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Extract Outlook Applicant Data to Microsoft Lists with Power Automate

Natalie Taylor Oct 13, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to set up an automation to read unread emails in Outlook, extract specific applicant details, and populate a Microsoft List with the data.

How to Extract Outlook Applicant Data to Microsoft Lists Using Power Automate

Product: Power Automate, Outlook, Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating the extraction of structured applicant information from incoming emails and saving it as records in a Microsoft List.
Observed behavior: The user requires a custom workflow involving email parsing, variable handling, and list configuration, but needs guidance and expert troubleshooting to complete the setup.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 account with permissions to access Power Automate, the target Outlook inbox, and the destination Microsoft List.

Solution 1Recommended

Set Up a Basic Data Extraction Flow

Create a cloud flow that triggers when a new email arrives, converts the email to text, and creates a new item in your Microsoft List.

This foundational flow captures incoming emails and moves the data to a list. Extracting specific fields (like Name or Phone) will require adding string manipulation or regular expressions.

Configure the Outlook Trigger

In Power Automate, create an Automated Cloud Flow. Search for and select the 'When a new email arrives (V3)' trigger for Office 365 Outlook. Set it to monitor the Inbox and filter for unread emails.

Convert Email Body to Text

Add a new step and select the 'Html to text' action. Insert the 'Body' dynamic content from your email trigger to strip out HTML tags and make the text easier to parse.

Parse Applicant Information

Use 'Compose' actions with expressions like split() or utilize third-party Regex connectors to isolate specific applicant details from the plain text output.

Create a Microsoft List Item

Add the 'Create item' action for SharePoint. Select your Site Address and List Name. Map the extracted data from your Compose actions to the corresponding columns in your Microsoft List.

Advanced Parsing Complexity: Depending on how structured your incoming applicant emails are, you may need complex variables and looping arrays. Standard actions might not easily isolate unstructured text without Regex.

Solution 2

Consult the Microsoft Power Automate Community

Because custom Outlook parsing, looping, and variable handling can result in complex errors, seek expert troubleshooting from the official community.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Power Automate extract data from attachments in Outlook?

Yes. You can use the 'Get attachment' action in combination with AI Builder (like document processing models) or third-party parsing tools to extract text and applicant data from PDF or Word attachments.

Why is my 'Create item' action failing in Power Automate?

This usually happens if mandatory columns in your Microsoft List are left blank, if there is a data type mismatch (e.g., passing text to a Number or Date column), or if your account lacks 'Edit' permissions for the target SharePoint site.

How do I extract a specific email address from the email body?

You can use standard string functions in a Compose action, such as substring() or split(), to locate the text following 'Email:'. Alternatively, you can use premium third-party connectors that support Regular Expressions (Regex) to easily extract standardized data patterns.

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