In this Power Automate Tutorial, we will learn about the Power Automate addDays() function and how to use this function in Power Automate flow or Microsoft flow. Also, we will discuss these below topics apart from an example on Power Automate add days to date:
- Power Automate add days function
- Power Automate add days to date column
- Power Automate add days to date format
- Power Automate add days to date variable
- Power Automate add days to due date
- Power Automate add days to current date
- Power Automate add business days to date
- Power Automate add 365 days to date
- Power Automate add days to utcnow
Power Automate add days function
In Power Automate there are a function ‘addDays()‘ under the Date and time that required a string that contains the time. It adds an integer number of days to a string timestamp passed in.
For this function, the syntax is:
addDays(timestamp: string, days: integer, format?: string)
Where,
- timestamp – It requires a DateTime in string format.
- days – It requires an integer that will add days to the given date.
- format – It convert the DateTime into a specified format (i.e. dd-MM-yyyy, dd-MMMM-yyyy,etc)
Example of addDays()
To implement this, let’s create a flow where we will insert a date and add 5 days to that inserted date. The following steps are:
Before we will create a flow, make sure to sign in the Power Automate using the Microsoft account. Then click on +Create > Instant cloud flow > Manually trigger a flow.
Step-1:
Now our flow is triggered. In that trigger, we will add a date input.
Click on +Add an input > Date.

Step-2:
Next, we will add an expression using addDays() in the Compose action, that will add a specified integer (days) to the given dates. Then click on update.
Click on +New step > Compose > Expression.
addDays(triggerBody()['date'],5,'dd-MM-yyyy')

Now Save the flow to test. It will ask to insert a date. For example, we will insert 12/15/2021. Click on Run flow.
As a result, it will return a date i.e. 12/15/2021 + 5 = 12/20/2021.

This is how the addDays() function works on Power Automate.
Check out, Power Automate Increment Variable + 11 Examples
Power Automate add days to date
Here we will see how to add days to a date column in the SharePoint list automatically using Power Automate.
For this, here we have created a SharePoint list based on the Project’s delivery reports having columns such as; Title, Project Manager(People column), Start date & DueDate(DateTime column), TaskStatus(Choice).

Now we will create a flow, when we will insert the start Date with project details, it will auto-update its Delivery Date by adding specific days into it. Make sure that the delivery date should become after 8 days of the start date.
To implement this scenario, the following steps are:
Step-1:
First, we will add the trigger ‘When an item is created in Power Automate. Set the Parameter according to your Site Address and List Name.

Step-2:
Next, we will add an expression using Compose action, that will calculate the delivery date by adding 8 days(as per our scenario) to the Start date.
Click on +New step > Compose action > Expression.
addDays(triggerOutputs()?['body/StartDate'],8,'MM-dd-yyyy')

Step-3:
Then we will add another action to update the delivery date in SharePoint. Set the Properties like below:
- Site Address– (As peryour SharePoint Address)
- List Name- Your specific list name i.e. Projects
- id– ID(from when item is created in SharePoint)
- Title– Title( from when item is created in SharePoint)
- ProjectManager- ProjectManager claims(from when item is created in SharePoint)
- StartDate– Startdate(from when item is created in SharePoint)
- TaskStatus – TaskStatusValue(from when item is created in SharePoint)
- DeliveryDate– Output of Compose
Click on +New step > Update item > add it.

Let’s run the flow by inserting the data except for the Delivery date. For example, let’s insert 13/12/2021 as a start date in the SharePoint list.

It will auto-update the Delivery date by adding 8 days to the start date.

This is how to add Days to the Datetime field using Microsoft Flow.
Read Power Automate SharePoint Get items filter query contains is not valid
Power Automate add days to date format
Here we will see how to format the date in the addDays() function in Power Automate.
It allows formatting the date as:
Format | Example |
dd-MM-yyyy | 13-12-2021 |
dd-MMMM-yyyy | 13-December-2021 |
dd-MMM-yyyy | 13-Dec-2021 |
dd-MM-yy | 13-12-21 |
MM-dd-yyyy | 12-13-2021 |
Let’s take an example, that will execute the date in ‘dd-MMMM-yyyy’ format in the addDays() expression.
For this, here we will start the flow by triggering it manually, using a date input inside the trigger(as we have triggered in the previous example).
Then we will add a Compose action to calculate the date using add days expression:
addDays(triggerBody()['date'],10,'dd-MMMM-yyyy')
It will add 10 days to the inserted data.

