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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate - General Discussion / Processing - Excel XLS...
Power Automate - General Discussion
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Processing - Excel XLSM Files Issues

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Posted on 11 Apr 2025 18:02:50 by CU08042159-0 9
Hello,  Spent over 30 Hours No Lock.   Any help would be appreciated!
 
Environment:
Power Automate Cloud
SharePoint Online
 
I have bunch of Microsoft Excel files that are XLSM (Macro-Enabled) files.   I am trying to read XLSM file, Extract Data from a Hidden Sheet called ExportData and then Append that Data to an Excel file that is standard XLSX file.  XLSM file's, ExportData sheet does not have table.  However; all files and their structure is consistent.
 
This step is failing for me.  It seems that Excel Online connecter does not have action that can read data from XLSX.  I cannot modify source files.  I am stuck because without this operation a lot of what can be automated cannot be done.
 
Any ideas?
Categories:
Process Advisor
  • Suggested answer
    takolota1 Profile Picture
    takolota1 4,863 Super User 2025 Season 1 on 13 Apr 2025 at 23:25:34
    Processing - Excel XLSM Files Issues
    Here is an Office Script template for getting non-formatted table data from an Excel sheet (works on xlsm files too)
  • Suggested answer
    rzaneti Profile Picture
    rzaneti 4,077 Super User 2025 Season 1 on 13 Apr 2025 at 17:29:46
    Processing - Excel XLSM Files Issues
     
    When working with Excel tasks not related to tables in Power Automate, you should use Graph API or an Office Script. I usually prefer to go with the second option, which is kind of a VBA for Excel on the Web, and integrates easily with Power Automate. The downside: the Scripts must be written in TypeScript, a programming language. Also, a few companies restrict the access to this feature, so please double check if this approach complies to the organization's policy before implementing it :)
     
    For your case, you would need two scripts: one for extracting the data from xlsm, and other to load it to xlsx. The first one could extract the Worksheet object or only its value (we would need to test it to see what works better), while the second would simply create a new sheet in the xlsx and paste the data or replicate the same characteristics from the Worksheet object extracted from xlsm. 
     
     
    I'm also sharing some contents about Office Scripts, so you can evaluate if it works to your case:
    - Video: Writing data into Excel ranges (outside of tables) with Power Automate and Office Scripts - https://youtu.be/-OGYQEQSP-0
    - Blog: Sending values from Power Automate to Excel with Office Scripts - https://digitalmill.net/2024/01/17/sending-values-from-power-automate-to-excel-with-office-scripts/
    - Blog: Managing worksheets in Office Scripts - https://digitalmill.net/2025/02/03/managing-worksheets-in-office-scripts/
     
     
    If this approach makes sense for you, I will be happy in providing you with a more detailed step-by-step on how to implement these scripts to your use case.
     
     
    Let me know if it works for you or if you need any additional help!
     
    ✅ If this solved your issue, please mark it as Accepted Answer.
    👍 If it helped, feel free to give it a like!

    🌐 Explore more Power Platform content on my Website or on my ▶️ YouTube
    💼 Find me on LinkedIn
     
  • CU08042159-0 Profile Picture
    CU08042159-0 9 on 12 Apr 2025 at 04:26:14
    Processing - Excel XLSM Files Issues
     
    Thanks for the info.  Apologies for the typo.  I have read all the the links and while I understand, I am still experiencing the challenge.  It's the XLSM files.   I am able to Get Files, Get Files Content in Power Automation - No Problems there.  My issues comes when I need to read data from a sheet within XLSM file that is hidden and also the sheet does not have a table defined.  My understanding is:
     
    1- Excel Online For Business Connector does not have access to Hidden Sheets.
     
    If there is a work around, that would be awesome.  I am running out of ideas.  All I want to is extract data from ExportData Sheet that is hidden in a Excel file that is of type XLSM.
     
    Thanks in advance!
  • Verified answer
    Michael E. Gernaey Profile Picture
    Michael E. Gernaey 42,472 Super User 2025 Season 1 on 11 Apr 2025 at 20:35:32
    Processing - Excel XLSM Files Issues
     
    You said your files are XSLM then asked if it could read XLSX.
     
    Its not so much that they cannot completely read them its more they cannot execute the scripts. Also even if it was a standard XLSX, it would require a table, or execute a script to return data, or Graph API to read it.

    Here are some good reads though
     
     
     
    If these help you, i'd appreciate if you Marked the answer as such and maybe a like.
     
    If you ahve further questions, please let us know.
     
    Cheers,
     
     

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