How to Get SharePoint Multi-Select Choice Values in Power Automate?

While working for a client, I was required to retrieve and work with multi-select choice values from a SharePoint list in Power Automate. The challenge was properly extracting and using these values, Whether for sending an email, saving data, or displaying it. Multi-select fields are tricky since they return data as an array.

In this tutorial, I will explain how to get SharePoint Multi-Select choice values in Power Automate.

Get SharePoint Multi-Select Choice Values in Power Automate

Follow the two examples to get SharePoint list multi-select choice values in Power Automate.

Example-1: [Power Platform Workshop Registrations: Retrieving Multi-Select Choice Values in Power Automate]

Let’s say you’re managing a SharePoint list called Power Platform Workshop Registrations, where users sign up for workshops related to Power Platform. The list includes a column called Preferred Topics, which allows users to select multiple topics like Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Dataverse.

I want to create a flow in Power Automate that sends a confirmation email to each participant, summarizing their selected topics. For example, if a participant selects Power Automate and Dataverse, the email should say:

Thank you for registering! You have chosen the following topics: Power Automate, Dataverse.

To achieve follow the below steps:

1. Create a cloud flow with the trigger “When an item is created” and provide parameters like the site address and list name.

2. Add Initialize variable action, provide the variable’s name, and select the type as array. Later, we will use this variable to append the value.

3. Add an Append to array variable action, Provide the Name from the dropdown, and Select Preferred Topics Value from the dynamic content. Then, it will automatically add the For each action.

4. Then add a join action. In the From field, select the array variable name from the drop-down, and in Join with Field, provide the delimiter like comma ‘,’ The join operation will convert the above array values into a string with separate commas.

5. Add a Send an email(V2) action. Then, provide the email address from dynamic content in the To field, the Subject of an email, and in the Body, provide the information below from the dynamic content.

Save the Flow runs it manually. Once it runs, go to the SharePoint list and add an item.

After the flow runs successfully, check if the participant receives an email notification, as shown in the screenshot below.

Example-2: [Send Email Notification to HR on Skills Update in Power Automate]

Suppose you work at an organization where employees take various Power Platform training courses to enhance their skills. The Power Platform Training Records list tracks employees’ training progress, including the courses they’ve completed and the new skills they’ve acquired ( Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI).

The Skills Acquired field is a multi-select choice column that allows employees to select multiple skills they have learned from a predefined list.

I need to set up a Power Automate flow that triggers whenever employees update their skills in the Skills Acquired column. The flow will send an email notification to HR, alerting them to the changes and providing updated information.

To do this, follow the below steps:

1. Create a Power Automate flow using the trigger when an item is created or modified; select the site address from the drop-down, then select the Power Platform Training Records SharePoint list.

2. Add a Select action to process the multi-select Skills Acquired values.

• From: Select the dynamic content for Skills Acquired.
• Map:
  • Enter Value as the key and item() as the value. This will extract the individual skill names.

@{item()?['Value']}

3. Add a Join action to combine the skills into a single comma-separated string.

• From: Output of the Select action.
• Delimiter: ‘, ‘ (comma followed by a space).

4. Add a Send an email (V2) action to notify the HR team:

• To: Enter the HR team’s email.
• Subject: provide below:

Updated Training and Skills for @{triggerBody()?['EmployeeName/DisplayName']}

• Body:

Dear HR Team,

@{triggerBody()?['EmployeeName/DisplayName']} has updated their training record. Here are the details:

- Training Course Completed: @{triggerBody()?['TrainingCourse/Value']}
- Skills Acquired: @{body('Join')}
- Last Updated: @{formatDateTime(utcNow(),'dd/MM/yyyy')}

Please update the employee's records.

Best regards,  
Power Platform Training System

Save the Flow runs it manually. Once it runs, go to the SharePoint list and update Skills Acquired.

After the flow runs successfully, HR will receive an email notification.

Conclusion

This tutorial taught us how to work with multi-select choice values from a SharePoint list in Power Automate through two examples. The first example showed how to send a confirmation email to participants, listing their selected workshop topics. The second example explained how to notify HR when employees update their skills in a training records list.

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