# Manuel T Gomes > Practical tutorials and in-depth guides for Microsoft Power Platform, automation, and developer productivity. ## About This Site Manuel T Gomes is a comprehensive technical resource for developers and IT professionals working with: - **Microsoft Power Automate** - Flow creation, connectors, expressions, and enterprise automation patterns - **Microsoft Power Apps** - Canvas apps, model-driven apps, and low-code development - **Microsoft 365 Integration** - SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and cross-platform workflows - **Developer Productivity** - Tools, techniques, and best practices for efficient development ## Content Philosophy Every article follows a hands-on approach with: - Step-by-step instructions with screenshots - Real-world use cases and practical examples - Copy-paste code snippets and expressions - Troubleshooting tips for common issues ## Who This Is For - Power Platform developers and citizen developers - IT professionals automating business processes - SharePoint administrators and Microsoft 365 admins - Anyone learning low-code/no-code automation ## Reference Documentation The site includes comprehensive function references for Power Automate expressions, organized by category with syntax examples and practical use cases for each function. ## Categories - [Announcement](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/announcements/): Site announcements covering milestones, yearly reviews, seasonal notes, and updates from Manuel T Gomes about manueltgomes.com and its content. - [Apple](https://manueltgomes.com/area/apple/): Apple tutorials from Manuel T Gomes covering macOS, iOS, Xcode development, and Shortcuts automation, with hands-on fixes, build notes, and daily productivity tips. - [Azure](https://manueltgomes.com/area/azure/): Microsoft Azure tutorials from Manuel T Gomes covering cloud services, DevOps, and integration with Power Apps and Power Automate for automation and low-code workflows. - [Books](https://manueltgomes.com/area/recommendations/books/): Book recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, including Sapiens, Outliers, and Can't Hurt Me, covering software craft, leadership, productivity, mindset, and personal growth. - [Claude](https://manueltgomes.com/area/claude/): Practical Claude tutorials covering Claude Code as an automation tool, prompting techniques, and API integration patterns for building AI-assisted workflows. - [Deep Dives](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/deep-dives/): Long-form Power Automate deep dives covering architecture, error handling, the Microsoft Graph API, SharePoint bulk operations, and advanced automation patterns. - [DevOps](https://manueltgomes.com/area/azure/devops/): Azure DevOps tutorials from Manuel T Gomes, including adding custom fields and creating tasks automatically with Power Automate, covering project management, process, and automation. - [Development](https://manueltgomes.com/area/development/): Software development articles from Manuel T Gomes covering programming languages, tooling, and design patterns, with focused Python and Swift sub-areas for practical, hands-on coding guidance. - [Excel](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/excel/): Excel tutorials covering formulas, importing data from websites, date handling, and Power Automate and Power Platform integration to save time on daily tasks. - [Excel Function Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/excel-function-reference/): Excel worksheet function reference with syntax, arguments, and worked examples for functions like Count and Sum, plus best practices, limitations, and common pitfalls. - [Expressions and Templates](https://manueltgomes.com/area/expressions-templates/): A library of common Power Automate expressions and ready-to-import flow templates for tasks like parsing Excel dates, handling URLs, file conversion, and data parsing. - [Featured](https://manueltgomes.com/area/featured/): A handpicked, rotating selection of featured and most popular articles on Power Platform, automation, SharePoint, and Microsoft 365, curated for the manueltgomes.com homepage. - [Feedback](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/feedback/): Reader feedback and detailed answers to common Power Platform and Power Automate questions submitted by the community, turned into focused write-ups by Manuel T Gomes. - [General](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/): General hub covering technology, automation, and productivity articles, including announcements, deep dives, opinion, quick takes, and quick automation recipes. - [Microsoft](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/): Parent hub for Microsoft 365 and Power Platform content, covering Power Automate, Power Apps, Power BI, SharePoint, Excel, Teams, Graph, and PowerShell tutorials. - [Microsoft 365 Copilot](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/microsoft-365-copilot/): Tutorials and tips for Microsoft 365 Copilot covering AI features in Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, plus practical prompts and realistic expectations. - [Microsoft 365 Excel](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/office-365-excel/): Microsoft 365 Excel tutorials covering cloud workbook features and Power Platform integration to pull data, add rows, and automate spreadsheet workflows. - [Microsoft 365 Outlook](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/office-365-outlook/): Microsoft 365 Outlook tutorials covering email automation, calendar management, and Power Automate workflows for sending, sorting, and processing messages. - [Microsoft Forms](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/forms/): Microsoft Forms tutorials covering quizzes, branching, validation, pre-filled and multi-language forms, and Power Automate integration for data collection. - [Microsoft Graph](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/graph/): Microsoft Graph API tutorials for accessing Microsoft 365 data and automating tasks across Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive from one