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How to Copy Only New Appended Microsoft List Notes in Power Automate
Question details
The user wants to extract only the most recently added text from a Microsoft List multi-line "Notes" column that has "Append Changes to Existing Text" enabled, and copy it into a separate column.
- Product
- Microsoft Power Automate
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Automating list management by syncing or backing up just the latest note entries without pulling the entire historical text string.
- Observed behavior
- By default, Power Automate may pull the entire history or concatenated display text of the column, making it difficult to isolate only the newest appended note.
Verify that your Microsoft List multi-line text column is configured with 'Append Changes to Existing Text' enabled, and ensure you have permissions to build flows in Power Automate.
Use SharePoint REST API to Extract the Latest Note Version
The most reliable method to get just the newest appended note is by querying the SharePoint version history of the item via the REST API within Power Automate.
Because appended notes are stored as historical versions of the list item, standard dynamic content often fails to isolate just the newest addition. Using the 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action allows you to query the exact version history.
Create a flow using the 'When an item is created or modified' trigger and connect it to your Microsoft List.
Add the 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action. Set the Method to GET. Set the Uri to: _api/web/lists/getbytitle('YourListName')/items(@{triggerOutputs()?['body/ID']})/versions?$top=1
Add a 'Parse JSON' action to interpret the outputs of the HTTP request, isolating the 'Notes' column value from the latest version body.
Add an 'Update item' action. Map the extracted latest note value from your Parse JSON output into the target 'NewNotes' column.
Seek Assistance in the Power Platform Community
If your list logic is highly complex or you encounter API syntax errors, the official Microsoft community can provide customized flow troubleshooting.
Need a Lightweight Alternative for Daily Document Tasks?
While Microsoft Power Automate is excellent for complex list data workflows, WPS Office offers a streamlined, completely free alternative for managing your everyday documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your operating system.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Run the setup file and follow the quick on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
- 3. Open and edit your files: Launch WPS Office to immediately start opening, editing, and saving your existing Microsoft Office documents without formatting loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Power Automate pull all previous notes instead of just the new one?
When 'Append Changes to Existing Text' is enabled, Microsoft Lists stores each note as a version of the list item. Standard dynamic content triggers often fetch the concatenated display view or the baseline string, requiring you to explicitly query the version history to isolate the most recent entry.
Do I need a premium Power Automate license to use the HTTP request method?
No, the 'Send an HTTP request to SharePoint' action is a standard connector included in most Microsoft 365 licenses, allowing you to query list versions for free.
Can I extract appended notes using just standard dynamic content blocks?
Generally, no. Standard dynamic content usually provides the unformatted string of all appended text. To reliably extract only the newest addition automatically, utilizing the SharePoint REST API via the HTTP action is the industry standard approach.
