{"id":109190,"date":"2018-05-02T03:00:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T10:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/power-platform\/blog\/power-apps\/return-an-array-from-a-sql-stored-procedure-to-powerapps-split-method\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T08:08:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T15:08:50","slug":"return-an-array-from-a-sql-stored-procedure-to-powerapps-split-method","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/power-platform\/blog\/power-apps\/return-an-array-from-a-sql-stored-procedure-to-powerapps-split-method\/","title":{"rendered":"Return an array from a SQL Stored Procedure to PowerApps (Split Method)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author’s note: this blog has been updated with a link to the Request – Response method<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Users who want to execute a SQL stored procedure in Flow can now send its resulting array into PowerApps. The Flow team released this new feature called\u00a0“Respond to PowerApps”<\/a>\u00a0that now makes it easier to retrieve data than creating a custom connector.\u00a0A flow that is triggered in PowerApps can return that data into the same instance of the app.\u00a0This enables scenarios in which thousands of records can be called for viewing, editing, and shaping.\u00a0You can read more about it\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Presently, the data that is returned can take the form of a text string, file, or email address. Directly returning an array is not among that list, but it can still be done with a workaround you’ll learn about from reading further.<\/p>\n

The Big Idea<\/h2>\n

There are many other methods of returning an array to PowerApps. You could call an Azure function or an Azure Logic App through a custom connector, but those are at a high level. The method you will read about in this blog uses the Split() formula in PowerApps to parse a text string back into an array. Intermediate to advanced users may want to explore the “Request – Response”<\/a> action, which will be featured in a subsequent blog. You can now read an in-depth blog about Request – Response<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We will be using a SQL stored procedure for our array, but you could easily substitute any other action step that produces an array into the flow. This solution makes it possible for you to revise your stored procedure query without needing to reopen and resave your app or flow.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The flow would include the following steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Trigger the flow by clicking a button in PowerApps.<\/li>\n
  2. Execute the SQL stored procedure.<\/li>\n
  3. Select the desired columns for parsing later.<\/li>\n
  4. Join the array into a single text string with a strategic delimiter.<\/li>\n
  5. Respond to PowerApps with the text string.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Once PowerApps receives the text string, all that remains is to parse the string back into an array using the\u00a0Split() function<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0AddColumns()<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    You can follow along in this blog or watch this video:<\/p>\n