Update Sharepoint List From Excel File

[GerryL]

Hi,

I have a complex Excel file that uses a connection to an Access query, which is pulling from a SQL database. I already figured out how to turn the Excel report into a Sharepoint list. But what I want is for the list to be a (close to) real time version of the Excel as changes occur to it. Bascially, I just want a live Sharepoint list. Is there any way to get at least part of this accomplished with Flow? 

[v-xida-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @GerryL,

Could you please share more details about your Excel file?

Has the data of your Excel file been formatted as a table?

Further, do you want to update your SharePoint list when some changes occured to your Excel file? 

I assume that your SharePoint list has same data structure with that in your Excel file and the data of your Excel file has been formatted as a table. In addition, I assume that there is a column in your Excel table (or SharePoint list) could uniquely identify a record (or a item). I have created a Excel file (Stored in my OneDrive for Business folder) on my side and the data structure of it as below:

The data structure of my SharePoint list as below:

Note: The Email Address column could identify one record in my Excel table (or one item in my SharePoint list) uniquely.

There is no trigger could detect if there are some changes in a Excel file in Microsoft Flow currently, I afraid that there is no way to achieve your needs directly in Microsoft Flow. 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

In addition, you could consider take a try with the following workaround as an alternative solution:

• Add a "When a file is modified (properties only)" trigger, specify Folder value.
• Add a Condition, left input box set to Display name dynamic content of the trigger, right input box set to Employees.xlsx (Set to your Excel file name), within middle drop down, choose is equal to. 
• Within "If/yes" branch of Condition, add a "Get rows" action, specify File name and Table name. Add a "Apply to each" action, input parameter set to output of "Get row" action.

         Within "Apply to each" action, add a "Get items" action, specify Site Address and List Name. Add a "Apply to each 2" action, input parameter set to output of "Get items" action.

         Within "Apply to each 2" action, add a "Update item" action, specify Site Address and List Name.

Image reference:

The flow works successfully as below:

Best regards,

Kris

[diegoadum]

Hi there! is this solution (very good by the way) insert and update records or we just need to add that verification as an if condition?

Regards,

Diego!

[Anonymous]

Hi @v-xida-msft, 

Thanks for the nice workflow. However, does this solution implies that the number of rows in the excel file (and in the SP list) is the same? What if the number of rows in the Excel is greater than what the rows in SP are? I assume there will be the need for checking the contents of the SP vs these of Excel and then a 'create item' outside the apply to each loop. 
I got a question here, but I have not figured out the solution from your proposed flow.
Thanks for helping. 

[ling]

Hi @v-xida-msft,,

I'm not the OP, but found this while trying to do something similar.

One question about your solution: where in the flow do I specify which column should be used as unique identifier when running the update?

In my case, I have added a column in SP list called "Row ID", which takes the data from Excel Table's row ID (which is unique, I think?)

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

@v-xida-msft 

Hello! I'm trying to do the same thing but my file is in a shared document folder in Sharepoint. This is the easiest place for it to be because of ever-changing permission. I'm also trying to complete this trigger through Powerapps. I've attached what I copied. Any help is greatly appreciated. My ultimate goal is to be able to connect is to that I can create a status bar in Powerapps that Management can see. 

[BenFetters]

Hello,

I have noticed that this is no longer possible now that there isn't a "Get Rows" action available. Is the new action get tables or what do I need to do in order to accomplish this now?

Thanks,

Ben Fetters

[danwolthers]

I would like to know that as well, have been browsing everywhere, but found nothing that can make this happen anymore - why did they remove this feature?

[BenFetters]

What I ended up doing is using the list rows present in table. That ended up being pretty much the same things and seemed to work just fine.

Hope that helps!

Ben Fetters

[SachinKukreja]

@danwolthers, can you also advise which filed in the flow helps identify the common filed which is present b/w the excel and the sharepoint

[danwolthers]

@SachinKukreja , I set up a recurrence on twice a day, more than that is not worth it for me - you can set it up however you prefer.

After that:

1. List rows present in table;
2. Get items is your SP list you want to update;
3. Create a compose html link with the table (whatever column you want to update);
4. Update SP list item with the HTML created on step 3.

[SachinKukreja]

@danwolthers  thanks so much for your quick response.. i was able to run the flow as you advised and the flow showed as successful too.. but it did not create any item on the sharepoint.. what wrong am i doing? i wanted to create a new item on the share point if a new line is created in excel and modify the existing share point list item if the existing line in the excel is updated. 

Plus when i now run the flow in live data, it throws out an error as well

[danwolthers]

@SachinKukreja make sure the table columns on your spreadsheet are exactly the same name as in your SP list. Also check on your Get Items if you specified the Filter Query, like this: Title Eq'("Column id")

[HallieG]

Hi! did you figure out how to achieve this with common fields? Can you show me how? 

[ClaireAllen]

Hello @danwolthers ,

I just wanted to thank you for your post as this helped me solve the issue I have been looking for.

I have managed to follow your screenshot and complete my own flow that updates a SharePoint List from Excel, I added an extra condition in, where the fields I want to update are equal to null to update my SharePoint list, if they are not equal to null, the action is to do nothing.

Thanks again.

Claire

[danwolthers]

Hi Claire,

Really happy that it helped you out!! It's been so long that I did this, I even forgot about it! 

Appreciate your comments 🙂

Have a wonderful week!

Best,

Daniel

[Rosie]

Hello,
I have tried to follow this and it looks like I have done the right things, although there is a difference where I am having to use a csv which is parsed as json before doing the get list items and update.
The issue I am having is that the first loop that retrieves the Sharepoint List items, is getting the same item over and over (for as many items that exist in the list).  

In loop 2 it then updates each item in the sharepoint list with the information from the single item (from loop 1).
I am clearly not getting this right but I am not sure what to change, can anyone give me some pointers?

Here are the screenshots of the flow and of the source data and the list after it has been through the flow.

Thanks

Rosie

[mitalipatel]

Hi, I'm trying to achieve a similar thing but herein I'm unable to find the number columns to populate. For reference,

I want to update a Record ID. But when trying to look for it, it does not show the Excel fields list. 

Whereas, in case of text / date fields, it gives the list properly. 

Any ideas or suggestion on why this may be happening ? Many thanks in advance. 

[Fnaud]

Hi @danwolthers,

I know this is an old thread but It still is the most recent one and close to what I am attempting to do. I followed your flow and replicated it on my end since I want to do the same thing; update a sharepoint list based on the content of an excel file on a weekly basis. However, I am stuck in the "Apply to each" section. I can't verify which one of the 3 its stuck in but if you have any idea of what my issue is that would be helpful.

I kept hidden the "update item" from the screenshot since it refers to column names that are confidential. I associated to the corresponding column names in my excel source file.

 

[powerpritish]

@v-xida-msft Will the need For each cause an issue of the Excel or SharePoint list has more than 2000 rows?

Thanks