endpoint. - [Microsoft Lists](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/lists/): Microsoft Lists tutorials covering templates, views, and Power Automate integration for tracking structured data without scattered spreadsheets. - [Microsoft Outlook](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/outlook/): Microsoft Outlook tutorials covering email management, calendar features, rules, and desktop automation with Power Automate across Windows, macOS, and mobile. - [Microsoft Planner](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/planner/): Microsoft Planner tutorials covering task management, labels, views, charts, and Power Automate integration with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. - [Microsoft Teams](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/teams/): Microsoft Teams tutorials covering meetings, notifications, approvals, governance, and Power Automate and SharePoint integration for team collaboration. - [Microsoft To Do](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/todo/): Microsoft To Do tutorials covering lists, My Day, reminders, task sharing, and automation across Microsoft 365 with the Power Platform. - [Mindset](https://manueltgomes.com/area/mindset/): Mindset articles on productivity, focus, habits, and personal growth for builders who want to do more without burning out and keep improving steadily. - [N8N](https://manueltgomes.com/area/n8n/): n8n workflow automation tutorials covering what n8n is, self-hosting, Gmail and Google credentials, inbox triage, and how it compares to Power Automate. - [N8N Node Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/n8n-node-reference/): A detailed N8N node reference explaining what each node does, how to configure inputs and outputs, best practices, and the limitations you hit in real workflows. - [N8N Trigger Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/n8n-trigger-reference/): n8n trigger node reference covering the nodes that start workflows, including the Manual Trigger and Gmail Trigger, with configuration, best practices, and limitations. - [Newsletter](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/newsletter/): Newsletter signup for a recurring email covering Power Automate, Power Apps, SharePoint, and Power Platform automation, with new tutorials, reference guides, and practical tips. - [OData Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/odata-reference/): OData filter query reference for Power Platform and Power Automate, covering comparison operators like equals, greater than, and or, plus startswith, endswith, and date functions. - [OneDrive](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/onedrive/): OneDrive tutorials covering file storage, synchronization, the SharePoint backend, and Power Automate integration for automating personal cloud file workflows. - [OneDrive for Business](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/onedrive-for-business/): OneDrive for Business tutorials covering file synchronization, sharing best practices, and Power Automate integration on the Microsoft 365 platform. - [OneNote](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/onenote/): OneNote tutorials covering note-taking, notebook organization, and integration with Microsoft 365 and Power Automate for capturing and automating notes. - [Opinion](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/opinion/): Opinion articles sharing perspectives on technology, automation, developer habits, and the Microsoft ecosystem, plus how to build software and handle mistakes. - [Other](https://manueltgomes.com/area/other/): The Other section collects manueltgomes.com articles outside core products, currently branching into privacy and productivity topics for online users and makers. - [Platforms](https://manueltgomes.com/area/platforms/): The Platforms hub covers third-party services Manuel uses daily, branching into Twitter and WordPress, with integration and automation tips via Power Automate. - [Podcasts](https://manueltgomes.com/area/recommendations/podcasts/): Podcast recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, including Accidental Tech Podcast, Mac Power Users, and Revisionist History, covering technology, software, design, business, and storytelling. - [Power Apps](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/powerapps/): Power Apps tutorials covering canvas apps, variables, delegation, layout, best practices, and passing parameters to Power Automate flows. - [Power Apps Function Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/powerapps-function-reference/): Power Apps (Power Fx) function reference covering counting, date, text, and color functions like Count, CountRows, DateAdd, DateDiff, and Concatenate, with syntax and examples. - [Power Automate](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/): Power Automate tutorials and guides covering cloud flows, error handling, throttling, connectors, CSV handling, approvals, and workflow automation for Microsoft 365 and SharePoint. - [Power Automate Action Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/power-automate-action-reference/): Reference for Power Automate connector actions such as Filter Array, Parse JSON, and Apply to each, with inputs, outputs, configuration options, and limitations. - [Power Automate Common Questions](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/power-automate-common-questions/): Answers to common Power Automate questions about Python scripts, Microsoft Graph API, SharePoint list comparison, run duration limits, and infinite trigger loops. - [Power Automate Function Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/powerautomate-function-reference/): Reference for Power Automate expression functions covering date, time, math, logical, string, and collection functions, with syntax, parameters, return values, and examples. - [Power Automate Trigger Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/power-automate-trigger-reference/): Reference for Power Automate triggers covering manual, Forms, Outlook, Dataverse, Microsoft 365 Groups, and To Do triggers, with best