How to Preserve Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint

5 Ways to Preserve Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint

When you automate communications, dealing with raw text formatting can be frustrating. You have likely noticed that standard multiple-line text fields collapse into a single, unreadable paragraph when processed through automation workflows. The sections below explain the best technical approaches for preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint, ensuring your automated messages remain readable, professional, and properly structured for your recipients.

The Power Automate replace() Expression

1. The Power Automate replace() Expression

• This is the most robust, standard formula used by professionals to solve preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint without altering your original list structure.
• Utilizes the uriComponent() and replace() string functions to dynamically swap hidden carriage returns with standard
HTML tags during the flow execution.
• Handles plain text inputs consistent; operates entirely in the background without affecting end-user data entry.
• Requires writing custom WDL (Workflow Definition Language) expressions, which can be challenging for beginners to format correctly.

2. Using the HTML

 Tag in the Email Body

• This is the quickest markup workaround for preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint if you want to avoid writing complex variables entirely.
• Wraps the dynamic SharePoint text token directly inside preformatted

   and 

  HTML tags within the "Send an Email" action.
• Extremely easy to implement; requires zero coding or variables.
• The tag forces the email text into a fixed-width font (like Courier), which often clashes with corporate branding and modern email signatures.

3. Changing SharePoint Column Type to Rich Text

• This is a direct list-level configuration for preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint by storing the data as native HTML right from the start.
• Modifies the "Multiple lines of text" SharePoint column settings to "Use enhanced rich text (Rich text with pictures, tables, and hyperlinks)."
• Users can add bolding, colors, and paragraph spacing natively; your email flow reads and sends it as ready-to-use HTML automatically.
• Can introduce messy, nested HTML tags into your flows, making the data difficult to reuse in non-HTML platforms like Excel or plain text SMS alerts.

4. The "Html to text" Flow Action

• A built-in content conversion tool that helps manage preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint when you are forced to use plain text email formats.
• A native action block that strips heavy HTML payloads from Rich Text columns while maintaining basic carriage returns and paragraph spacing.
• Cleans up messy user inputs easily; requires no manual coding or expressions.
• Strips out all intended formatting like hyperlinks, font colors, or emphasis from the original text.

5. Initializing a String Variable with a Physical Return

• A highly visual workflow alternative for preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint without relying on the complex uriComponent() encoding method.
• Involves creating a string variable block, physically pressing the "Enter" key inside the value field to create a literal line break, and referencing that variable in a standard replace array.
• Avoids complex URI encoding logic; much easier to explain to citizen developers.
• Background flow UI updates can occasionally trim trailing whitespace, potentially breaking the variable over time without warning.

Compare Methods for Preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint

 Tag

FAQs About Preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint

Why does my SharePoint text arrive as a single block in Outlook?

When emails are sent in HTML format, standard carriage returns from plain text fields are ignored. Unless you specifically convert those returns into HTML line break tags, the email client will render the text as one continuous paragraph.

Does changing my column to Rich Text break existing list entries?

No, converting a standard plain text column to Rich Text preserves your existing data. However, newly formatted data will contain HTML tags, which might display improperly if older flows are not updated to handle HTML content.

How do I test if my replace() expression is working correctly?

Add a "Compose" action directly after your SharePoint trigger to test the output of your expression. Run a manual test and inspect the outputs of the Compose step to verify that the standard returns have been successfully replaced by break tags before passing the data to the email action.

Can I use plain text email settings to avoid this formatting issue?

Yes. If you switch the "Send an Email" action's setting to "Is HTML: No", standard carriage returns will be preserved natively. However, you will lose the ability to use hyperlinks, bold text, and modern styling in your email template.

Streamline Your Document Workflows with WPS Office

Once you have resolved preserving Line Breaks in Emails Sent from SharePoint, you may need to export those well-formatted email reports into formal documentation. This is where WPS Office excels. As a lightweight, all-in-one productivity suite, WPS Office allows you to seamlessly edit Word documents, format Excel data, and generate professional PDFs from your automated outputs. If your automation workflows generate reports that need final polish, sharing, or PDF conversion, downloading WPS Office provides a broadly compatible and efficient environment to finalize your business communications.

Use Word, Excel, and PPT for FREE

Free Download