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Passing file from Power Automate Desktop to cloud flow through output variable

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Posted on by damonroy Microsoft Employee

I have a file in Power Automate Desktop (jpeg from a screenshot) that I am saving to a temp file. I am setting an output variable to be the file, and then reading that file in a cloud flow.

However, in the cloud flow all I get is the file path, rather than the actual content. Is there any way to pass the file content with the output variable?

Thanks in advance!

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Power Automate Desktop

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fraenK 2,125 on at

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Just store the file within a locally synced OneDrive or Sharepoint library so you can access it through cloud flows.
damonroy Microsoft Employee on at

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Thanks fraenK! I was trying to avoid having the OneDrive sync client logged-in and running on the desktop, and the associated connection/access in the cloud flow, but that should work.
fraenK 2,125 on at

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Alternatively you could upload the file using a browser, but that's much more complex
edgetrader 4 on at

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One issue I’ve encountered is that I save a file using power automate desktop, then grab it as attachment in a flow. But the file hasn’t synched yet, so I get an old file. Is there any way to force a re-synch? Or, as this post originally asked — return the file content and meta data to the flow as a variable…so that I can assure that I have the most recent version?
LW2016 30 on at

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I am having this same issue - were you able to find a solution?
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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I'm often passing the filename to the PAD desktop and then getting the file using "Get files". Often no file is retrieved because onedrive is still syncing. My current workaround is using a loop that retries the desktop flow until the file is located. This isn't perfect; I'm looking for a better way.
Update -> I'm looking into one PA Online flow to save the file; then a 2nd file using the trigger "On File Created".
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

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Here's a solution. Might not be pretty but it works. ->
comsys 73 on at

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Create a File In a Document Library like this, then in cloud flow When SharePoint Item is Created can obtain it as a variable and process it.