Convert Text Collection to Bullet List in Flow

A collection variable in Flow is an ordered list that holds multiple values of the same data type. While record collections can be displayed using components like Data Table, there’s no elegant way to display other types of collections. By default, these values appear inside square brackets and are separated by commas, which can look messy and hard to read. Fortunately, there’s a simple solution. You can convert a text collection into a clean, readable bullet list in Flow using just a formula. Whether it’s a list of emails, numbers, or dates, here’s how to make it look great in your Flow screens.

How Flow Stores Collection Variables

Let’s assume we have a text collection of fruits. In Flow, the values appear inside square brackets and are separated by commas. As a result, displaying the collection directly on a screen won’t look clean or easy to read.

Now, imagine the collection contains many items. It definitely won’t look good on the screen!

Using Formula to Convert Text Collection to Bullet List in Flow

You can convert a text collection into a clean, readable bullet list in Flow using just a formula. No Apex required!

Create a new text formula resource using this formula:

"• " & SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE({!TextCollection}, "[", ""), "]", ""), ",", BR() & "• ")

This formula simply removes the square brackets. Then it replaces the commas with bullets and line breaks to create a cleaner display.

Here’s the final result. Looks much better, doesn’t it?

Although this post focuses on text collections, it’s worth noting that the formula also works with other types of collections too (except for record and apex-defined collections).

Read this post to see a real use case that uses this formula.