How to extract the first name from a Firstname Lastname format for use in a dynamic email?

[rmartori]

Or to be more precise what am I doing wrong?

the expression I am using in a compose is

split(triggerBody()?['Legal Name'], ' ')[0]  

I then put the output in the email next to Hello , 

But when I do a test I get the following error

Unable to process template language expressions in action 'Compose' inputs at line '0' and column '0': 'The template language function 'split' expects its first parameter to be of type string. The provided value is of type 'Null'. Please see https://aka.ms/logicexpressions#split for usage details.'.

I double checked the spot where the error is coming up and there is in fact a name in that cell. no blanks, no formulas, just a name

[creativeopinion]

@rmartori Can you show a screenshot of your flow?

To extract the First Name:

first(split(triggerBody()?['Legal Name'], ' '))

To extract the Last Name:

last(split(triggerBody()?['Legal Name'], ' '))

Hope this helps!

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[trice602]

Hi @rmartori ,

The error is because "legal name" is blank so it can't split.  I also checked a couple of outputs from "when a new email arrives V3) and I don't see "legal name" as a trigger output.  What trigger are you using?  Please share the output screen where legal name has a value returned.

That said, you could use the action get user profile which will return their profile, including their name, and then you will have the first and last (no split required).

[rmartori]

Legal name is a column in my excel file. I cant really show the excel file cause it has personal info but there are names in each.

edit: I tried just filling it with generic names but still got the same error but this is the excel file, basically.

 

 

 

[trice602 · Accepted solution]

Hi @rmartori,

The issue is your 'Legal Name' is not in the trigger, it is in the List rows present in a table action.  To make this easier for you, I suggest you add a column in your excel table for firstname and last name, split in excel, then just refer to your first name dynamic content.

If you absolutely need to split in power automate, then use the split formula but change it to point to your legal name column in your excel table.  Start with a blank expression in your compose:

split() 

inside your brackets, select the dynamic content 'legal name' and then add , ' ', 0

My point is the dynamic content is not in the trigger body it is inside an excel action and inside a loop.  Here's the expression and what the loop and compose looks like.