Populate a Word Template table Dynamically with Power Automate
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- Опубликовано: 4 фев 2024
- In this video we populate a word template dynamically based on a list in SharePoint. We use the repeating content control in MS Word, SharePoint and Power Automate to do that.
Come check it out we are using the new modern look & feel of power automate too!
Populating word repeating sections dynamically with Power Automate involves using the application's ability to automate tasks and process data within Microsoft Word documents. Specifically, you can create a flow that takes input data, such as text or values from forms, databases, or other sources, and inserts this data into predefined sections of a Word template. This process typically uses Word templates with content controls or placeholders that are identified and filled out by the flow based on the input. For example, you might have a Word document with repeating sections for items in an invoice, and Power Automate can dynamically fill these sections based on a list of items from an order processing system. This approach streamlines document creation, ensures consistency, and reduces manual errors by automating repetitive tasks and data entry.
My name is Andrew Hess please like and subscribe if this content is helpful! 
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Great stuff as always! Thanks Andrew!
Thanks Chadd for the continuous support!
Good work and very useful.
@MsRodrovisk Thanks so much! Glad it's useful!
Hello, very good video. But I had a question, is it possible to create a table that includes images in each row?
For example, I have a table where column 1 is first name, column 2 is last name and column 3 is photo.
All data is stored in a sharepoint.
I use the steps to get item and get file content, and I store it in an array.
In the word template I have the box with their respective controls and the row repeater "Content control for section repetition".
But when you open the template in Power automate, this tells me the repeater with the controls of Name and surname but not the one of Photo. Then by putting the array where the information was stored, it creates the table in word with all the corresponding first and last names but not adding the photo. I want to know if you know if in this case only text is handled or it is not possible to make a table with images
Thank you
Thanks for that. Well, the premium Word connector works well, I managed to do populate templates... however, it is very limited, I wish there was a way to run a VB script to deal with specificities, etc. We run templates at my office but in several languages, so we have macro that deals with styles to use, table/column size specificities, etc. I haven't tested this list/Word connector in other languages such as Arabic, Chinese. So at the end, considering the limitation above, I have created a Power App that get the data from the list and allow client to enter further data using a form.... then PowerApp with PowerAutomate will create a data file (TXT) that is sent by email.... then I have an Outlook macro that get the TXT file, parse it (read properties, read data for bookmarks, etc.), launch MS Word, fill the bookmarks and do all the specificities and upload output file in Sharepoint and send the template to client by email. This is a workaround until VB script can be run on the cloud. It has downsides but it works great, we have more than 100 templates/categories in six language.
That's really cool actually. I wonder if Copilot Studio could help you create that also. Or even ChatGPT with a custom LLM.
I know Microsoft has some Azure components in cognitive services also for translating in multiple languages too. That could be hooked to a Power Automate or a Logic App.
But of course I think adding a Power App front end is golden!
Thanks for sharing BigBoskee!
goooooood A very distinctive explanation
Thanks Mohamed!
Great video, Im having trouble where my select is going inside an apply to each, i dont understand how the select in your video does not do the same? I'm unable to use the output in the word document because of this as well. Thanks
Can you do this with images?
This method will not allow images in the repeating sections. I have done images just 1 image at a time. There are other html ways or 3rd party tools.
Perfect Video, really, I tried to do this, and after some days, I did it, but, here I don´t have the premium license. However, I did using the html of the word, kkk, and it's working, but I had to remember a sort of thing oh html, but its possible, U just need save the doc in html, and open in the note reader, copy and initialize a variable in the flow, and another for the lines from sharepoint. And finally create the archive, but just in html, so U will have to open with Word, and after save the doc. Its a way to do it without premium. I hope its useful. Nice video, I love it.
Good point Guilherme, thanks for sharing. That sounds like a good alternative doing it in html, then pushing it to the word file. Thanks for the input!!!
Thx! Pls show us how it's done Andrew. @@andrewhess123
Firstly great video and thanks for sharing. My returned Word .docx document content controls are not editable though, is there I way I can make them editable so that the end user can change some of the content or add to it? My end user would not have access to the Developer tab in Word.
Hi Paul, this could be possible.
One option especially if the flow is run on a schedule is to set it that column back to Not Complete and edit the SharePoint columns, either in a Power App or in the SP list themselves.
It should then recreate the document under the exact same name and update the document on that schedule.
There are other options too, but maybe that is one of the better options?
Is it possible to insert repeating images? I have images posted as a list attachment and convert those to base64.
Hi Andrew
Great video and thanks for the detailed explanation.
However, could you please explain how to convert populated word document in SharePoint to Pdf.
I tried with "Convert Word Document to PDF" and it is not working.
Kindly help.
is it possible to remove blank rows?
Hi Jeanne, Yes I would think so, you would need to build that into your Filter Query of your Get Items Action to not pull in Blank Rows
@@andrewhess123 how would you do that?
@@JB-ch9ws Depends on your flow and how it's configured, could be multiple ways, but here is an example, they use ne null: powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Building-Flows/Write-Filter-Query-to-Eliminate-Blank-Rows/td-p/2206158
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