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How to Extract Email Text and Add It to a SharePoint List with Power Automate

Natalie Taylor Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to extract specific content from recurring HTML emails and populate a SharePoint list using Power Automate.

How to Extract Email Text and Add It to a SharePoint List with Power Automate

Product: Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating data extraction from regular incoming emails and inserting the parsed data into designated SharePoint list columns.
Observed behavior: The workflow requires HTML-to-text conversion, Compose actions, and custom expressions for proper email parsing and list-field mapping.

Before you start

Gather a sample of the recurring HTML email and verify that you have edit permissions for the target SharePoint list before creating your flow.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Custom Power Automate Flow for Email Extraction

Use built-in Power Automate actions like 'Html to text' and 'Compose' to extract specific email content and push it to SharePoint.

To successfully move data from an email to SharePoint, you must first strip the HTML formatting from the email body. After converting it to plain text, you can use expressions to isolate the exact data you need before creating the SharePoint item.

Set Up the Email Trigger

In Power Automate, create an automated cloud flow and select the 'When a new email arrives (V3)' trigger. Click 'Show advanced options' to specify the folder, sender, or subject filters to ensure the flow only triggers for the correct recurring emails.

Convert HTML to Text

Add a new action and search for 'Html to text'. In the Content field, insert the 'Body' dynamic content from your email trigger. This removes unnecessary HTML tags and provides clean text for parsing.

Parse Data with Compose Actions

Add a 'Compose' action. Use expressions like split() or substring() in the Inputs field to target the specific text blocks you want to extract from the plain text output.

Create the SharePoint Item

Add the 'Create item' action. Select your SharePoint Site Address and List Name. Once the list columns appear, map the outputs from your 'Compose' actions to the corresponding SharePoint fields.

Create a Custom Power Automate Flow for Email Extraction

Expression Complexity: Depending on the email structure, you may need multiple Compose actions to accurately split and trim the data before mapping it to SharePoint.

Solution 2

Consult the Power Automate Community for Complex Parsing

If your email layout is highly complex, the Microsoft Power Automate community can provide exact custom expressions tailored to your format.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my extracted email text look like messy code in SharePoint?

The original email is likely formatted in HTML. You must add an 'Html to text' action in your Power Automate flow before the data parsing steps to strip out the HTML tags and leave only plain text.

How do I isolate a specific block of text from the email body?

You can use the split() function within a Compose action expression. By splitting the text using a consistent keyword or phrase from the email, you generate an array of text strings, allowing you to select the specific segment you need.

Can I set the flow to only process emails from a specific sender?

Yes. In the 'When a new email arrives' trigger settings, click on 'Show advanced options' and enter the required email address in the 'From' field. The flow will ignore emails from anyone else.

What if my SharePoint list columns don't appear in the 'Create item' action?

Ensure that you have selected the correct Site Address and List Name from the dropdowns. If they still do not appear, check that you have edit permissions for the SharePoint list, or try removing and re-adding your SharePoint connection in Power Automate.

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