return the result from subtracting the second number from the first number. Example: sub(10, 3) // Returns 7

Date and time functions

To work with dates and times, you can use these date and time functions.

  • addDays: Add days to a timestamp. Example: addDays('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 5) // Returns '2025-03-20T00:00:00.0000000Z'
  • addHours: Add hours to a timestamp. Example: addHours('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 5) // Returns '2025-03-15T05:00:00.0000000Z'
  • addMinutes: Add minutes to a timestamp. Example: addMinutes('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 30) // Returns '2025-03-15T00:30:00.0000000Z'
  • addSeconds: Add seconds to a timestamp. Example: addSeconds('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 10) // Returns '2025-03-15T00:00:10.0000000Z'
  • addToTime: Add specified time units to a timestamp. See also getFutureTime. Example: addToTime('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 2, 'Week') // Returns '2025-03-29T00:00:00.0000000Z'
  • convertFromUtc: Convert a timestamp from Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) to the target time zone. Example: convertFromUtc('2025-03-15T12:00:00Z', 'Pacific Standard Time') // Returns '2025-03-15T05:00:00.0000000'
  • convertTimeZone: Convert a timestamp from the source time zone to the target time zone. Example: convertTimeZone('2025-03-15T12:00:00Z', 'UTC', 'GMT Standard Time') // Returns '2025-03-15T12:00:00.0000000'
  • convertToUtc: Convert a timestamp from the source time zone to Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). Example: convertToUtc('2025-03-15T05:00:00', 'Pacific Standard Time') // Returns '2025-03-15T12:00:00.0000000Z'
  • dateDifference: Return the difference between two dates as a timespan. Example: dateDifference('2025-03-15', '2025-03-20') // Returns '5.00:00:00'
  • dayOfMonth: Return the day of the month component from a timestamp. Example: dayOfMonth('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns 15
  • dayOfWeek: Return the day of the week component from a timestamp. Example: dayOfWeek('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns 6
  • dayOfYear: Return the day of the year component from a timestamp. Example: dayOfYear('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns 74
  • formatDateTime: Return the date from a timestamp. Example: formatDateTime('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z', 'dd/MM/yyyy') // Returns '15/03/2025'
  • formatTimeSpan: Return a time span in the specified format. Example: formatTimeSpan('4.20:00:00', '%d') // Returns '4' formatTimeSpan('1:00:00.11', 'g', 'de-DE') // Returns '1:00:00,11'
  • getFutureTime: Return the current timestamp plus the specified time units. See also addToTime. Example: getFutureTime(5, 'Day') // Returns the timestamp 5 days from now
  • getPastTime: Return the current timestamp minus the specified time units. See also subtractFromTime. Example: getPastTime(5, 'Day') // Returns the timestamp 5 days ago
  • parseDateTime: Return the timestamp from a string that contains a timestamp. Example: parseDateTime('20/10/2014', 'fr-fr') // Returns '2014-10-20T00:00:00.0000000' parseDateTime('21052019', 'fr-fr', 'ddMMyyyy') // Returns '2019-05-21T00:00:00.0000000'
  • startOfDay: Return the start of the day for a timestamp. Example: startOfDay('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns '2025-03-15T00:00:00.0000000Z'
  • startOfHour: Return the start of the hour for a timestamp. Example: startOfHour('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns '2025-03-15T13:00:00.0000000Z'
  • startOfMonth: Return the start of the month for a timestamp. Example: startOfMonth('2025-03-15T13:27:36Z') // Returns '2025-03-01T00:00:00.0000000Z'
  • subtractFromTime: Subtract a number of time units from a timestamp. See also getPastTime. Example: subtractFromTime('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z', 1, 'Week') // Returns '2025-03-08T00:00:00.0000000Z'
  • ticks: Return the ticks property value for a specified timestamp. Example: ticks('2025-03-15T00:00:00Z') // Returns 638775936000000000
  • utcNow: Return the current timestamp as a string. Example: utcNow() // Returns e.g. '2025-03-15T13:27:36.0000000Z' utcNow('yyyy-MM-dd') // Returns e.g. '2025-03-15'

Workflow functions

Access workflow runtime details, inputs, triggers, and action outputs.

