Export list item to Excel and email?

[TBuente]

Hi,

I am currently trying to make a flow that will allow users to input data into an app, and hit a button at the end, that will export the input into an Excel sheet, and then email that excel sheet to specific emails. Is there a way to do this?

I can either have a button, or have the flow begin when a new sharepoint list item is created; however, the button is prefered. 

I have my app done, where users can input their info, and submit, which creates a new Sharepoint list item; however, the app is useless if I cannot automate the exportation, as well as emailing.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Brad_Groux]

You are on the right track utilizing a SharePoint "jump" list, so the data is stored in the SharePoint list once the button is clicked, and when the SharePoint list item is created/updated that triggers the creation of the Excel spreadsheet.

Writing directly to Excel can be a nightmare due to it's connectors many known issues and limitations, I always recommend using a SharePoint list as the central data storage, and then just initializing the Excel file creation from there.

It can work the other way around too, so if you are accessing data in a speadsheet, do it only once to import to a list, then manipulate the data once it is in a list. This reply shows the basic steps needed to create an Excel spreadsheet for each item in a list. 

If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!

[TBuente]

So the reason I need an excel sheet of the list item is so I can help our accounting department. When the form is created, accounting needs to take the information, and input this into our invoicing system. Currently, they do all of this by hand; however, there is an option to import an excel sheet with this invoicing system. If I can have users input all of this information, automate the excel creation (from the list item when created), and then emailed to the accounting department, this would save roughly 20-30 minutes per form, which would be ridiculously efficient.

My current problem (being new to flows), is that I do not know how to turn this list item into an excel sheet. I do know how to automate the email, but I am completely lost on the exporting to an excel file part.

Is there a guide or an easy way to go about doing this?

[Brad_Groux]

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@TBuente wrote:

So the reason I need an excel sheet of the list item is so I can help our accounting department. When the form is created, accounting needs to take the information, and input this into our invoicing system. Currently, they do all of this by hand; however, there is an option to import an excel sheet with this invoicing system. If I can have users input all of this information, automate the excel creation (from the list item when created), and then emailed to the accounting department, this would save roughly 20-30 minutes per form, which would be ridiculously efficient.

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If the software also allows for CSV import, I highly recommend utilizing CSV over XLSX. Exporting a list to Excel is possible, it's just not effecient. A good rule of thumb with Flow is to avoid Excel if and when possible.

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@TBuente wrote:

My current problem (being new to flows), is that I do not know how to turn this list item into an excel sheet. I do know how to automate the email, but I am completely lost on the exporting to an excel file part.

Is there a guide or an easy way to go about doing this?

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Please see the link I provided with my original response for how to create an Excel file from a list:

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@Brad_Groux wrote:

It can work the other way around too, so if you are accessing data in a speadsheet, do it only once to import to a list, then manipulate the data once it is in a list. This reply shows the basic steps needed to create an Excel spreadsheet for each item in a list. 

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If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!

[TBuente]

Thanks a ton for all the assistance, I have gotten the flow to work with creating a CSV. I only face one problem now, which is the output on some columns.

{"@odata.type":"#Microsoft.Azure.Connectors.SharePoint.SPListExpandedReference","Id":1,"Value":"***Column Value***"}

I am getting this as the value for some of my columns. While yes, this does have the correct column value, I need it to show just *column value*.

Do you have any Ideas on how to limit this? I am using a People and Groups column for this specific value im referencing.

[v-bacao-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @TBuente ,

It seems that the type of this field you want to reference is Choice, and if so, select Choice value when selecting Dynamic content.

For example, I have a field type of Choice and a field name of Status. You need to select Status value when configuring.

Image reference:

Best Regards,

[Anonymous]

I have been using this flow successfully for months but recently ran into a snag on the .csv file. Form some unknown reason it is limiting the number of entries to 100. Does anyone know how I can remove that limit?