How to convert a Word Document to a PDF file reading a folder in Sharepoint

Question

I need to write a Power Automate script to:

1. Read a Sharepoint site
2. Read each Word document within the folder
3. Convert the document to PDF

I have worked with Power Automate for some time and am having problems getting the convert word document to pdf step to properly read the input field from the previous get files step. Can someone provide what they have done in the past to successfully execute this?

Answer 1

Dear Doug Price
Welcome, and thank you for sharing your issue in the Q&A forum!

Based on the information you provided, I understand you're trying to build a Power Automate Flow that reads a SharePoint folder, loops through each Word document, and converts them to PDF. However, as a forum moderator, I’m unable to access individual account details due to privacy and security policies, and I may not be specialized enough in Power Automate to provide the most effective solution for your specific scenario.

That said, I encourage you to review the AI-generated recommendations above, which offer a detailed breakdown and troubleshooting steps that may help resolve your issue.

Additionally, for more expert insights and tailored support, I highly recommend posting your question on the official Microsoft Power Automate Community forum. It’s an active space monitored by Power Platform experts and engineers who specialize in complex automation scenarios like yours.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Wishing you a pleasant day!

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Answer 2

To convert a Word document to a PDF file using Power Automate while reading from a SharePoint folder, you can follow these steps:

1. Trigger: Start with a trigger that suits your needs, such as "When a file is created or modified" in a SharePoint library.
2. Get Files: Use the Get files (properties only) action to retrieve the files from the specified SharePoint folder. Make sure to set the correct Site Address and Library Name.
3. Apply to Each: Add an Apply to each control to loop through the files retrieved in the previous step. Use the output of the Get files action as the input for this control.
4. Get File Content: Inside the loop, use the Get file content action to read the content of each Word document. You will need to provide the Identifier from the Get files action.
5. Convert to PDF: After retrieving the file content, use the Convert file action from the OneDrive for Business connector. Set the File Content to the output of the Get file content action and specify the target file type as PDF.
6. Create File: Finally, use the Create file action to save the converted PDF back to SharePoint or OneDrive. Specify the destination folder, file name (with a .pdf extension), and the file content from the conversion step.

Make sure that you have the necessary permissions to access the SharePoint site and the files within it. If you encounter issues with the input field, double-check that you are correctly referencing the outputs from the previous steps in your flow.

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References:

• Automate document generation with document processing and Power Automate
• Use the PDF conversion option