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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Sync problem with micr...
Power Automate
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Sync problem with microsoft forms

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I created a forms in sharepoint, but it only syncs when I open the excel folder, I need the folder to sync automatically with the forms so i can build a BI that update automatically.
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  • PM-02011642-0 Profile Picture
    2 on at
    Same problem--I'm trying to build a quiz that identifies someone's archetype and sends them an email once the Form is completed. Because Excel only syncs when the file is opened, it isn't finding the latest calculated results. Not sure how else I can do this.
     
  • MH-13021741-0 Profile Picture
    2 on at
    HI,
    I have the same problem since beginning of 2025. any ideas what the synchronistaion does not work anymore?
    it seams the sync only happens after the xls was loaded in the browser. when I send it via email before, the new
    content is missing
     
    best
    martin
  • Gyllentid Profile Picture
    894 on at
    Hi, Microsoft have disabled the auto sync so that you can only get the new response synced when you manually open the excel file. Many people are not happy. Update to the new solution for syncing forms responses to Excel | Microsoft Community Hub
  • JL-15011535-0 Profile Picture
    3 on at
    Hello, same issue here, we need that the Excel file which contains the answers of the form to by sync, so our PowerBI reports are updated automatically. 
  • Suggested answer
    M3nt4list Profile Picture
    5 on at
    Same Problem here. I have to open the Excel file every day, to sync it. Otherwise my BI is never up2date....  I hope for a easy solution. 
  • creativeopinion Profile Picture
    10,502 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at
    @LC-16121452-0 Another option is that you can add your MS Form responses to SharePoint. 
     
    You might be interested in these YT Tutorials:
     
    In this Microsoft Power Automate tutorial, I’ll show you how to get your Microsoft Form responses into SharePoint. I’ll cover how to build a Microsoft form with conditional fields by using branching. You’ll learn how to format your multiple choice responses for a SharePoint multi-choice column as well as converting it to text. I’ll also show you how to take a text response and convert it to a number with a switch action and with an expression. 
    After adding the response to SharePoint, we’ll send the user an email confirmation with all the details of their form submission.
     
    At the end of the video I’ll show you a few tips and tricks on working with a SharePoint list.
     
    IN THIS VIDEO:
    ✓ How to get a Microsoft Form Response into SharePoint
    ✓ How to get a Microsoft Form ID
    ✓ How to get a Microsoft Form response
    ✓ How to Build a Microsoft Form with Conditional Fields
    ✓ How to used Branching in Microsoft Forms
    ✓ How to format Microsoft Form multiple choice responses for a SharePoint multi-choice column
    ✓ How to parse a Microsoft Form multiple choice response as string of text
    ✓ How to convert a text response to a number
    ✓ How to use the Switch action
    ✓ How to create a custom email confirmation for a Microsoft Form submission
    ✓ How to Create a Custom View in a SharePoint list
    ✓ How to use the Compose Action
    ✓ How to write Power Automate Expressions
     
    ---
     
    Power Automate Pro Tip: Replace Switch Action with a Dynamic Reference Key
    Are you using the Switch action in your flow? While it seems like a simple way to handle multiple conditions, it can quickly become inefficient and difficult to manage.

    Here’s why:
    ❌ You can’t use dynamic content in the Equals field.
    ❌ You have to manually recreate the same actions for each case.
    ❌ Any updates require you to edit every single case individually.

    This results in a flow that’s repetitive, hard to scale, and a nightmare to maintain.
    In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to replace redundant Switch actions with a Dynamic Reference Key—a simple way to streamline your flows. Instead of being redundant, you’ll create a lookup-style structure to makes your flows more efficient, scalable, and easier to update.

    IN THIS VIDEO:
    ✓ Why the Switch action is inefficient and what to use instead
    ✓ What is a Dynamic Reference Key
    ✓ Creating a custom look up in Power Automate
    ✓ Using a Dynamic Reference Key instead of writing an expression with nested if() functions
    ✓ How to use a Dynamic Reference Key to reduce actions in your flow
    ✓ How to use a Dynamic Reference Key to route emails to different recipients based on a MS Form Selection
    ✓ How to reduce redundancies in your flow by using a single Send an Email (V2) action instead of multiple instances
    ✓ How to use a Dynamic Reference Key to send email notifications 90, 60 and 30 days from today’s date
     
    If you still run into issues while building your flow, share screenshots of your full flow and the logic behind it. 
    Upload a screenshot of your flow in edit mode. Ensure you click each action to expand it. 
     
    Hope this helps!

    Consider giving me a ❤️ if you liked my response!

    👉 Level up your Power Automate skills by checking out my tutorials on YouTube
    👉 Tips and Tricks on TikTok and Instagram
     
  • Suggested answer
    M3nt4list Profile Picture
    5 on at
    @LC-16121452-0 

    I have solved the problem by allowing the BI to be updated on demand with two clicks:

     
    • Create an Icon in Power BI and Link It to the SharePoint Excel File: Create an icon in Power BI and link it to the SharePoint URL of the Excel file that needs to be synchronized. This allows users to open and update the file with a single click.

    ➡️ Tutorial: YouTube Video

    • Set Up a Power Automate Flow to Update the Power BI Dataset: Create a Power Automate flow in Power BI to refresh the dataset with a single click. This flow must be enabled for users who will perform the update later.

    ➡️ Tutorial: YouTube Video

    User Workflow:
     Step 1: Open and sync the Excel file
     Step 2: Refresh the Power BI dataset with a single click
    ⚠️ Note: The dataset can be updated a maximum of 48 times per day.

    While this is not the most elegant solution, as the Excel file must be opened manually, the effort for the user is minimal with just two clicks—provided that the BI only contains a single Excel file from Forms

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