Count column choices in Microsoft Lists

Question

Hello all! I am using Microsoft Lists/Sharepoint Lists to create a scorecard. Each of the entries in the lists are tasks. On my list, I have four choice columns, representing four different sections of the scorecard. The list of choices for these columns are basically issues found on that specific task. I need to create a fifth column, which will sum or count the amount of “issues” for each task. Example: Task “123” has two issues under column A, two under column B, two under column C and two under column D; therefore, I need my fifth column to show a total of 8 issues. Choices are not numeric values. The choices are text strings. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi @Jose L Rodriguez,

Build a Power Automate flow like below:

Use the expression to count column(number type): add(length(triggerOutputs()?['body/choicecolumn1']),length(triggerOutputs()?['body/choicecolumn2']), length(triggerOutputs()?['body/choicecolumn3']), length(triggerOutputs()?['body/choicecolumn4']))

triggerOutputs()?['body/choicecolumn'] is selected from Dynamic Content > column name.

Test result:

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Answer 2

I have a similar situation but instead of adding columns I just need to count the number of choices in a single column, provide that number in a new column and then let Sharepoint sum up that column. I have tried removing the "add" and it works somewhat the problem that I am having is I get "null" errors during the update items part of the flow. I have a filter array to ignore fields that are empty but that is not doing the trick. I saw a similar post where the author used length(string(....but all that did was put zeros in my column, but no errors! any additional guidance?

Answer 3

Hi @Jose L Rodriguez,

I will be grateful if you can share here the result of the flow in your environment. If you are not satisfied with the method integrated with Power Automate flow and finding OOTB ways, I suggest you can raise a new thread in the SharePoint feedback portal: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/forum/06735c62-321c-ec11-b6e7-0022481f8472. Microsoft will take your feedback into consideration and roll it out if it is highly voted.

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