Need help with inserting Newline:

  • 21 July 2016
  • 6 replies
  • 43 views

Badge +2

Hi,

I have a multiline SharePoint column in custom list that I am updating via workflow.  I am adding text to the column that I want separated by lines.  I've tried entering in manual carriage returns, and have tried inserting the Newline from the Common tab when using insert reference.  Still the text shows up on a single run-on line.

There has to be something simple I'm missing?

Thanks!

Troy


6 replies

Userlevel 5
Badge +14

how do you have set that field,being plain text or RTF?

try to insert text there manually (eg in QuickEdit) and investigate how is it stored. then make your updates based on that.

Badge +2

Thanks for responding Marian. I have it set at Rich Text.  Maybe it should be plain text?   Was looking at manually editing but wondering how I'd even throw in the right combination of characters...further investigation..

Userlevel 5
Badge +14

plain/rtf - depend on your needs

for rtf formatting - SP internally stores it in HTML format, so you may need to do something like this

Badge +1

Hi Troy,

Try adding the '{Common:NewLine}' in 'Build String' action and then add your variable to the field. It has worked for me in past.

Please share your solution.

Hope this helps!

Mandeep

Badge +2

HI all,

Marian set me off in the right direction :-).  I ended up putting in <BR>'s which worked within SharePoint.  Common: Newline didn't work in any scenario (using it in a build string, or directly in the Create Item action). 

However, the whole purpose of putting in the Newline is so that it looks "pretty" when we export the data to Excel for manipulation.  So it now looks great in a  SharePoint list, but when exported to excel, the <BR>'s don't translate.  Just FYI for anyone trying to do this in the future.   But this is something I'll look into..might have to throw in  <P> or something like that.

Thanks all for your input!

Cheers,

Troy

Badge +11

Hi Troy

Did you work out how to export to excel without the <BR>s? 

Jo

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