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How to Include Power Automate Approval Dates, Names, and Comments in a PDF

Khadija Khan Sep 29, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to capture Power Automate approval metadata (such as approver names, timestamps, and comments) and embed this data into a final PDF artifact.

How to Include Power Automate Approval Dates, Names, and Comments in a PDF

Product: Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Generating an auditable PDF document at the end of a Power Automate approval process in SharePoint.
Observed behavior: SharePoint and default Power Automate approval actions do not automatically persist detailed approval metadata to the list item or final document.

Before you start

Ensure you have standard or premium access to Power Automate Word/PDF connectors, and a pre-configured SharePoint list containing your document templates.

Solution 1Recommended

Configure Power Automate to Capture and Export Approval Metadata

Use this method to explicitly save approval history to SharePoint and populate a Word template to generate a final, auditable PDF.

Because SharePoint lists do not automatically save full approval histories, you must design your workflow to explicitly write outcomes, comments, and timestamps into dedicated columns before generating the final document.

Add Tracking Columns in SharePoint

Navigate to your SharePoint list settings and create new columns for Approver Name, Approval Date, Comments, and Outcome.

Configure the Update Item Action

In your Power Automate flow, add a 'Start and wait for an approval' action. Once the approval concludes, add an 'Update item' action to map the dynamic approval data (like Responses Comments and Responses Approver name) to your newly created SharePoint columns.

Populate the Document Template

Add a 'Populate a Microsoft Word template' action. Map your updated SharePoint list data, which now includes the complete approval history, to the content controls defined inside your Word template.

Convert and Save as PDF

Add a 'Convert Word Document to PDF' action to finalize the formatting, followed by a 'Create file' action to save the generated PDF artifact into your target SharePoint document library.

Configure Power Automate to Capture and Export Approval Metadata

Testing the Workflow: Always test your flow with multiple approval scenarios (e.g., single approver, multiple approvers, rejections) to ensure the comments and timestamps concatenate and format correctly in the final PDF.

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Create Document Templates and View PDFs with WPS Office

While Microsoft Power Automate handles your workflow automation, WPS Office serves as a highly compatible, free alternative to design your initial document templates and review the final generated PDF approval artifacts.

1. Design the Document Template: Open WPS Writer to create the document layout and insert text placeholders for your approval data.
2. Save in Compatible Format: Save the template as a standard .docx file so it can be easily read by Power Automate's Word connectors.
3. Review the Final PDF: Use WPS PDF to open, annotate, or digitally sign the final PDF artifact generated by your workflow.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formats for seamless template creationBuilt-in PDF reader and editor for reviewing and annotating approval artifactsLightweight application that opens large files instantly without lagFamiliar and intuitive user interface for a smooth transition from Microsoft Office

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren't my Power Automate approval comments showing up in SharePoint?

By default, Power Automate does not automatically write approval history or comments back to SharePoint. You must explicitly add an 'Update item' action to map the approval outcome dynamics to specific columns in your list.

How do I extract the exact approval date and time in Power Automate?

You can extract the approval completion date by utilizing the 'Completion Date' dynamic content generated by the 'Start and wait for an approval' action. If you need a specific format, wrap it in a formatDateTime() expression.

Can I generate a PDF directly from a SharePoint list without using a template?

No, Power Automate typically requires you to first map your SharePoint list data into a structured document template (such as a Word file or an HTML file), which can then be converted into a PDF.

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