FIRST

Use the FIRST function to return the first item (position 1) from an Array.

Use

FIRST( array )
Returns the first item from an array.

Parameter	Required	Description
array	Yes	any array to return the first item from

Returns

An item from the array matching the type of array

Examples

Identifying the Lead Approver from a List

In many workflows, a submitter might provide a list of multiple potential approvers in a Person Array. You can use the FIRST function in an Input Mapping formula to display only the primary contact at the beginning of the next form.

• Formula: FIRST(@Trigger.out.SelectedApprovers)
• Logic: This formula takes the array produced by the trigger step and extracts the individual listed at the first position.
• Result: If the user selected three people—"Adele Vance," "Megan Bowen," and "Fred Blogs"—the function returns "Adele Vance".

Capturing the Starting Value for a Variable Update

You can use the FIRST function within a Variable Update formula to store the initial entry of a data series. This is helpful if you need to compare later entries against the original starting point.

• Scenario: A user submits a Number Array representing "Quarterly Projections." You want to update a variable called $InitialProjection with the very first number entered.
• Formula: FIRST(@Trigger.out.Projections)
• Logic: The function scans the numeric array and returns the value at the top of the list.
• Result: If the array contains , the variable will be updated to 5000.