save email as pdf

[Qwertworks]

Let us save an email as PDF document when using outlook.com or 365.

For example I would like to set up a flow that lets me archive all emails that come are put into a certain folder as PDFs to my OneDrive. From what I see this does not seem to be possible as of right now.

[v-xida-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Qwertworks,

Do you want to save the incoming emails as PDF documents into your OneDrive folder?

I have made a test on my side and please take a try with the following workaround:

• Add a "When a new email arrives" trigger.
• Add a "Export email" action, Message Id field set to Message Id dynamic content of the trigger.
• Add a "Create file" action of OneDrive connector, specify Folder Path, File Name field set to Received Time dynamic content.eml, File Content field set to output of "Export email" action.
• Add a "Convert file" action, File field set to Id dynamic content of the "Create file" action, Target type set to PDF.
• Add a "Create file 2" action, specify Folder Path, File Name field set to Received Time dynamic content.pdf, File Content field set to File content dynamic content of the "Convert file" action.
• Add a "Delete file" action, File field set to Id dynamic content of the "Create file" action.

Image reference:

The flow works successfully as below:

The PDF file opens well as below:

More details about creating a email message (.eml or .msg) file, please check the following article:

https://flow.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/outlook-connector-more/

Best regards,

kris

[BSWatkins]

I've got this working except the last step. Instead of deleting the .eml file, it deletes the .pdf file and retains the .eml.

Any thoughts?

[creightons]

When you select the Id for the file to delete in the last step, it needs to be from the original Create file step in the Flow (which creates the .eml file) NOT the Create file 2 step (which creates the .pdf file). When you create the Delete file step, the dynamic content starts with Create file 2 since that was the most recent step:

List of dynamic content from Create file 2 step

But if you scroll down further, you should be able to select the file ID from the original Create file step and delete that file instead.

Dynamic content from the original Create file step

[JAH313]

I get this to work perfectly when testing it with messages already in Office356, but it will not run automatically when I send a test message to the inbox. I do have the flow set to "When New Email Arrives" and the inbox. 

Any ideas?

[Dorul]

Hi @v-xida-msft

Works great, flow succeeded but it doesnt delete the .eml file at last step.

Any idea why? I also tried to insert the ID from pdf file, which works but with the ID from step Create file, it doesnt delete the saved mail.

Thank you

EDIT: actually it works, but only if someone else is sending the emails to me. I was testing sending mails to myself, in that case it doesnt delete the .eml files

[MWISE]

Hello,

I was able to get the flow to work and have the files delete as they should. I ran into an issue when trying emails like those from Uber or Lyft. The images are not being converted in the PDF. Any idea of what can be done?

Thanks

[danjonwig17]

I’m having exactly the same issue, embedded graphics aren’t being saved. I tried sending an email from outlook mobile on iOS with a single photo embedded, got only a little red x in the PDF file. Anyone fine a solution?

[MWISE]

I opened a ticket with Microsoft and was told that the Flow is working as expected and that the images aren't supported at this time. 

[teqs]

---

@MWISE wrote:

I opened a ticket with Microsoft and was told that the Flow is working as expected and that the images aren't supported at this time. 

---

I am not sure if this answer of MS makes sense. If embedded images and HTML is not included in the email export, then it is no full email export. Everything in the email, has to be in the email pdf export of course. I tried to export some HTML Emails with this method and after converting HTML elements and images are missing. Nowadays many emails use HTML and embedded image.

I will open a new flow idea to get a connector which can handle Emails to PDF Exports.

[teqs]

---

@teqs wrote:I will open a new flow idea to get a connector which can handle Emails to PDF Exports.

---

Here it is:

Export Mail to PDF format or convert .eml file to PDF including embedded images and HTML visualizati...

[jaker12]

My converted email is cutoff. Anyone else experience this?

[teqs]

It seems that the actual buit-in "convert file" node is not capable of rendering an Email correctly and then export it to PDF.

Of course, this is not very simple, because the "convert file" connector needs some good and intelligent renderer. To render a email like a Email program and show most important peaces of the header.

Also convert file lacks some options, like "load embedded images", "page size", etc.

I updated the flow idea with some details:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/Export-Email-to-PDF-format-or-convert-eml-file-to-PDF...

[Zack9lawson]

You can save Emails as PDF format. You need to  Softaken EML to PDF Converter is definitely a good choice that allows you to migrate multiple files at a time without any loss of data and efforts of the users. The converter is the ideal and excellent solution  with its innovation features and wide compatibility.

[Scott0044]

Thanks, great post!  I want to do this exact same thing except in a SharePoint Online library.  Can this be done?  I'm getting a 'bad request' error at the conversion step.  Any help would be appreciated.

{

"status": 400,

  "message": "The file id '%252fPNC%252fReport%2bFrom%2bEmployer_%2bscott%2bsmith.eml' is not valid.",

  "source": "api.connectorp.svc.ms"

}