How do I set up a flow to populate a word document with information from a SharePoint List?

Question

I'm trying to create my first ever flow using the 'Populate a word template' step.

I've hit a brick wall as although I can access the sharepoint site that the word template is stored on I can't 'see' it to open it. The only documents visible are docx ones (in the same SharePoint document library). I have watched several videos and searched for AI help. I did just type the document name with the dotx, but it is still giving me an error that my word file doesn't contain the correct template properties.

Answer 1

Dear @Jennifer Edwards, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.   

I understand how inconvenient it must be to set up your flow and not see the Word template (.dotx) in the document library when using the “Populate a Word Template” action. 

Please note that this action in Power Automate only works with Word documents (.docx) that contain properly configured content controls. It does not support .dotx template files, which is why your file isn’t appearing in the picker. 

You’ll need to convert your .dotx template into a .docx file and make sure it includes correctly named content controls for each field you want to populate. You can do this by selecting Save As or Save a Copy in Word and choosing the .docx format. 

 

Here are a few important limitations for you to keep in mind: 

• Only .docx files are supported (not .dotx). 
• Supported content controls: Plain text, drop-down, combo box, image, repeating section. 
• Unsupported controls: Rich text, date picker, check box, legacy form controls. 
• Maximum file size: 10 MB. 
• Images stored in SharePoint list columns cannot be populated. 

Additional information is available in the following resources:  

Word Online (Business) - Connectors | Microsoft Learn 

Automate document generation with document processing and Power Automate | Microsoft Learn 

I completely understand how challenging it can be when Power Automate supports .docx files, especially if your template is in .dotx format. It’s not just about aesthetics; these differences can genuinely affect how smoothly you work and navigate your day. 

As a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Microsoft 365 Feedback Hub. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.  

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility.  

Additionally, since many other users have expressed similar concerns but may not know where to submit feedback, if my response has helped you better understand the situation and guided you toward a possible next step, please mark it as the “Accepted Answer.” Your action will help pin this post to the top, making it easier for others in the community who are experiencing the same issue to find your feedback and support it.  

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern.

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Answer 2

To set up a flow that populates a Word document with information from a SharePoint list, you can follow these steps:

1. Sign in to Power Automate: Go to the Power Automate website and log in with your Microsoft account.
2. Create a new flow: Select + Create from the left panel and choose the type of flow you want to create. For example, you can start with an automated flow triggered by a SharePoint event.
3. Select the SharePoint trigger: Use a trigger like When an item is created or When an item is created or modified. This will allow your flow to start when a new item is added to your SharePoint list.
4. Configure the trigger: Enter the SharePoint site address and the name of the list you want to monitor.
5. Add the action to populate the Word template: Search for the action Generate document using Syntex in the SharePoint connector. This action allows you to select your Word template (.dotx) stored in the SharePoint document library.
6. Select your template: Make sure that the template you are trying to use is a modern template and is published correctly. If you cannot see the template, ensure that it is saved in the correct format (.dotx) and that you have the necessary permissions to access it.
7. Map the fields: After selecting the template, you will see the fields from the template. You need to map these fields to the corresponding columns in your SharePoint list.
8. Save your flow: Once you have configured all the necessary steps, save your flow and test it by adding an item to your SharePoint list to see if the Word document gets populated correctly.

If you encounter errors regarding template properties, ensure that the template is properly set up with the required content controls and that it is not just a standard Word document but a template designed for this purpose.

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References:

• Automate document generation with document processing and Power Automate
• Create a document from a modern template