Generate a PDF using PowerAutomate Method – 2

In previous blog, we discussed about Generating the PDF from Microsoft Flow with 2 approaches. The First one with HTML Template can be accessed from here Generate a PDF using PowerAutomate Method – 1

Lets start with the Second approach,

Part-2
Generate a PDF of SharePoint List Data with Word Template from Microsoft Flow

This is the second approach for generating the PDF from SharePoint List data that is using the predefined format as Template in SharePoint Document Library, then updated the file properties and created a template in OneDrive then converting that template to PDF and saving in SharePoint Document Library.

The approach goes like,

Step-1

Create a SharePoint Custom List named Conversion-to-PDF-from-Flow with necessary fields to enter the data, required to move to predefined PDF Format. Here I have taken following fields.

Create another SharePoint Document Library with name Test-PDF-Documents to store the generated PDF’s.

Please note, while creating multi-line columns, make sure the plain text is selected.

Step-2

The Word Template

Create a SharePoint Document Library named Test-PDF-Doc-Template. Create the same data fields created in the SharePoint List – Conversion-to-PDF-from-Flow.

We would create document template in the Library. We would create the same data fields in the library as we had created in the List named Conversion-to-PDF-from-Flow. Once we have created the same data fields, we would go to Library Settings > go to Advanced Setting > Edit Template.

In previous approach, we used tokens. In this approach we would be using the quick parts from Insert tab. We can access or add them like Insert > Quick Parts > Document Property > Use the data column which would be used to replace the data inserted in it.

One created the template would look like this,

Once created, save it in .docx format.

So next time when you would try to edit the template it would have to be saved in .docx format.

Step-3

Creating the flow

  • Create the Flow with the trigger – When an item is created of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address and List’s name.

Add an action – Get File Content of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address and the File from which the template would be taken and used to create the file.

  • Add an action – Create File of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address, folder path to the template saved, Create a File name as required and select the file content from dynamic content window from the previous action.
  • Add an action – Update File Properties, select the Site collection address, Library name, Select the ID as ItemID from previous action Create File action and select the data fields linked to each other.
  • Add an action – Get File Content of SharePoint connector. Select the Site Collection address, and the file identifier, set the file identifier as file identifier from the previous action.
  • Add an action – Create File of OneDrive connector. Select the Folder path to save the file, name of the file and the file content as file content from previous action from dynamic content.
  • Add an action – Convert File of SharePoint connector. Select the File as ID from the precious action.
  • Add an action – Create File of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address, folder path to save the file, name of the file with an extension .pdf and file content as File Content from previous action of Convert File.

Once the Flow is created, it would look like this,

Let’s enter data in our SharePoint Custom List Conversion to PDF from Flow,

The document that gets created in Library named Test-PDF-Doc-Template while the Flow runs would come up as,

The document that would be created inside the Library Test-PDF-Documents after the Flow runs would come up as,

The file content would come up like this,

Generate a PDF using PowerAutomate Method – 1

R

ecently while working for one of the client’s requirements, in which they wanted to generate a PDF saved in SharePoint Document Library once the user submits a Form. The PDF had to be in a pre-defined format that they were using as Word Document.

This was achieved with 2 different approaches –

Generate a PDF of SharePoint List Data Through HTML Template from Microsoft Flow

In this approach we created a html of the document and upload as a Template, used the template in Flow to create html file in OneDrive and then converted the file to PDF and saving it in SharePoint Document Library.

Generate a PDF of SharePoint List Data with Word Template from Microsoft Flow

In this approach we used the predefined format as Template in SharePoint Document Library, then updated the file properties and created a template in OneDrive then converting that template to PDF and saving in SharePoint Document Library.

 

Part-1
Generate a PDF of SharePoint List Data Through HTML Template from Microsoft Flow

Step-1

Create a SharePoint Custom List named Conversion-to-PDF-from-Flow with necessary fields to enter the data, required to move to predefined PDF Format. Here I have taken following fields.

Create another SharePoint Document Library with name Test-PDF-Documents to store the generated PDF’s.

Please note, while creating multi-line columns, make sure the plain text is selected.

Step-2

The HTML Template

Create a html format of the data you want, here is the format I used, the structure used here contains {tokens} that would be used in Flow compose actions to perform text replacements.

This is a simple document, for creating more styled document, you can add CSS as per the requirements.

Create a SharePoint Document Library named Templates to store the template in html format.

