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Session Id : /l2tGhUU/QcrmW43cphu9e
Power Automate - General Discussion
Answered

Cannot use timestamps as Excel File name

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Posted on 8 Jul 2016 12:39:22 by 14

Hi all,

 

When trying in a Flow to copy or create a file and save it as excel , including any timestamp field from previous steps is giving errors due to the fact that excel filename cannot have ":" in name.

 

For example I created a flow that copy an OneDrive Business excel file to another folder as back up and used as filename "LastModified" from file metadata.

 

 

 

2.PNGCapture.PNG

 

I understand that is might difficult to change the format , but to keep in mind that it isn't working.

 

Is there a workaround to add a date , for example when flow run or trigger run , as the filename that will be supported by excel?

 

Thanks

 

  • Community Power Platform Member Profile Picture
    on 20 Dec 2016 at 00:30:42
    Re: Cannot use timestamps as Excel File name

    Is there any way to strip out the ":"? Or maybe as part of the OneDrive integration not over-write files with same names and instead make a copy?

  • Verified answer
    telu Profile Picture
    Microsoft Employee on 08 Jul 2016 at 21:26:50
    Re: Cannot use timestamps as Excel File name

    Sorry currently we don't have this kind of time conversion to only extract the date.

    There should be a file content field below the file name field in that card if you are willing to put the date inside file content.

     

    Thanks

  • konstantinos Profile Picture
    14 on 08 Jul 2016 at 21:14:16
    Re: Cannot use timestamps as Excel File name

    @telu  I don't mind time at all, date would be sufficient but I don't find a way how. Might from trigger?

     

    I will post an idea & let you know 

  • telu Profile Picture
    Microsoft Employee on 08 Jul 2016 at 17:31:27
    Re: Cannot use timestamps as Excel File name

    HI konstantinos,

     

    I think Onedrive itself constraint to use special character as file name, just like windows. Do you mind putting the time into the excel file content?

    Or You could also go to the "Flow Idea" https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Flow-Ideas/idb-p/FlowIdeas in this community to put the time conversion idea  for voting

    Thanks

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