practices and limitations. - [Power BI](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/powerbi/): Power BI tutorials covering data visualization, connecting sources, report design, mobile reports, and integration with the wider Power Platform. - [Power Fx](https://manueltgomes.com/area/powerfx/): Power Fx tutorials for Microsoft's low-code formula language, covering functions, expressions, and reusable patterns across Power Apps and Power Automate. - [Power Pages](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/power-pages/): Power Pages tutorials for building low-code, data-driven websites with Microsoft's Power Platform, covering Dataverse integration, best practices, and examples. - [Power Platform](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/power-platform/): Microsoft Power Platform hub covering Power Automate cloud flow automation and Power Pages low-code website building, with tutorials, references, and guides. - [PowerShell](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/powershell/): PowerShell scripting tutorials for automating SharePoint, Azure, and Microsoft 365, with practical scripts and clear explanations of how they work. - [Privacy](https://manueltgomes.com/area/other/privacy/): Privacy articles covering data protection, online security, two-factor authentication, and everyday defenses to help you control your personal information. - [Productivity](https://manueltgomes.com/area/other/productivity/): Productivity articles on habits, systems, and Power Platform automation, sharing practical tips to help you do more with less and reclaim your time. - [Python](https://manueltgomes.com/area/python/): Python tutorials focused on automation, scripting, API integration, and modern libraries like Pydantic and HTTPX for building practical productivity tools. - [Questions and Answers](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/questions-and-answers/): Reader questions answered in depth on automation, Microsoft technologies, and developer challenges, with practical, context-rich solutions on manueltgomes.com. - [Quick Automations](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/quick-automations/): Quick automation recipes you can build in under ten minutes using Power Automate and Microsoft 365 to save time on repetitive everyday tasks. - [Quick Take](https://manueltgomes.com/area/general/quick-take/): Short-form Quick Take commentary on technology, artificial intelligence, and industry news, offering sharp, fast-to-read opinions on current tools and trends. - [Recommendations](https://manueltgomes.com/area/recommendations/): Manuel T Gomes's recommendations hub linking to curated books, podcasts, tools, and apps he personally uses for software craft, productivity, learning, and daily organization. - [Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/): Reference hub covering Power Automate triggers, Power Apps and SharePoint functions, Excel functions, N8N nodes, and OData query syntax, with examples and limitations. - [SharePoint](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/microsoft-365-copilot/sharepoint/): SharePoint tutorials covering lists, document libraries, permissions, calculated fields, column formatting, and Power Automate integration for document management. - [SharePoint List Function Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/area/reference/sharepoint-list-function-reference/): SharePoint list function reference covering math, date, text, and logic functions like Abs, Average, Concatenate, Date, DateDif, and Choose for calculated columns, with syntax and examples. - [Shifts](https://manueltgomes.com/area/microsoft/shifts/): Microsoft Shifts tutorials for schedule management, shift swaps, and team coordination in Teams, plus Power Automate integration to automate notifications. - [Shortcuts](https://manueltgomes.com/area/apple/shortcuts/): Apple Shortcuts automation tutorials from Manuel T Gomes, including keeping common tasks one tap away, covering iOS, iPadOS, and Mac productivity and daily task automation. - [Swift](https://manueltgomes.com/area/programming/swift/): Swift tutorials for building iOS and macOS apps, covering language fundamentals, real-world examples, and practical patterns for cleaner, maintainable code. - [Tools](https://manueltgomes.com/area/recommendations/tools/): Tool recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, including Notion, 1Password, Grammarly, Hazel, and DEVONthink, covering productivity, organization, writing, development workflows, and automation. - [Twitter](https://manueltgomes.com/area/platforms/twitter/): Twitter and X automation tutorials using Microsoft's Power Platform, covering posting, monitoring mentions, and building social workflows with Power Automate. - [Ulysses](https://manueltgomes.com/area/recommendations/apps/ulysses/): Ulysses writing app tips from Manuel T Gomes, including fixing the WordPress login error, covering automation, publishing workflows, and productivity features. - [Uncategorized](https://manueltgomes.com/area/uncategorized/): A catch-all category for older manueltgomes.com posts not yet filed under a specific topic; most content now lives in the site's organized topic areas. - [Weekly Skill Boost](https://manueltgomes.com/area/weekly-skill-boost/): Weekly curated roundup of articles, videos, and resources on Power Platform, Power Automate, Microsoft 365, and automation to grow your skills each week. - [Wordpress](https://manueltgomes.com/area/platforms/wordpress/): WordPress tutorials for fixing common problems, including category archives, category URLs, removing the category prefix, and the mail() function error. - [Xcode](https://manueltgomes.com/area/apple/xcode/): Xcode development tips from Manuel T Gomes, including fixing the package graph dependency error and installing macOS as a virtual machine, covering build fixes and toolchain notes. ## Featured Articles - [A country of geniuses](https://manueltgomes.com/general/quick-take/a-country-of-geniuses/): Commentary on Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's essay about technology's growing pains and the responsible