Populate Word Template and PDF each sheet fails at random times

[VeeLearnMSFT]

I have a flow that I built and it has been absolutely driving me bonkers.  Part of the issue is my fault for not knowing enough about error  handling.  I created a sharepoint list where I pasted 220 entries with 6 columns.  Each of the columns is used to Populate a Word template.  Everytime I ran that thing each time a random file fails. Its hard for me to easily identify, so I had to open up the f

Here are some of the errors:  Most of the time if it fails, it fails at the Converts Word to PDF.  But I dont get it, like 100 get processes and then a random one does not.  So I delete them, start over and another random one gets the error.  Its not specific to a file, its like its either bogged down? 

My question, is what is this error? and the other one is how do I change the flow to add error handling.

There are two places where I noticed the error, sometimes when I rerun the flows because the flow first creates and saves a word document before it creates a PDF, if the word document already exists in the library it fails.  How do I add an action in front of this step to check if a file exists?

The other possible solution is to rerun the the Creates PDF file in OneDrive action.  

If anyone has any other ideas or can offer any help I would greatly appreciate it..I think If I learn a little bit more error handling I would be in better shape.  But I still dont get why this flow fails in the first place...200 files to create PDF for SharePoint shouldnt be a big deal.  But maybe here is a differnet way to build this flow to PDF THE FILES?

Please help 🙂

[Koen5]

Dear VeeLearnMSFT,

I may have a few suggestion which can help you.

• Are you familiar with 'Configure after'? This allows you to let a flow continue to run even when an action has failed. You can access 'Configure after' by the 3 dots at the right hand side of most actions. In your case this at least should allow you to continue your flow even when actions occur.
• If I were you I would build in a check with a 'Do Until', maybe after each separate action of creating a word document and/or PDF. For example you set a variable 'SuccessCheck' and set it to 'false' just before the Do Until. Then you create the Do Until action with as a condition that the variable 'SuccessCheck' should be 'true'.  You put in all your action steps and create your Word file and PDF and a suitable delay (to allow for the creation of the new files) and finally a 'List files' action with a filter on the filename (same as the one you just created) ... After the 'List files' you create a condition based on the output of the 'List files'. One is to run when the action has found the file you looked for ... set the variable 'SuccessCheck' to 'true' and happily continue. The other one is to run when the output of the 'List files' is '[]'. This means the files did not get created. I would then set another Delay and set the variable 'SuccessCheck' to 'false'. The 'Do Until' will re-run.
• In general, I would build in some error scope as per example below. This would capture any errors you encounter and at least inform you of such errors ... or allows you to create alternative actions. You put all your flow actions in the first scope 'Generic error capture' Make sure you 'Configure after' the second scope section to run if the first scope has failed.
• 

Happy flowing,

Koen

[VeeLearnMSFT]

@Koen5 Thank you for the time to write up this suggestion.  I will check it out when I have a bit more time.  I may bug you again when I build something out to make sure it is what you suggested...

Thanks again and please enjoy your evening.