Solved: Re: Flow to create table in Excel file that I save...

jpenndcl · ‎03-13-2018

I noticed the new Excel Online (business) connector last week and built a flow that takes attachments out of my email, saves them to a SharePoint library, and then attempts to create a table within the file.

I have been successful in creating a table in a file that I pick from the file drop-down menu, but I can't get it to work when I use dynamic content. I can see the flow identifying the correct file (in the same manner it would if I had manually picked it), but I continue to get BadGateway errors with a note in the output body that says something a malformed or incorrect request. Any ideas or is this a bug in the flow connector?

The error shows up as a 502 error.

jpenndcl · ‎05-09-2018

Since my master file is an excel spreadsheet on SharePoint and my email attachment is an excel file, I used the Outlook Get Attachment connector (which gets the file and its content) and then used the SharePoint Update File connector with the Get Attachment - Body dynamic content. Hopefully that helps.

View solution in original post

jpenndcl · ‎08-01-2018

Just create a master file and update it with the new content. The work around is sufficient to take care of the issue while they improve it further.

View solution in original post

Anonymous · ‎03-19-2018

I too have this same issue, but a 404 error... really frustrating. I have tried everything under the sun

v-yuazh-msft · ‎03-20-2018

Hi @ jpenndcl,

Could you please share a screenshot of the configuration of your flow?

Could you please share more details about the error that you meet?

Microsoft flow could support choose a file from the file drop-down menu in the “File” field of “Create table” action of “Excel (Business)” connector currently, using dynamic content in the “File” field is not supported in Microsoft flow currently.

If you would like this feature to be added in Microsoft Flow, please submit an idea to Flow Ideas Forum:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

Regards,
Alice Zhang

jpenndcl · ‎03-20-2018

Ah, dynamic content not being supported would cause the issue. I guess I could backup the static copy (copy it to a new file name) and overwrite the original static file each time with the new email attachment until dynamic support is added.

Thank you!

Anonymous · ‎03-21-2018

Hi Alice,

I've tried using the static method you have described, by "Updating" the original file with new content but that does not work. I've also tried deleting the file at the end of the flow and replacing it with a file of the same name and path but that also does not work. I've also pointed directly to the file in the folder and tried to run it fresh and it doesn't work. The other Excel Online (Business) actions seem to work quite well as I am able to get a row and insert a row in a different table without issue, but the 'Create Table' action is the key step that I need for the flow to succeed. Please see below for my error as well as the link to the screenshot for this step.

{
  "status": 404,
  "message": "The resource could not be found.\r\nclientRequestId: 2bf2b373-4577-400e-a3f7-e62f9017885f",
  "source": "excelonline-ae.azconn-ae.p.azurewebsites.net"
}

https://imgur.com/KpNsWUl

Thanks for your help

anhthuch4ng · ‎04-04-2018

Hi @jpenndcl,

Did you have a chance to apply @v-yuazh-msft's suggestions to your Flow above?

If yes and you found that solution to be satisfactory, please go ahead and mark your response as the "Accepted Solution". 🙂

Happy Flowing,

-AT (Flow Community Admin)

jpenndcl · ‎04-05-2018

Actually, I got it to work with a workaround. What I did was create a master file on sharepoint (“masterfile.xlsx”) and update the master file with the content of the attachment each time a new one was sent to me. This way the Excel connector doesn’t need to reference something dynamic.

jnkm · ‎05-09-2018

Hello!

How did you update the master file with the content?

jpenndcl · ‎05-09-2018

Since my master file is an excel spreadsheet on SharePoint and my email attachment is an excel file, I used the Outlook Get Attachment connector (which gets the file and its content) and then used the SharePoint Update File connector with the Get Attachment - Body dynamic content. Hopefully that helps.

GabrielStJohn · ‎05-24-2018

Hey, @jpenndcl!

Thank you for posting to the Flow Community Forum! It appears you have found a solution to your issue! If you feel as though your issue has been resolved and you are satisfied with one of the previous replies, please click "Accept as Solution" so that this thread will be marked for other users to easily identify!

Thank you for being an active member of the Flow Community!

-Gabriel

(Flow Community Admin)

- Gabriel
Community Manager
Power Automate | Power Virtual Agents
Super User Program Manager

Anonymous · ‎06-23-2018

I'm having the same issue. Is dynamic content still not supported? Can anyone give an example of a Flow someone might actually want to create - any plausible scenario you can come up with - where you'd want to create a table in the exact same Excel file (using all of the same data) each time the Flow runs?

Is this fixed yet? Why bother adding this feature if you can't use dynamic content?

asdfaf4 · ‎08-01-2018

Really? No dynamic filename possible? This is completely useless... **bleep**, these partial implementation or MS own connectors to their own technology only teases the early adopting organizations but then fall flat on their face when the POC starts...

Sorry... just in a bad mood that my efforts to innovate using Flow is not panning out for many scenarios (Planner, Excel, Groups, etc...) due to lack of many features in Flow.

jpenndcl · ‎08-01-2018

Just create a master file and update it with the new content. The work around is sufficient to take care of the issue while they improve it further.

ricard999 · ‎08-29-2018

I am getting same result with adding a table to an excel spreadsheet I copied (to a master file).

Does this work?

moutinhoabreu · ‎12-26-2018

Support by voting here:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/Allow-Dynamic-Content-in-Excel-File-fields/idc-p/1972...

moutinhoabreu · ‎12-26-2018

Support the idea by voting here:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/Allow-Dynamic-Content-in-Excel-File-fields/idc-p/1972...

Anonymous · ‎02-27-2019

I have tried this message and still get a 423 when the SharePoint Update file piece is executed.

Anonymous · ‎02-28-2019

Lol. I mean, sure I'll vote, but is that seriously necessary? I have to vote for a "new feature" to get Microsoft to finish implementing this feature?

Because I don't see how you can call this a "feature" when it does not work in any use case. (Seriously. I asked if anyone could think of a hypothetical use case many months ago, and so far no one has come up with anything.)

So why is fixing your mistake a "new feature" I have to vote for?

jpenndcl · ‎02-28-2019

Please provide details on what you are found so we can help. Are you using a master file to update? Static table name? Where is it stored? What connectors and functions are you running?

Anonymous · ‎02-28-2019

Yes I was trying the Master file approach. I have tried storing both in a SharePoint Document Library and on a file server. I am receiving in an email attachment that is an excel spreadsheet. I am trying to get that Excel spreadsheet to load into a SQL database. Originally I tried using the Create File method but as soon as I ran the Excel Create Table to be able to access the rows with Get Rows it puts a lock on the file. Then I tried the master record approach and and tried the Update File routine and that too indicated that the file was locked. Seems like once the Excel connector touches it, it wont let go. I cant even manaully go delete it even though it show being locked by my user id.