development of AI. - [Add properties to SharePoint files](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/microsoft-365-copilot/sharepoint/add-properties-to-sharepoint-files/): SharePoint file metadata guide: how to add custom columns (properties) to document library files and why they beat folders, covering filtering, sorting, grouping, multiple views, Edit in grid view, and search; adding a column via the modern Add column experience and filling values in the details pane; available column types (single/multiple line of text, choice, number, currency, date and time, yes/no, person or group, hyperlink, lookup, managed metadata, Image, Location); site columns vs library columns; required columns and per-folder default value settings; content types; sensitivity and retention labels surfacing as filterable columns via Microsoft Purview; AI autofill columns and Microsoft 365 Copilot; and limits (the 5,000-item list view threshold, column indexing, the 20,000-item auto-index ceiling, and managed-metadata term store setup). - [Batch Operations and Throttling Mitigation in Power Automate](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/batch-operations-and-throttling-mitigation-in-power-automate/): Power Automate tutorial on SharePoint batch operations as throttling mitigation: why per-item connector calls in an Apply to each loop hit the 600-calls-per-connection limit (and how that relates to SharePoint resource-unit throttling and Power Platform request limits), the OData $batch multipart format with changesets, required part headers (Content-Type: application/http and Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary), the SP.Data list type metadata for writes, building and sending the batch through the Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action using the guid function for boundaries, performance comparison versus individual calls (roughly 5x to 100x with real benchmarks), non-transactional error handling (no rollback even inside a changeset, parsing per-operation status codes, silent partial failures), when to use batch versus individual calls, and 2026 alternatives (Microsoft Graph JSON batching with its 20-request cap, Office Scripts, and Dataverse CreateMultiple/UpdateMultiple). - [Book: A Promised Land](https://manueltgomes.com/recommendations/books/book-a-promised-land/): Book review of A Promised Land by Barack Obama, the first volume of his presidential memoir: what it covers (early life, time in the Senate, the 2008 campaign, and the first term in the White House), the reading experience (audiobook narrated by Obama), and why the reviewer recommends it as a study of values-driven leadership under pressure. - [Book: Revenge of the Tipping Point](https://manueltgomes.com/recommendations/books/book-revenge-of-the-tipping-point/): Book review of Malcolm Gladwell's Revenge of the Tipping Point, covering the 'rule of thirds' concept explored through examples like cheetahs, Ivy League sports, Los Angeles in the 1990s, teen suicide, COVID-19, and the opioid crisis, the author's background and the 10,000-Hour Rule from Outliers, reactions from critics and readers on the book's formulaic style, and the reviewer's personal take on why it is an entertaining and educational read. - [Excel: Count Function](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/excel-function-reference/excel-count-function/): Excel COUNT Function Reference: complete guide to the COUNT worksheet function covering syntax (value1, value2, up to 255 arguments), what it counts and ignores (numbers and dates are counted; text, blank cells, logical values, and error values inside a range are ignored), the difference between values typed directly as arguments versus referenced from a range (logical values and text representations of numbers like "1" are counted when typed directly but ignored in a range), why dates are counted (Excel stores them internally as serial numbers), the COUNT function family (COUNTA, COUNTBLANK, COUNTIF, COUNTIFS), limitations (numbers stored as text are not counted, 255-argument maximum, errors passing silently), troubleshooting common errors (count too low, returns 0, numbers stored as text), localization (comma versus semicolon argument separators), and recommendations (referencing whole columns or named ranges, picking the right family member, handling errors with IFERROR). - [Excel: Sum Function](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/excel-function-reference/excel-sum-function/): Excel Sum Function Reference: Complete guide covering the SUM(number1, [number2], ...) syntax, the 255-argument limit, and how the function treats each value type it can meet, numbers, dates and times as serial numbers, text ignored inside a referenced range but coerced when typed directly as an argument, logical values TRUE/FALSE with the same typed-versus-referenced distinction, blank cells and empty strings, and error values that propagate and take over the whole result rather than being skipped. Covers the function family (SUMIF, SUMIFS, SUMPRODUCT, SUBTOTAL, AGGREGATE), localization of the argument separator (comma versus semicolon), common errors (SUM returning 0 because numbers are stored as text, #VALUE! errors from a referenced error cell, regional separator mismatches), and recommendations including referencing whole columns, preferring SUM over manual addition chains, and wrapping the formula in IFERROR. - [How are things going and new sections.](https://manueltgomes.com/general/announcements/how-are-things-going-and-new-sections/): Site announcement and personal update from Manuel T Gomes covering four new content sections (N8N Trigger Reference, Excel Function Reference, Xcode, Python), revived recommendations sections (tools, podcasts, books), and newly available consulting slots for help with Power Automate and automation, software development, and project management. - [N8N: Trigger Manually](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/n8n-trigger-reference/n8n-trigger-manually/): N8N Manual Trigger Node Reference: Complete guide to the Manual Trigger (labeled "When clicking 'Execute workflow'", formerly "When clicking 'Test workflow'") covering where to find it, its lack of credentials and parameters, the single empty item ({}) it emits and how to read data downstream with {{ $json.fieldName }} expressions, non-intuitive behaviors (empty-item emission so the next node still runs once, version-dependent button label, only one Manual Trigger allowed per workflow), limitations (cannot activate a workflow for production, editor-only with no external URL, carries no incoming data), troubleshooting common errors (the "Workflow has no node to start the workflow, at least one trigger, poller or webhook node is required" activation error, empty downstream fields), and recommendations for pairing with an Edit Fields node and swapping in a real trigger before going live. - [Power Automate: Access an Excel with a dynamic path](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/how-to-access-dynamic-path-excel/): Tutorial for accessing an Excel file from a dynamic (runtime-built) file path in Power Automate: explains the Excel Online (Business) connector limitation where dynamic paths were rejected; the 2026 update adding a fourth file option (a drive-relative path entered via Enter custom value, and accepting a file id directly); the Get file metadata using path action for retrieving a file id; and the classic workaround using a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint call (GetFileByServerRelativeUrl) to fetch the file id, then feeding it to Excel actions like Get a row and List rows present in a table; covers the Table dropdown not resolving for dynamic files (use Get tables or Enter custom value), a downloadable template, and a link to the part II follow-up. - [Power Automate: HTML to Text Action](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/power-automate-action-reference/html-to-text-action/): Power Automate HTML to Text action reference (Content Conversion connector): covers where to find the action, its single Content input, and the full conversion rules (80-character line wrapping, text[link] link formatting, uppercased headers and table heading cells, trimmed empty lines, asterisk-prefixed unordered lists, 3-space table columns, ignored href='#' anchors, collapsed newlines and stray blank spaces), the by-design stripping of formatting and hyperlinks with the string-functions workaround, size and structure limits (5 MB content cap and maximum HTML DOM tree depth of 70), regional availability (no longer offered for new flows in US Government GCC/GCC High or China cloud), and best practices for naming, commenting, and error handling. - [Power Automate: Running PowerShell Scripts](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/running-powershell-scripts/): Tutorial for running PowerShell scripts from Power Automate via the Azure Automation connector: finding the Create job action, prerequisites (Automation account, Runtime Environments and PowerShell 7.4, creating/writing/testing/publishing a runbook), authenticating with a system-assigned managed identity (Connect-AzAccount -Identity, Run As accounts retired), basic usage of the Create job action, retrieving runbook output (Wait for Job toggle, Get job output, binary output handling), alternatives (Azure Functions PowerShell, Power Automate Desktop Run PowerShell script action), non-intuitive behaviors (three-hour fair-share job stop, modules pinned per runtime version, binary output streams, string-only parameters), limitations (512 KB and 50-parameter caps, runtime constraints, connector throttling at 1,200 calls per 60 seconds, PowerShell version support), and best practices for naming, comments, and error handling. - [Power Automate: convertToUtc function](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/powerautomate-function-reference/power-automate-converttoutc-function/): Power Automate convertToUtc function reference: complete guide to converting a local timestamp into UTC, covering the timestamp, sourceTimeZone, and optional format parameters, the default 'o' (ISO 8601) output and custom format specifiers like 'D', Windows time zone names (not IANA or abbreviations like PST or CET), automatic daylight saving handling, non-intuitive behaviors (the value is treated as being in the source time zone regardless of any Z suffix, and the string result cannot be used in maths directly), common errors and fixes (invalid sourceTimeZone value, InvalidTemplate could not be parsed), the 8,192 character expression limit, and best practices including storing dates in UTC, using the Convert time zone action to find exact zone names, ticks for numeric comparisons, and debugging with Compose actions. - [Power Automate: dateDifference function](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/powerautomate-function-reference/datedifference-function/): Power Automate dateDifference Function Reference: returns the difference between two timestamps as a string in days.hours:minutes:seconds format (fractional seconds, and the days component, omitted for sub-day spans), covering syntax and parameters, parsing the output with the split, length, if, and contains functions, extracting the day and time parts safely, negative results when the end date precedes the start, timezone and daylight saving pitfalls, the ticks() alternative for reliable whole-day counts, and troubleshooting common errors (InvalidTemplate on non-ISO input, off-by-hours from mismatched Z/UTC suffixes). - [Power Automate: formatNumber function](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/powerautomate-function-reference/formatnumber-function/): Power Automate formatNumber() function reference: complete guide to formatting numbers within expressions, covering the number, format, and locale parameters; standard format specifiers (C currency, D digits, E exponential, F fixed-point, G general, N number, P percent, R round-trip, X hexadecimal) and custom picture formats like '#,##0.00'; non-intuitive behaviors (banker's/round-half-to-even rounding at midpoints, output is always a string, D and X require whole numbers); the 'format string is invalid' error and its fix; locale effects on