Let’s run this flow to see the date in the given format.

This is how to do Power Automate add days to date format.
Read Power Automate copy list item to another list with attachments
Power Automate add days to date variable
Here we will see how to add days to a date variable using Power Automate.
First, we will trigger the flow manually by using date input. Then we will add an action to initialize a string variable using this triggered date.
Click on +New step > Initialize variable. Set the parameters like below:
- Name– VarDate
- Type– String
- Value– @{triggerBody()[‘date’]}

Next, we will use an expression in a Compose action to add days in the date Variable i.e. VarDate.
Click on +New step > Compose > Add it.
addDays(variables('VarDate'),3,'dd-MMM-yyyy')
Here we have added 3 days to the date variable.

Let’s insert a date and run the flow to see how the date comes with additional days.

As we inserted the date 2021-12-14, so it came 17-Dec-2021 by adding 3 days. This is how to add days in a date variable in Power Automate.
Check out, Power Automate save email attachment to SharePoint
Power Automate add days to current date
Here we will see how to add days to the current date using Power Automate flow.
Let’s start the flow by triggering it manually. Then we will add a Compose action using an expression that will show the current date.
Click on +New step > Compose > Expression > Update.
utcNow()

Next, we will add another Compose action using an expression that will execute the date by adding days to the current date.
Click on +New step > Compose > Expression.
addDays(outputs('Compose'), 15, 'dd-MM-yyyy')
Here we have added 15 days to the current date.

Let’s run the flow manually to see the result date. As the current date is 14/12/2021 so it will come by adding 15 days i.e. 29/12/2021.

This is how to add days to the current date using Flow.
Read Power Automate get items examples
Power Automate add days to due date
Let’s see how to add days to the due date using Power Automate flow. For example, we are going to use a list template from SharePoint i.e. Work progress tracker.
On SharePoint > Create list > Work progress tracker > use template.

The list will represent like this:

Let’s create a flow to add days to the due date in the SharePoint list. Go to Power Automate and select the trigger when an item is created. Here we have to set the site address and the list name.

Next, we will use a compose action using an expression that will add 2 days to the due date(that we will insert).
Click on +New step > Compose > Expression.
addDays(triggerOutputs()?['body/DueDate'],2,'MM-dd-yyyy')

Then we will add an action to update the due date in sharepoint list. Make sure update the due date with the output of compose.
- Due Date- @{outputs(‘Compose’)}
Click on +New step > Update item.

Let’s run the flow manually and insert a data into the SharePoint list:

After refreshing the page, we can see the due date got updated by adding 2 days i.e. 12/20/2021.

This is how to add days to the due day in SharePoint using Power Automate.
Also read, Power Automate vs UiPath
Power Automate add 365 days to date
Now we will see how to add 365 days to a random date using Power Automate.
Let’s start the flow manually using a date input where we can insert any dynamic date. (Please check the previous example to trigger the flow manually).
Then we will use a Compose action using an expression tha will add 365 days to the inserted date.
Click on +New step > Compose > Expression.
addDays(triggerBody()['date'], 365, 'dd-MM-yyyy')

Let’s save the flow for testing. It will ask to insert the date before running. For example we will insert current date i.e. 14/12/2021.

Click on the Run flow to see the run and see the date as well. As a result it will come by adding 356 to 4/12/2021 i.e. 14/12/2022.

This is how to add 365 days to date using Power Automate.
Read Power Automate conversion of string
Power Automate add business days to date
Here we will see how to add business days to a given date. Also, it will exclude the weekends i.e. Saturday and Sunday.
For example, If we insert today’s date i.e. 12/14/2021, and want to add 4 days, then it should come 12/20/2021. As it is excluded 2 weekends i.e. Saturday and Sunday. Let’s create a flow to implement this and the following steps are:
Step-1:
First, we will start our flow by triggering it manually. Next, we will add a Compose action where we will set an integer value that indicates how many days we want to add for calculating the business days.
For example, we want to add 4 business days to the date. Click on +New step > Compose.

