SharePoint Document Issues

How to Automatically Create a PDF in the Same SharePoint Folder

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 9, 2026 871 views

Question details

The user wants to automatically generate a PDF copy whenever a Word document is created or modified in a specific SharePoint folder.

How to Automatically Create a PDF in the Same SharePoint Folder

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing documents in a SharePoint library where an automated PDF backup or copy needs to be created alongside the original Word document.
Observed behavior: By default, SharePoint document libraries do not automatically create or save a PDF copy beside a Word document when it is uploaded or modified.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription with permissions to create Power Automate flows and edit access to the target SharePoint document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Convert and Save the PDF

Create an automated cloud flow in Microsoft Power Automate to detect file changes in SharePoint, convert the Word document to a PDF, and save it back to the original folder.

Microsoft Power Automate allows you to connect SharePoint and Word Online to automate document tasks. By setting up a trigger and a few automated actions, you can eliminate the need for manual file conversions.

Create a new automated cloud flow

Log in to Microsoft Power Automate, click 'Create' on the left menu, and select 'Automated cloud flow'. Give your flow a name and choose the trigger 'When a file is created or modified (properties only)' for SharePoint.

Configure the SharePoint trigger

In the trigger settings, select your Site Address and Library Name. To restrict this automation to a specific folder, use the 'Folder' parameter to browse and select the exact directory path.

Retrieve the file content

Add a new step and search for the SharePoint action 'Get file content'. Select your Site Address again, and use the 'Identifier' dynamic content from the trigger step to fetch the Word document's data.

Convert the Word document to PDF

Add a new step and search for the 'Convert Word Document to PDF' action (found under the Word Online Business connector). Set the 'Location' and 'Document Library', and map the file name from your trigger step.

Save the PDF in the original folder

Add the 'Create file' SharePoint action. Select your Site Address and map the 'Folder Path' dynamic content from the trigger. For the file name, use the original file name but append '.pdf'. Finally, insert the PDF file content from the conversion step.

Use Power Automate to Convert and Save the PDF

Prevent Infinite Loops: To prevent the flow from running continuously, add a condition after the trigger to ensure the flow only continues if the file extension is '.docx'. Otherwise, saving the new PDF will re-trigger the flow.

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1. Open your Word document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document you wish to convert.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I trigger the Power Automate flow only for specific SharePoint folders?

Yes. In the 'When a file is created or modified' trigger, you can specify the exact Site Address, Library, and select a specific Folder ID to ensure the automation only runs for documents placed in that directory.

Why is my Power Automate flow stuck in an infinite loop?

If your flow saves the converted PDF into the same folder it is monitoring, SharePoint detects it as a newly created file and triggers the flow again. You must add a Condition step at the beginning of the flow to check if the 'File name with extension' ends with '.docx' before proceeding.

Does the Word to PDF conversion in Power Automate require a premium license?

The 'Convert Word Document to PDF' action uses the Word Online (Business) connector. While it is included in many standard Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans, users on basic or personal plans may need a premium Power Automate license to use this specific action.

Document & File Issues