Forms to custom certificate

[Darragh94]

I am relatively new to power automate and have been learning via YouTube and the forums. I have been able to create a basic flow to do part of my task however I would really like to improve it. 
currently I have. 1. Form is submitted 2. Generic MS word certificate is collected from one drive. 3. Email is populated with MS form response (email, name etc.) blank generic certificate is attached. 4. Email is sent to responder. 

how I would like to upgrade this is 

1. Include the responders name on their certificate (taken from the forms response) 

2. Convert the word to PDF

many thanks in advance for any help. 

darragh 

[DamoBird365 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Darragh94 

I've recently done a blog post on exactly your requirements.  You can use quick parts in Word and document MetaData which you can create by adding columns to the document library of where your file is stored.  You will need to transfer the file to OneDrive to convert to PDF but it is all possible.  There is then no need for any of the Premium Actions.

Let me know how you get on.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

Thanks @DamoBird365 

I’ll get to this tonight and left you know how I go!! 

thanks so much 

[Darragh94]

Hi @DamoBird365 

 I’m getting stuck on the “compose” section. 
im pretty new to automate so have never used the compose function before. Do I need HTML to complete this function? Not really sure how to get the Fx value of “format date time” 

could you offer some advice or perhaps a link to a blog on this? 

thanks 

Darragh 

[DamoBird365]

Hi @Darragh94 

No probs, got to start somewhere. A compose is a useful alternative to a variable. You can manipulate a string in one action but cannot modify it, other than calling another compose. Sometimes it’s more efficient to use this but some folk prefer to use a variable.

Anyway, what are you trying to compose? A date? formatdatetime(utcnow(),’yyyy-MM-dd’) In which case you need to select the expression tab, rather than dynamic content and then begin to create your expression. If you need to call on dynamic content you can switch back and forth between the tabs.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

hi @DamoBird365 

so I’m not too sure what I’m trying to compose lol? I need to take the name(from form) and topic (from form) to populate a certificate on word? 
so will I need 2 compose sections? 

sorry for the lack of knowledge in the area

thanks 

D

[DamoBird365]

Hi @Darragh94 

The blog includes all of the actions you require. I used a compose to create a dynamic file name through the use of formatdatetime. You don’t need to do same but if you have duplicate file names you will potentially end up with files overwriting or not being created at all with a failure.

What have you managed to create to date?  Have you pieced together the 3 blocks of actions in my blog? 

You’ve got a steep learning curve but don’t be afraid of getting it wrong. Learn by doing. It unlikely to break anything else.

Give it a go and screenshot where you’re stuck and I can try to advise.

Damien

[Darragh94]

Thanks again @DamoBird365 

So I think I’m maybe struggling to create the dynamic file through compose. I’ve never done that before and that’s where I’m becoming stuck. 
of note I also don’t seem to have the action “get file content of updated file” 

Thats as far as I have got. 

would this be easier for you if I emailed you? 

thanks again 

D 

[Darragh94]

 hi  @DamoBird365 

 seem to be making fair progress now. 

got stuck on converting to pdf

im using a docx like your own but can’t seem to convert. 
any thoughts? 

Thanks 

d

[Darragh94]

Resolved this but just not getting my attachment correct, produced as an unreadable document. 
think my share point document isn’t right, but getting closer 

d

[DamoBird365]

Hi @Darragh94 

You'll have learnt loads by doing this and be a lot more familiar with getting around the platform 🙂

Where are you at now?  Have you checked that your newly created word doc template is being populated on the file created in sharepoint initially? Then check that the file created in OneDrive is opening OK too.  Not sure why the PDF convert would fail, other than the word doc file is not working somewhere in your process.  But you must be close.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

Hi @DamoBird365 

@I’m almost there 

 Problem seems to be my word document creation. When I added the doc properties it has stopped functioning correctly and forming a word doc (below is in my share point) 

 any suggestions? I’ve never used doc properties so likely doing something wrong 

thanks 

D

[DamoBird365]

Hi @Darragh94 

Looks like you are missing the file extension and hence SharePoint doens't know what to open the file up in.  Check that the file name includes the docx in the create file action.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

Thanks @DamoBird365 

that’s has worked exactly. 
It has now allowed me to see another issue 😞 

my forms inputs don’t seem to be populating my Word doc via the doc properties? 
Am I missing something? 

Thanks 

D

[DamoBird365]

Can you see those values on the SharePoint dob lib columns for that file?  If yes, then it's not your flow, it's your document.  Did you use document parts to insert the content into the Word Template?

And finally, how are you viewing the word document?  On a phone?  Try on a PC.  It might be that some instances of the Word app don't support viewing document parts - sounds silly I know but desktop vs cloud can vary and maybe the phone varies too.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

 

@DamoBird365 

Yep so opening on word app has worked perfectly. As does the PDF in my one drive. 
 Final issue (hopefully) is the document being sent in my automated email 

it’s an unreadable file (attached) 

move also included the last step of my flow

thanks

D

[DamoBird365]

@Darragh94 

Same as before - missing the file extension in attachment name.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[Darragh94]

@DamoBird365

at last!! It’s finally worked! 

thanks so much Damien! 
you’ve been a fantastic help, I can’t thank you enough. 

D

[DamoBird365]

Hi @Darragh94 

It's been a good little journey.  Well done for sticking at it.  You'll have learn't a fair bit about Power Automate as that isn't an easy thing to do but glad you made it.  

Cheers,

Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[kkkkkkkk]

hi

is it possible to add student pictures in the certificate? (Student upload the pics in their forms)

Thanks.