SharePoint Document Issues

Update Excel Custom Properties from SharePoint via Power Automate

Phi Hung Vo Oct 1, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to use a Power Automate flow to retrieve a numerical value from a SharePoint document library column and use it to update an Excel workbook's metadata or custom property.

How to Update an Excel Custom Property from SharePoint Using Power Automate

Product: Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating the synchronization of data from a SharePoint list or document library column directly into an Excel workbook's custom properties.
Observed behavior: The correct Power Automate connector and Excel action depend entirely on the workbook's internal structure and the specific property type, requiring customized workflow logic.

Before you start

Verify that your Excel workbook is stored in a commercial Microsoft 365 location (like SharePoint or OneDrive for Business), as Power Automate and Office Scripts require this environment to execute correctly.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Office Scripts in Power Automate

When standard Excel connector actions cannot directly update custom properties, Office Scripts provide a programmable bridge to write specific SharePoint values into the workbook.

While Power Automate has robust features for reading and updating rows in Excel tables, directly targeting custom document properties often requires custom scripting. Using Office Scripts allows you to accept parameters from SharePoint and execute modifications inside the spreadsheet.

Create an Office Script

Open your workbook in Excel on the web, navigate to the Automate tab, and create a new script. Write logic that accepts an external parameter (your SharePoint data) and updates the required cell or custom property.

Configure the SharePoint Trigger

In Power Automate, set up your flow with an appropriate trigger, such as 'When a file is created or modified (properties only)' in your SharePoint document library, to retrieve the specific column's numerical value.

Run the Script via Flow

Add the 'Run script' action from the Excel Online (Business) connector to your flow. Select your workbook and script, then map the SharePoint dynamic content to the script's parameter.

Script Flexibility: Office Scripts are generally more flexible than standard actions when you need to write specific values directly to arbitrary worksheet cells.

Solution 2

Consult the Microsoft Power Automate Community

Because updating custom properties depends heavily on your specific workbook structure, seeking specialized community guidance is the official recommendation for complex flows.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Power Automate directly update built-in document properties in Excel?

Power Automate has limited native connector actions for updating file metadata directly inside the Excel file. You typically need to use SharePoint's 'Update file properties' action to modify metadata on the SharePoint library level, which then reflects on the file's properties.

Why use Office Scripts instead of standard Excel connector actions?

Standard Excel connectors in Power Automate are designed to work strictly with structured data (like Tables). Office Scripts allow for custom logic and handling of unstructured workbook data, such as updating custom document properties or targeting specific arbitrary cell values.

Does integrating Excel with Power Automate require a premium license?

The standard Excel Online (Business) and SharePoint connectors are typically included with most standard Microsoft 365 enterprise and business licenses. However, interacting with certain external APIs or using custom HTTP requests to manipulate raw file metadata may require a premium Power Automate license.

Document & File Issues