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Power Automate Reading Excel File - Data Getting Trimmed

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Posted on by Dlazowskileja 12

Hello, 

 

I am creating an Automated Cloud Flow to read an Excel file. The issue is that some of the columns and data is of type "Special" within the Excel Document. Each of the Special columns requires data to contain leading zeros. View screenshots below: 

 

Dlazowskileja_0-1689620491741.png

However when using the "List rows present in a table" Action within Power Automate, all of the zeros get trimmed from the Payment Amount column. Is there some way to prevent this from happening? Below is a screenshot: 

 

Dlazowskileja_1-1689620811178.png

 

Any help is much appreciated!

 

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General topics
  • Verified answer
    trice602 Profile Picture
    trice602 16,679 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

    Hi @Dlazowskileja ,

     

    I did a test with my data as text data type.  Can you use that instead of special?  Let me know, always glad to help! Tom

     

    trice602_0-1689646871117.png

     

  • Dlazowskileja Profile Picture
    Dlazowskileja 12 on at

    Hello! 

     

    Thanks for you response.

    I initially was using the Text data type, however I needed the Payment Amount column to dynamically add leading zeroes. Sometimes Payment Amount would be 5 figures, sometimes 6 figures or even 4. In each scenario the length goal was 15 and leading zeroes were used to achieve this. 

     

    The Special column works within Excel fine. If the user entered 50,000, it would add 10 leading zeroes. If the user entered 100,000 it would add 9 leading zeroes. The problem was this does not carry over in Power Automate.

    I managed to do some more googling/research on the Text datatype in Excel and found the TEXT() function. This keeps the dynamic functionality of the Special format AND retains all the leading zeros in Power Automate like you mentioned.  I appreciate your help!

     

    Power Automate screenshot: 

    Dlazowskileja_0-1689702402202.png

     

     

    Function Screenshot: 

    Dlazowskileja_1-1689702463556.png

    Excel Screenshot: 

    Dlazowskileja_2-1689702507918.png

     

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