Launch, save, and close an Excel file
Open an Excel file and create an instance
The first task in automating any Excel-related task is to create an Excel instance.
An instance determines which application session Power Automate for desktop will interact with. Create instances by opening a locally stored or new Excel file or by attaching the flow to an already opened file. These operations are achieved by the Launch Excel action or the Attach to running Excel action.
To open a new Excel file, under Launch Excel, select with a blank document.
Alternatively, launch Excel with an existing file by changing the Launch Excel setting to and open the following document. Enter a Document path, or browse for and select a file.
To view the Excel actions when the flow runs in real time, check the Make instance visible check box. The Excel window opens when the flow runs. If the checkbox isn't checked, Excel runs in the background. Expand the Advanced section, which includes an option to Load add-ins and macros as the Excel file launches.
Use an already opened Excel file as an instance with the Attach to running Excel action. With this action, specify the Document name.
Save and close an Excel file
You can save and close an Excel file only if the instance has already been determined. To save an Excel file, use the Save Excel action.
To save the document in its current path with its current filename, set the Save mode option to Save document. To save the document in a different path and/or under a different file name set the option to Save document as.
Select Save document as, to show additional options to change the Document format and to provide the new Document path.
Close a specific instance of Excel with the Close Excel action. Optionally, save the file with any of the Before closing Excel options.
Use any of the options to save the document, and the action will function similarly to the Save Excel action, in addition to closing the document.
