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Power Automate - Using Flows
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Excel Get Rows - Error 423 - Cannot write file to filesource. File is being locked.

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Posted on by 29

I have a Create Table action and then immediately need to Get Rows from that table. The Create Table action though doesn't release the lock on the file when it's done with it. Files are on OneDrive. Added a 10 minute delay and that's not enough, but any more delay and my Flow won't work timely for looping through files.

 

Previously I was using the "List rows present in a table" action, which was working, but found out the hard way this is (stupidly) limited to 256 rows with no workaround (and no warning).

 

Is there any way either issue can be fixed? Working thourgh these "gotchas" in Flow has been quite frustrating...

  • frederikbisback Profile Picture
    222 on at
    Re: Excel Get Rows - Error 423 - Cannot write file to filesource. File is being locked.

    @JBHorne

    I have reproduced this issue when using Excel - connector. 
    But when using Excel Online (Business/OneDrive), the problem of locked file is not appearing. 

    The normal Excel is the old connector and it's a know issue. So just use the Online connectors and you will have no worries about locked Excel files.

     

    Regards,

     

    Frederik Bisback

  • JBHorne Profile Picture
    29 on at
    Re: Excel Get Rows - Error 423 - Cannot write file to filesource. File is being locked.
    No. Microsoft has yet to fix this issue. Workarounds are not solutions. When something worked in the past and then stopped, that needs to be fixed. How do we escalate this to whatever department has control over these actions to get them fixed?
  • GabrielStJohn Profile Picture
    on at
    Re: Excel Get Rows - Error 423 - Cannot write file to filesource. File is being locked.

    Hello, @JBHorne!

     

    Thank you for posting on the Flow Community Forum! Have you had an opportunity to apply @v-bacao-msft‘s recommendation to adapt your Flow? If yes, and you find that solution to be satisfactory, please go ahead and click “Accept as Solution” so that this thread will be marked for other users to easily identify!


    Thank you for being an active member of the Flow Community!

     

    -Gabriel
    Flow Community Manager

  • v-bacao-msft Profile Picture
    on at
    Re: Excel Get Rows - Error 423 - Cannot write file to filesource. File is being locked.

    Hi @JBHorne

     

    I'm afraid that you have the same issue as MatthewGrantAU .

     

    Generally, I have to operate for a while, so that it will automatically be fine.

     

    We will keep track of this issue.

     

    You could post your idea to improve it in the Flow Ideas forum, so it might be considered for future releases.

    https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas

     

    Maybe the link below also could help you a little:

    https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Using-Flows/Microsoft-Flow-Excel-File-Locked-While-Not-Open/m-p/83380/highlight/true#M2393

     

    https://support.office.com/en-us/article/excel-file-is-locked-for-editing-by-another-user-6fa93887-2c2c-45f0-abcc-31b04aed68b3

     

    Best Regards,

    Barry

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