Step-3

Creating the Flow

  • Create the flow with the trigger, when an item is created of SharePoint connector. Select the site collection address and List’s name.
  • Click on + sign or next step, add Get Item action of SharePoint connector. Select the Site Collection address and List’s name and select ID parameter from Dynamic content window from When an item is created section.
  • Add an action, Current time of Date Time connector. We would use the same in compose action while creating the file name.
  • Add an action, Get File content of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address and the File Template, in this case I created a Library named Templates, and Template is the name of the template, we would be using.
  • Add an action, Get File content of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address and the File Template, in this case I created a Library named Templates, and Template is the name of the template, we would be using
  • Similarly, we would add 2 compose actions to replace Assigned to and Comments section with the following expression respectively.
@{replace(outputs('Compose_-_Set_Title'),'{assignedto}',body('Get_item')?['AssignedTo']?['DisplayName'])}

@{replace(outputs('Compose_-_Set_Assigned_To'),'{comments}', body('Get_item')?['Comments'])}
  • Add another Compose action to set the file name. We can set the name as we want, here I have taken Name from the SharePoint list and Current time to differentiate the files.
  • Add an action, Create File of OneDrive for business connector. Select the Folder path, set the file name from the output of the File Name and add .html at its end, select the File Content from the output of action Compose- Set Comments.
  • Add an action, Convert File of OneDrive connector. Select the ID from the previous action of Create File.
  • Add an action Create File of SharePoint connector. Select the Site collection address, select the Folder path as the Library where you would like to store the file, set the File Name as the output of action Compose- File Name and add .pdf at its end, set the File Content as the File Content from Dynamic Content of previous action Convert File
  • Add an action to Delete the File created in OneDrive folder, Add Delete File of OneDrive for business connector. Select the ID as the ID that was used to create file from previous Create File action. Save the Flow.

The final look of flow would be like this,

Let’s enter data in our SharePoint Custom List Conversion to PDF from Flow,

The document that would be created inside the Library after the Flow runs would come up as,

The file content will come up like this,

PowerApps – Role Based Security Using SharePoint Group

W

hile creating a PowerApps app, we needed to add a button that would be visible only for a particular set of users who were present in a specific group in SharePoint. This was accomplished with the help of Flow.

We would check with the help of Flow that the user that is trying to access the App, is present in the group or not. If yes, the button is available and if not, the button won’t be.

The approach goes like,

Step-1

Create a SharePoint Security Group and add the users who would have the access to the button in PowerApps App.

And enable the access to view the members of the Group to Everyone, so that when the user tries to login, not all users would be in the group.

Step-2

Creating the Flow

  • Create the Flow, with the trigger PowerApps of PowerApps connector.
  • Add an action, Initialize variable of Variables connector. Set the name as isAdministrator to store a Boolean value.
  • Add another Initialize variable of Variables connector. Set the name as UserGroupInfo to store a Boolean value.
  • Add an action, Send an HTTP request to SharePoint of SharePoint connector.

Site Address – Select the site address where the security group is created
Method – GET
Uri – api/web/sitegroups/getByName(‘SharePoint Group’)/Users?$filter=Email eq ‘’
Replace the SharePoint Group with the name of the group created in Step-1. Here I had created the group ‘Line Manager’.
Put the cursor pointer in between the single quotes and select the option from PowerApps, SendanHTTPrequesttoSharePoint_Uri from dynamic content window.

  • Add an action, Set Variable of Variable connector. Select the variable UserGroupInfo in Name and value as Body from Send an HTTP request to SharePoint from dynamic content.
  • Add an action, Condition of Control Connector. Set the conditional value as variable UserGroupInfo and select the condition is not equal to and in value to be compared as ‘[]’.Inside the if yes and if no options,

For option if yes, add an action Set Variable of Variable connector. Select the variable isAdministrator and set the value as true,

For option if no, add an action Set Variable of Variable connector. Select the variable isAdministrator and set the value as false.

  • Add an action, Respond to PowerApps of PowerApps connector. Select the text option for the output. Set the variable as isAdminUser and the value as isAdministrator from the Dynamic content.

The final look of the flow would be like this,

Step-3

Implementing the Flow with PowerApps App

After the flow is ready, lets configure the same with the App to test it.

On the first screen that would be visible when you run the App, on its OnVisible Property, set the variables as below

First, we take the variable isAdmin and set it as false.

Secondly, we would check with the flow to set the variable UserGroupInfo as the flow’s outcome.

On the button’s visible property, set it as If(isAdmin, true). SO that if the user is in the SharePoint Group the button would be visible else it would not.

So when a user is inside the SharePoint Group, the screen would display the button,

And when the user is not,