Step-2:
Next, we will add an action to initialize a sting variable using a DateTime. Here we are going to use current date so that it will add 4 business days from this date i.e. 2021/12/14.
Click on +New step > Initialize Variable. Set the parameters like below:
- Name- VarDate
- Type- String
- Value- 2021-12-14

Again we will add an action to initialize an integer variable. Click on +New step > Initialize variable and set the properties like below:
- Name- VarNumber
- Type- Integer
- Value- 0

Step-3:
Next, we will add do-until condition control that will run the flow till the condition meet i.e. VarNumber is equal to addDays(0 to 4).
Click on +New step > condition > do-until. Set the properties like:
- Value- VarNumber
- Condition- is equal to
- Value- outputs(‘AddDays’)

Step-4:
Next, we will add a Compose action inside this do-until condition that will contain the date variable i.e. VarDate.
Also, under this Compose again we will add an action to set the variable. Here we will set the properties like:
- Name- VarDate(from initialized variable)
- Value- use the below expression
addDays(outputs('Compose_2'),1)

Step-5:
Under this set variable action, we will add a condition action that will check the days should not contain Saturday and Sunday.
Click on +add an action > Condition.
Here we will use an expression that will check whether it is not equal to 0 and 6(for Sunday and Saturday respectively).
dayOfWeek(variables('VarDate'))

If the condition met, then it will increment the variable i.e. VarNumber. In If-yes, click on +Add an action > Increment variable. Set the properties like below:
- Name– VarNumber
- Value– 1

Step-6:
Finally, we will add a Compose action (outside the do-until control) using the date variable that we had created i.e. VarDate.

Now our flow is ready to test and run. Let’s save this flow and click on test manually.

This is how we can add days to the business days using Power Automate.
You may also like the following Power Automate tutorials:
- Power Automate Number Format
- [Solved] The ETag of this item does not match the one used for setting content approval status error in Microsoft Flow
- Power Automate Initialize Variable
- Microsoft Flow Example: Product Notification Approval Flow
- Power Automate convert time zone
- Microsoft Flow Example: When an item is created in SharePoint List, Send approval and create item
- Power Automate flow with Microsoft teams
- Power Automate Parallel Branch
Conclusion
From this Power Automate Tutorial, we learned all about the addDays() function using inflow. Also, we discussed the below topics:
- How to use Power Automate add days function?
- How to add days to the date column in SharePoint using Power Automate?
- How to do date format using Power Automate add days?
- How to add days to date variable in Power Automate?
- How to add days to the current date using Microsoft flow?
- How to add days to due date in SharePoint using flow?
- How to add 365 days to any dynamic date using Power Automate?
- How to add business days or work days using Power Automate?
I am Bijay a Microsoft MVP (8 times –Â My MVP Profile) in SharePoint and have more than 15 years of expertise in SharePoint Online Office 365, SharePoint subscription edition, and SharePoint 2019/2016/2013. Currently working in my own venture TSInfo Technologies a SharePoint development, consulting, and training company. I also run the popular SharePoint website EnjoySharePoint.com
Thanks for the great tutorial. I tried to capture a date value from a SharePoint list, add 7 days to it and write the result back to a new item in the list. So I did exactly as you described it.
PA doesn’t let me create the new item, though. It tells me it expects a “String/date” value which the composed value apparently doesn’t have. Any ideas?
why use compose instead of setting the fields right with the expressions? is compose a need?
Hi There.
I’m trying to follow your steps for [Power Automate add days to date]
But I keep getting a failure with this error. [
InvalidTemplate. Unable to process template language expressions in action ‘Compose’ inputs at line ‘0’ and column ‘0’: ‘The template language function ‘addDays’ expects its first parameter to be a string that contains the time. The provided value is of type ‘Null’. Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions#adddays for usage details.’.]
What am I doing wrong?