decimal separator, thousands separator, and currency symbol (en-US vs pt-PT); the G17/G9 round-trip recommendation; and best practices for display versus storage. - [SharePoint: CONCATENATE Function](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/sharepoint-list-function-reference/sharepoint-concatenate-function/): SharePoint List calculated-column CONCATENATE function reference: joins text, numbers, and dates into one value with CONCATENATE(text1, text2, ...) or the & operator; covers the 30-argument maximum, 255-character constant limit, and 8-level nesting cap; using TEXT() to format dates and percentages so they do not become serial numbers; the comma versus semicolon regional argument separator; which column types can be referenced (single line of text, number, currency, date and time, choice, yes/no, calculated) versus those that cannot (multiple lines of text, Person or Group, Lookup, Managed Metadata, hyperlink, multi-value choice); why CONCAT and TEXTJOIN are not available in SharePoint calculated columns; handling blanks and errors with IF and ISBLANK; and a padded-code example built with REPT and LEN. - [SharePoint: How to show additional columns in Views & Lists](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/microsoft-365-copilot/sharepoint/how-to-show-additional-columns-in-views/): Tutorial on showing additional columns in SharePoint Online list Views: adding and removing columns via the modern Show/hide columns pane and the classic Edit current view, creating new Views with Save view as (public vs personal, and why a personal view cannot be the default), and projecting extra read-only fields from lookup columns such as a related email. Covers non-intuitive behaviors (projected lookup fields are read-only, cannot be reliably sorted or filtered, and do not appear in the New, Edit, or Display Item Properties forms) and limitations (the 12 lookup-type-columns-per-view threshold, with people and Created by/Modified by columns counting toward it), plus the Power Apps custom-form workaround. - [Power Automate: Add to Time Action](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/power-automate-action-reference/power-automate-add-to-time-action/): Power Automate Add to Time Action Reference: Complete guide to the built-in Date Time action covering the three required parameters (Base time, Interval, Time unit), the available dropdown units (Second, Minute, Hour, Day, Week, Month) plus adding Year as a custom value, the Calculated time output and its text round-trip format with seven fractional digits, retrieving it with body(), outputs()?['body'], and formatDateTime(), non-intuitive behaviors (UTC arithmetic with no time zone conversion, negative intervals subtracting, month-end clamping where January 31 plus one month lands on the last day of February, and output returned as text not a date), limitations (base time must be valid ISO 8601, whole numbers only, one operation per action), common errors and fixes (datetime string must match ISO 8601 format, result off by a few hours, condition comparisons never matching due to string instead of ticks), and recommendations including using the addToTime() function for simple cases, naming the action, adding comments, and error handling. - [SharePoint: UPPER function](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/sharepoint-list-function-reference/sharepoint-upper-function/): SharePoint UPPER Function Reference: Complete guide to the UPPER function in SharePoint list calculated columns, covering syntax (=UPPER([Title])), behavior with column types (Number passes through as text, Date and Time collapses to serial numbers like 44176, Yes/No returns TRUE or FALSE, single-selection Choice works as text, Location only via individual sections), real-world examples (normalizing reference codes with UPPER(TRIM()), forcing uppercase entry with the EXACT function in column validation, building consistent labels with LEFT and CONCATENATE), non-intuitive behaviors (equals sign comparisons are already case-insensitive, calculated columns display a copy without fixing source data, accented letters keep their accents), limitations (no lookup, person, or multi-select choice columns, result is always text, blank input returns blank), troubleshooting common errors (syntax error from semicolon regional separators, serial numbers fixed with the TEXT function, validation requiring EXACT instead of equals), and recommendations on combining with TRIM and choosing between UPPER, LOWER, and PROPER - [Power Automate: isInt function](https://manueltgomes.com/microsoft/power-platform/powerautomate/powerautomate-function-reference/power-automate-isint-function/): Power Automate isInt Function Reference: Complete guide to the isInt logical comparison function covering syntax (single string parameter, boolean return), where to find it (Compose, Condition, Initialize Variable actions), basic and conditional usage with the if/isInt/int pattern for safe integer conversion, real-world scenarios (validating Microsoft Forms input, filtering arrays of mixed values, guarding calculations), edge cases (decimals always rejected including 10.0, negative integers accepted, scientific notation rejected, thousands separators and whitespace cause failures, empty strings return false but null raises InvalidTemplate, very large numbers pass but break int() at the 32-bit signed integer limit 2,147,483,647), limitations (no locale awareness unlike isFloat, strings-only parameter, 8192 character expression size), troubleshooting common errors ('expects its parameter to be a string', 'integer value is too large', false returns on hidden whitespace or separators), and best practices for pairing with int(), trim(), replace(), coalesce(), Condition and Switch actions. ## Pages - [About](https://manueltgomes.com/about/): About page introducing Manuel T Gomes, a software engineer and Power Platform automation specialist, covering his background, expertise, and professional focus. - [Automation](https://manueltgomes.com/services/automation/): Service page offering Power Automate flows, scheduled tasks, and end-to-end process automation