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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Excel Formula Syntax f...
Power Automate
Suggested Answer

Excel Formula Syntax for Variable

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Posted on by MrAutomate 206
HI,
I need to use this formula as a PAD variable, or other best practice, to enter a value into an excel cell to populate some data.
 
=INDEX(A:A, ROW()-1)
 
While this works perfectly in Excel, and pressing CTRL-Enter in excel, populates the formulas in the entire column, and all is good,
unfortunately, PAD appears not to like it.  "Parameter 'Value': Unexpected characters. The formula contains 'Colon' where 'ParenClose' is expected."
 
Does anyone have any suggestions?
 
 
Categories:
Power Automate Desktop
I have the same question (2)
  • Suggested answer
    Deenuji_Loganathan_ Profile Picture
    Deenuji_Loganathan_ 6,255 Moderator on at
    Hi  MrAutomate,
     
    I recommend saving the formula in a text file rather than using a variable. You can then read the content from the text file and place it in the clipboard using PAD clipboard actions. After that, use the paste cell function to insert the clipboard value into the Excel worksheet. This approach should work effectively.
     
    Thanks,
    Deenu
  • Suggested answer
    eetuRobo Profile Picture
    eetuRobo 4,524 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at
    That's because you have Power Fx enabled in your flow. Either create a new flow without Power Fx enabled:
    And then you can set variable like you have tried:



    But if you want to use Power Fx then you need to wrap the Excel function inside power fx Text function so that it interprets the =INDEX not as a Power Fx function but as text.
    Equal sign is like telling PAD Power fx enabled flow that next is going to be a power fx function or a variable.

    ​​​​​​​Like so:

    =Text("=INDEX(A:A, ROW()-1)")

  • Suggested answer
    AK88 Profile Picture
    AK88 453 on at
    Hi,
     
    1. Create another flow without enabling Power Fx.
    2. You can directly use a excel formulas in to write to excel without chosing other actions

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