Expense claim Form to List to Approval to PDF report

[Devlink]

I'm new to PA and have been thrown into the deep end. I've been asked to create an expense claim process that allows users to submit information and a scan of a receipt and ends with a PDF document being archived on a Sharepoint site.

Here's where I'm up to...

1. User enters expense claim via a Form which collects all the relevant data and a copy of the receipt. - WORKING
2. Form data is sent to two managers via teams who must both approve the claim. When they do the claim is added to a list - WORKING
3. At the end of the month the accounts team want to be able to turn the approved claims list into a PDF report of each claim with all relevant data AND a copy of the receipt (which is in either JPG, PNG or PDF format) - NOT THERE YET... HELP!

I can take the list item information and via a button trigger use an Encodian free account to convert it to a an HTML file and then save it as a PDF file. What I can't do is include the image/PDF attachment. I've spend the last two days trying to work this out, please, someone put me out of my misery!!!

I find it hard to understand that there isn't just a simple way of taking a list's line item and exporting it as a PDF. Well, I suppose it's not too difficult, however, as soon as an attachment is included it becomes very fiddly!

Here's my flow for converting the line item of the list after clicking on the button I've set up. It all runs but I can't work out how to add the attachment. I have managed to get the PDF to show what looks like a MIME encoded version of the attachment (i.e. a big ol' list of text gibberish) but I can't get the actual attachment to show.

I have a premium account of PA although I need other users using a free account to be able to run this flow by clicking the button in the list, which is why I was using a free Encodian account. The 50 runs included with that should be enough.

To paraphrase a famous princess in a galaxy far far away - "Help me PA wizards, you're my only hope!"

[AlexEncodian]

@Devlink 

Hi, this blog might help in understanding how to deal with list attachments. This article takes the data and populates word but the logic of getting list attachments can be the same.

Add SharePoint List Item Data to a Document — Encodian

You may also need to build logic to check if the attachment is a PDF or not. If its a PDF, you can merge it in later or Add it as an attachment. If its an image, you can insert it straight into the PDF either via HTML to PDF or Populate Word then convert to PDF. 

[Devlink]

Thanks for that Alex, I'm looking into that now. As I said, I'm a PA (and JSON) noob so I'm also watching a tonne of video's on how to do the logic you suggest.

Still not sure if this flow is the best way of doing things i.e. Form - List - HTML - PDF or if there is a more direct an easy approach. If you (or anyone else) has any suggestions I'm all ears! Well.... clearly not ALL ears otherwise how could I be typing this... You know what I mean.

Thanks James.

[Devlink]

I found the answer!!!  On this forum - the following post takes the encoded gibberish of the Get File Attachment Content and turns it back into an image in the HTML file. Then Endodian creates a composite PDF of the HTML data and image/pdf attachment 😁

Solved: Re: Flow generate a pdf report + photos - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

Now all I have to work out is how to stop it creating PDF's for every item in the list each time I activate the flow using the button. I just want it to create 1 PDF for the line item... I'm guessing it's got to do with the Apply To Each functions somewhere... Coffee first though 👍🏻☕️

[AlexEncodian]

Hi James,

Depending on how comfortable you are with HTML, it might be easier to populate a word document but both methods (HTML to PDF or Populate Word then convert to PDF) are valid.

Regarding the best way to handle attachments, it really depends on your exact requirements. But if you follow the link and get them all into an array, then you can really do anything after. 

Let me know if you hit any blockers.