to eliminate repetitive manual work. - [Blog](https://manueltgomes.com/blog/): Blog hub with 500+ practical tutorials on Power Automate, Power Apps, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, automation, and productivity for all skill levels. - [Contact](https://manueltgomes.com/contact/): Contact page for reaching Manuel T Gomes about business inquiries, Power Platform consulting, SharePoint development, and collaboration opportunities. - [Cookie Policy](https://manueltgomes.com/cookie-policy/): Legal page explaining how manueltgomes.com uses cookies, the types set, their purpose, and how visitors can manage or clear their cookie preferences. - [Custom Development](https://manueltgomes.com/services/custom-development/): Service page offering custom connectors, integrations, APIs, and internal tools built to fit specific business workflows. - [Expressions Cookbook](https://manueltgomes.com/expressions-cookbook/): Collection of copy-ready Power Automate expression snippets and examples for dates, strings, arrays, math, and other common flow scenarios. - [Find My Locale](https://manueltgomes.com/tools/find-my-locale/): Browser tool that detects your locale code, such as en-US or pt-PT, for Power Automate formatting functions. - [Home](https://manueltgomes.com/): Homepage of Manuel T Gomes, offering Power Platform automation, custom development, and project management services plus 500+ free tutorials. - [N8N Triggers](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/n8n-triggers/): Reference index page for N8N triggers, organized by category including schedule, data operation, and integration triggers that start workflows. - [Power Apps Functions](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/power-apps-functions/): Reference index page for Power Apps Power Fx functions, organized by type such as string, date, math, and table, with clear examples for canvas apps. - [Power Automate Actions](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/power-automate-actions/): Browsable index of Power Automate connector actions organized by service, each linking to a detailed reference article. - [Power Automate Cookbook](https://manueltgomes.com/power-automate-cookbook/): Collection of ready-to-use Power Automate templates and flow recipes covering notifications, data handling, approvals, and other common automation tasks. - [Power Automate Functions](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/power-automate-functions/): Browsable index of Power Automate expression functions organized by type, each linking to a detailed reference article with examples. - [Power Automate Triggers](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/power-automate-triggers/): Browsable index of Power Automate triggers organized by category, each linking to a detailed reference article. - [Privacy Policy](https://manueltgomes.com/privacy-policy/): Legal page detailing how manueltgomes.com collects, uses, stores, and protects personal data, and the rights visitors have over their information. - [Project Management](https://manueltgomes.com/services/project-management/): Service page offering project planning, team coordination, and process design backed by over twenty years of IT project management. - [Reference](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/): Reference hub landing page linking to organized Power Automate, Power Apps, and SharePoint documentation for functions, actions, and triggers. - [Request an Estimation](https://manueltgomes.com/estimation/): Service page for requesting a free, no-commitment project estimate covering automation, custom development, and project management on the Power Platform. - [Search](https://manueltgomes.com/search/): On-site search page for finding Manuel T Gomes tutorials, reference articles, and guides across Power Automate, Power Apps, and SharePoint. - [Security Policy](https://manueltgomes.com/security-policy/): Responsible disclosure policy for manueltgomes.com, covering scope, reporting contact, response timelines, and researcher acknowledgements. - [SharePoint List Functions](https://manueltgomes.com/reference/sharepoint-list-functions/): Browsable index of SharePoint list and calculated-column functions organized by category, each linking to a detailed reference article. - [Tools](https://manueltgomes.com/tools/): Hub of free, browser-based tools for Power Automate users and developers, with no sign-up, uploads, or tracking. - [Manuel](https://manueltgomes.com/author/manuel-t-gomes/): Over the last 20 years, I have been employed to work with big and small companies. My main focus has been on IT project management and improving the productivity of teams of all sizes thanks to optimizing the usage of Software. My drive is that, thanks to my help, people can focus on their job, save time and avoid frustration. I am specialized in Power Automate, and through my personal website – ManuelTGomes.com – I’ve been able to help hundreds of thousands of people over the last few years. This has made me decide to turn my passion into my job. I started my own company – Skillful Sardine – helping people and companies fix problems by teaching about and optimizing the usage of Power Automate and dozens of other Office 365 tools. ## Optional - [AI](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/ai/): Opinion essays by Manuel T Gomes on artificial intelligence, covering AI agents, everyday use, and why the technology rewards knowing more, not less. - [Ads](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/ads/): Manuel T Gomes explains why manueltgomes.com runs no advertising and how staying ad-free shapes the site's content. - [Automatic Documentation](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/automatic-documentation/): Templates and Power Automate strategies from Manuel T Gomes for auto-generating documentation across professional and personal workflows. - [Automation](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/automation/): Automation tutorials and examples from Manuel T Gomes showing how to save time with Power Automate, N8N, and Microsoft 365 across everyday