Fix Power Automate Date Equality Queries for Created Fields
Question details
The user needs to filter records by a Created date in Power Automate when an equality comparison does not return the expected results.
- Product
- Microsoft Power Automate
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A flow queries records created nine days before the current date using an OData filter.
- Observed behavior
- Greater-than and less-than comparisons work, but Created eq '@{addDays(utcNow(),-9)}' fails to match the expected records.
Check which connector and action run the query, and confirm that Created is the correct field name. The example below uses UTC calendar days and OData syntax supported by SharePoint Get items; other connectors may require different syntax.
Filter the Created field with a UTC day range
Use an inclusive start and exclusive end when you want all records created on a calendar date, regardless of their time.
A date-time field typically includes hours, minutes, and seconds. An equality comparison matches only the exact timestamp, not every record on the same date.
In Power Automate, edit the flow and open the action that retrieves the records. For a SharePoint list, open Get items and locate Filter Query under its advanced parameters.
In Filter Query, enter: Created ge '@{formatDateTime(startOfDay(addDays(utcNow(),-9)), 'yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ssZ')}' and Created lt '@{formatDateTime(startOfDay(addDays(utcNow(),-8)), 'yyyy-MM-ddTHH:mm:ssZ')}'. This selects the UTC day nine days before today.
Select Save, then Test and run the flow. Open the query action in the run history to inspect its inputs and returned records.
Ask the Power Automate community about connector-specific filters
Use this option if the connector rejects the filter syntax or the field uses a different internal name.
Review exported date records with WPS Spreadsheets
WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative for reviewing exported records in a familiar spreadsheet interface. It supports Microsoft Office formats for an easier move between applications, although it does not fix Power Automate flows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Created eq return no matching records?
Created usually stores a date and time. The eq operator requires an exact timestamp match, so a record created at another time on the same day will not match.
Where do I enter the date filter for a SharePoint list?
In your flow, open the SharePoint Get items action and enter the OData expression in Filter Query under its advanced parameters.
How can I filter for an entire day instead of one timestamp?
Use Created ge with the start of the day and Created lt with the start of the following day. This includes the first boundary and excludes the next day's boundary.
Does utcNow use my local time zone?
No. utcNow returns the current UTC time. For a local calendar day, calculate its local start and end and convert those boundaries to UTC before applying the filter.
