Convert XLS to XLSX Using Power Automate

In this guide, you’ll learn how to convert an XLS file to an XLSX file using Power Automate. Muhimbi supports converting a large number of different file formats through Power Automate. See the file formats we support.

Steps to convert your XLS file to XLSX using Power Automate:

  1. Create a flow in Power Automate
  2. Define your action
  3. Create a file
  4. Publish your workflow

This example uses Power Automate to convert an XLS file to an XLSX file in SharePoint. However, you can save your XLSX file to Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or any platform supported by Power Automate. You can also extend our example by adding additional automation, such as sending the converted file as an email.

Prerequisites

Ensure all prerequisites are in place:

Using Power Automate to Convert to XLSX

  1. Create a new flow and use the When a file is created or modified (properties only) SharePoint Online trigger. Fill out the fields for the Site Address, Library Name, and Folder.

  2. Insert Muhimbi's Convert Excel document action, and fill it out as shown in the screenshot below. Fill in the Source file name and Source file content fields with suitable values.

  3. Insert a Create file action to write the converted file back to your desired destination.

  4. Publish the workflow and create or update an MS Excel (XLS) file in the specified document library. After a few seconds, the flow will trigger and an XLSX file will be generated.

xls to xlsx

Troubleshooting/Caveats

HTML isn’t the best format for print or PDF conversion purposes. Depending on your exact needs and source material, you may need to experiment with various available settings. If you have any questions or require assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Please consider the following when using Power Automate:

  1. Modern views — In SharePoint Online, it’s possible to display lists and libraries in modern or classic mode. Modern view is undergoing constant change (by Microsoft), and some modern view pages will convert fine, while others don’t. As a result, we currently only support the conversion of pages displayed in classic view.

  2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) — An increasing number of SharePoint Online/Office 365 environments are secured using MFA. Although this is a positive development, it gets in the way of automated systems, including our HTML converter. If your environment uses MFA, create an app password for HTML conversions, or disable MFA on your HTML conversion account.

  3. HTML conversion option isn’t displayed — The option to convert the current page to PDF is only available in classic SharePoint pages. Modern pages currently don’t provide the ability to extend the personal actions menu. As soon as Microsoft makes this functionality available, we’ll add it.

  4. PDF layout doesn’t match — By default, the page being converted is optimized for print/PDF output. If you prefer for a PDF to look exactly like what’s displayed onscreen, including user interface elements, set the Media Type to Screen in the HTML conversion configuration screen.

  5. User-modified content isn’t converted — The converter doesn’t have knowledge about the information currently displayed in the user’s browser (e.g. size of the browser window, or custom data entered but not yet submitted to the server). The converter always requests a fresh copy of the URL and converts that information to PDF.

  6. User-specific information is missing — HTML conversion is carried out in the context of the configured user account, though the system isn’t aware of the user carrying out the HTML conversion. Don’t specify accounts that display more information than what users need to have access to.

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