tasks. - [Best Practices](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/best-practices/): Best-practice guidance from Manuel T Gomes on naming conventions, consistency, and maintainable patterns for building Power Platform solutions. - [Comedy](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/comedy/): Comedy book and podcast recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, offering a light break from the site's technical Power Platform content. - [Common Questions](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/common-questions/): FAQ-style articles from Manuel T Gomes answering common Power Automate, SharePoint, Power Apps, and Excel questions with concrete fixes. - [Corporate Champion](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/corporate-champion/): Articles from Manuel T Gomes on becoming a workplace champion for automation, spreading good practices, and driving tool adoption in organizations. - [Design](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/design/): Design principles and tools from Manuel T Gomes focused on making apps, reports, and interfaces simple and usable rather than merely pretty. - [Development](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/development/): Development articles, tools, and tutorials from Manuel T Gomes covering core coding concepts that help low-code and Power Platform builders improve. - [Fiction](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/fiction/): Fiction book and podcast recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, a lighter counterpart to the site's technical Power Platform writing. - [Function Day](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/functionday/): Function Day is Manuel T Gomes's recurring series exploring individual Power Automate, SharePoint, Power Apps, and Excel functions in depth. - [Fundamentals](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/fundamentals/): Foundational concepts, tutorials, and explanations from Manuel T Gomes covering the core building blocks of Microsoft's Power Platform. - [Ignite](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/ignite/): Coverage from Manuel T Gomes of Microsoft Ignite announcements and sessions, focused on new concepts and how they apply to the Power Platform. - [Into The Weeds](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/into-the-weeds/): Into the Weeds is Manuel T Gomes's series of advanced, in-depth articles on complex Power Platform topics, edge cases, and tricky fixes. - [Investigative journalism](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/investigative-journalism/): Investigative journalism podcast and book recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, chosen to spark different thinking alongside the site's technical content. - [Music](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/music/): Music recommendations from Manuel T Gomes, including podcasts and lesser known artists that pair with the site's technology topics. - [New Feature](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/new-feature/): Coverage of newly released features across Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform, chosen for practical everyday value. - [New Habit](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/newhabit/): A recurring series documenting habits Manuel T Gomes forms, such as daily reading, with practical notes on how he sustains them. - [News](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/news/): Sporadic news and commentary on Microsoft, Power Platform, privacy, and related tech, published when noteworthy updates appear. - [Overview](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/overview/): High-level overviews of broad topics, written to convey the core idea in an approachable way without heavy technical depth. - [Personal Development](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/personal-development/): Books, podcasts, tools, and reflections on growing your skills, knowledge, and mindset as a professional and a person. - [Privacy](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/privacy/): Articles on protecting your privacy online, how it gets abused for profit, and practical choices you can make about your data. - [Problem Solved](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/problemsolved/): Concrete fixes and workarounds to real Power Platform and automation problems Manuel T Gomes ran into and solved. - [Productivity](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/productivity/): Tips, tools, automations, and habits for improving personal and team productivity, focused on doing better work rather than more. - [Security](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/security/): Practical security tips, tools, and risk awareness to help you keep your data safe online, alongside the site's Power Platform focus. - [Single Source of Truth](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/single-source-of-truth/): The Single Source of Truth concept, keeping one authoritative place for reusable data like keys and templates to avoid duplicated work. - [Technology](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/technology/): Manuel T Gomes on the tools, apps, and technology trends he finds useful, beyond the Microsoft ecosystem, with no affiliations. - [Templates](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/templates/): Reusable templates for Power Automate flows and other tools like Things 3, WordPress, and Hazel, adapted to be generic and shareable. - [Tiny Tip](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/tinytip/): Bite-sized quick tips and common mistakes across Power Automate, macOS, and other tools, kept short and easy to apply. - [Tutorial](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/tutorial/): Step-by-step tutorials and how-to guides that walk through a specific problem or topic for both beginners and advanced users. - [Writing](https://manueltgomes.com/tag/writing/): Tips on technical writing, blogging, and content creation, with the tools and techniques that make complex ideas approachable.