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Launching Excel with Run Application

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Posted on by Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee

Hello, I am hoping someone can help with this issue. I am launching Excel using the Run Application function. I am doing this so the data connections will update when the file is open. The Launch Excel function doesn't perform the data connection Refresh for some reason. The issue I am having is that in order to close the application I have to have an Excel Instance variable which I can't seem to find. Any advice on a better way to do this or a way to set/find the variable is appreciated!

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Try close Excel by sending keys Alt+F4.

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks for the quick response. I tried {Alt}({F4}) to no avail. It didn't do anything.

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Tested here and worked as expected:
1) 'Run application' pointing to Excel.exe
2) 'Wait' 5s to assure Excel loads
3) 'Send keys' {Alt}({F4})
Alt+F4 is shortcut to close Excel and other applications in Windows. Here it did exactly this.
Be sure you're in the Excel window when sending keys.

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tkuehara 667 on at

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Hi @Anonymous

You can "capture" Excel even without using "Launch Excel" action. I tried the code below and it worked as desired:
The "Attach to running Excel" produces the "ExcelInstance9" variable used in the "Close Excel" action.

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thank you for the reply. I tried using your solution with my Excel document but it keeps giving me an error stating my Excel Document can't be found. I was able to create a solution that uses a desktop recording to close the file. Seems like a hack and I would really like to figure this one out!

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thank you for the reply. I tried using your solution with my Excel document but it keeps giving me an error stating my Excel Document can't be found. I was able to create a solution that uses a desktop recording to close the file. Seems like a hack and I would really like to figure this one out!

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Riyaz_riz11 4,122 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @Anonymous

First try to use application and pass the respective excel file in run application,
if u need to close excel use by sending keys Alt+F4.

Thanks,
Ahammad Riyaz

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MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

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Redundant "Attach to Excel File" commands will result in the error "the document cannot be found." If that file is an active Excel instance within Power Automate, you cannot sent another Launch/Attach command, or you will get that error. (I learned that one the hard way)

I would rewrite your process to:
1) Launch Excel
2) Use UI elements to update the links by clicking the "Refresh All" button on the Data Ribbon under the Queries & Connections Section
3) Save and Close Excel

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Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks Michael. That works!

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