  • action: Return the current action's output at runtime, or values from other JSON name-and-value pairs. See also actions. Example: action()['outputs'] // Returns the current action's outputs
  • actions: Return an action's output at runtime, or values from other JSON name-and-value pairs. See also action. Example: actions('Get_items')['outputs']['body'] // Returns the output body of the action 'Get_items'
  • body: Return an action's body output at runtime. Example: body('Get_items')?['value'] // Returns the value array from the action's body
  • formDataMultiValues: Create an array with the values that match a key name in form-data or form-encoded action outputs. Example: formDataMultiValues('Send_form', 'tag') // Returns an array of all 'tag' values
  • formDataValue: Return a single value that matches a key name in an action's form-data or form-encoded output. Example: formDataValue('Send_form', 'name') // Returns the value of 'name'
  • items: If this function appears inside a Foreach or Until loop, return the current item from the specified loop. Example: items('Apply_to_each')?['Title'] // Returns the current item's Title
  • iterationIndexes: If this function appears inside an Until loop, return the index value for the current iteration. You can use this function inside nested Until loops. Example: iterationIndexes('Do_until') // Returns the current loop iteration index
  • listCallbackUrl: Return the "callback URL" that calls a trigger or action. Example: listCallbackUrl() // Returns the callback URL of the trigger or webhook action
  • multipartBody: Return the body for a specific part in an action's output that has multiple parts. Example: multipartBody('Http', 0) // Returns the body of the first part
  • outputs: Return an action's output at runtime. Example: outputs('Compose') // Returns the output of the action 'Compose'
  • parameters: Return the value for a parameter that is described in your workflow definition. Example: parameters('siteUrl') // Returns the value of the flow parameter 'siteUrl'
  • result: Return the inputs and outputs from the top-level actions inside the specified scoped action, such as For_each, Until, and Scope. Example: result('Scope') // Returns inputs and outputs of each action in the Scope
  • trigger: Return a trigger's output at runtime, or from other JSON name-and-value pairs. See also triggerOutputs and triggerBody. Example: trigger()['outputs'] // Returns the trigger's outputs
  • triggerBody: Return a trigger's body output at runtime. See trigger. Example: triggerBody()?['email'] // Returns the 'email' property of the trigger body
  • triggerFormDataValue: Return a single value matching a key name in form-data or form-encoded trigger outputs. Example: triggerFormDataValue('name') // Returns the value of 'name' in the trigger form data
  • triggerMultipartBody: Return the body for a specific part in a trigger's multipart output. Example: triggerMultipartBody(0) // Returns the body of the trigger's first part
  • triggerFormDataMultiValues: Create an array whose values match a key name in form-data or form-encoded trigger outputs. Example: triggerFormDataMultiValues('tag') // Returns an array of all 'tag' values
  • triggerOutputs: Return a trigger's output at runtime, or values from other JSON name-and-value pairs. See trigger. Example: triggerOutputs()?['headers'] // Returns the trigger's headers
  • variables: Return the value for a specified variable. Example: variables('counter') // Returns the current value of the variable 'counter'
  • workflow: Return all the details about the workflow itself during run time. Example: workflow()['run']['name'] // Returns the current run ID

URI parsing functions

To work with uniform resource identifiers (URIs) and get various property values for these URIs, you can use these URI parsing functions.

  • uriHost: Return the host value for a uniform resource identifier (URI). Example: uriHost('https://www.contoso.com/path?x=1') // Returns 'www.contoso.com'
  • uriPath: Return the path value for a uniform resource identifier (URI). Example: uriPath('https://www.contoso.com/path?x=1') // Returns '/path'
  • uriPathAndQuery: Return the path and query values for a uniform resource identifier (URI). Example: uriPathAndQuery('https://www.contoso.com/path?x=1') // Returns '/path?x=1'
  • uriPort: Return the port value for a uniform resource identifier (URI). Example: uriPort('https://www.contoso.com:8080/path') // Returns 8080
  • uriQuery: Return the query value for a uniform resource identifier (URI). Example: uriQuery('https://www.contoso.com/path?x=1') // Returns '?x=1'
  • uriScheme: Return the scheme value for a uniform resource identifier (URI) Example: uriScheme('https://www.contoso.com/path') // Returns 'https'

Manipulation functions: JSON & XML

To work with JSON objects and XML nodes, you can use these manipulation functions.

  • addProperty: Add a property and its value, or name-value pair, to a JSON object, and return the updated object. Example: addProperty(json('{"a": 1}'), 'b', 2) // Returns {"a": 1, "b": 2}
  • coalesce: Return the first non-null value from one or more parameters. Example: coalesce(null, null, 'fallback') // Returns 'fallback'
  • decodeXmlName: Decode an XML element name. Example: decodeXmlName('data_x002F_value') // Returns 'data/value'
  • decodeXmlValue: Decode an XML element value. Example: decodeXmlValue('&lt;value&gt;') // Returns '<value>'
  • encodeXmlName: Encode a string as an XML element name. Example: encodeXmlName('data/value') // Returns 'data_x002F_value'
  • encodeXmlValue: Encode a string as an XML element value. Example: encodeXmlValue('<value>') // Returns '&lt;value&gt;'
  • mergeObjects: Merge two JSON objects. Example: mergeObjects(json('{"a": 1}'), json('{"b": 2}')) // Returns {"a": 1, "b": 2}
  • removeProperty: Remove a property from a JSON object and return the updated object. Example: removeProperty(json('{"a": 1, "b": 2}'), 'b') // Returns {"a": 1}
  • setProperty: Set the value for a JSON object's property and return the updated object. Example: setProperty(json('{"a": 1}'), 'a', 5) // Returns {"a": 5}
  • xpath: Check XML for nodes or values that match an XPath (XML Path Language) expression, and return the matching nodes or values. Example: xpath(xml(parameters('items')), '/produce/item/name/text()') // Returns ['Gala', 'Honeycrisp'] for the items XML in the reference xpath(xml(parameters('items')), 'sum(/produce/item/count)') // Returns 30

Frequently asked questions

What are Power Automate expression functions?

Expression functions are built-in formulas used in Power Automate and Azure Logic Apps to transform text, work with dates and numbers, handle collections, and evaluate conditions. Examples include concat(), formatDateTime(), and if().

How do I use an expression function in a Power Automate flow?

In an action field, open the Expression tab, enter the function with its arguments, and select Add. Use this explorer to find a function and review its example before adding it to your flow.

How do I format a date in Power Automate?

Use formatDateTime() with a timestamp and a format string. For example, formatDateTime(utcNow(), 'yyyy-MM-dd') returns the current UTC date in year-month-day format. Apply any required time-zone conversion before formatting.

How do I remove whitespace from text in Power Automate?

Use trim() to remove whitespace from the beginning and end of a string, for example trim(' hello ') returns 'hello'.

Where can I find examples for Power Automate functions?

Search or browse this reference, then select a function to see its purpose, an expression example, and implementation details. Use the Microsoft Expressions Guide link for the official documentation.

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