Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

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Posted on by SBeal

I have a need to regularly import files into Dynamics (at least 4-5 times a day). I would use the standard "add a row" connector on Dataverse, however there will be a large number of duplicates in each file, so it is time consuming to deduplicate in Power Automate - as creating via Power Automate appears to bypass all duplicate detection rules that are normally applied when importing.

I'd quite like to automate this, but don't have the capability with C# to write a plugin that does it (and I want to work with sharepoint as a source), so was considering Power Automate.

I have set up a flow that does:

Create Data Import (import) record
Create Import Source File (importfile) record with the source file from a Sharepoint source (as comma separated values)
Initiate a ParseImport action using the importid
Wait for the parse to complete (monitor the System Jobs table)
Initiate a TransformImport action using the importid
Wait for the transform to complete (monitor the System Jobs table)
Initiate an ImportRecordsImport action using the importid

This however fails to complete the import, and I can't find anywhere to look at logs for why it is failing.

Each of the three system jobs succeed (as they would with a normal import), and the importfile record shows the correct number of rows, headers etc (so appears to be parsed correctly).

I suspect my issue stems from missing a key parameter or step in this process - can anyone advise? Or suggest an alternative (free) option? My source data is fairly flexible in storage location/format.

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Hi SBeal,

Can you provide some screenshots about it?

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SBeal 50 on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Screenshots below:

where "import" = importid from action 1 for this and all below actions

On the system job entity all jobs completed:

On the importfile record:

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Alan Roberts on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Hi SBeal, I have a similar requirement, did you ever manage to get this working?

Thanks

Alan

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SBeal 50 on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Unfortunately no, my requirements changed so I gave up on it.

My last thoughts was that I somehow needed to get the result of the transform file action and pass it to the import record import action, but I couldn't work out how to do that, or where the data might be "stored" (if it was possible). The other possibility is that you pass the original data to the import record import action and based off the transform results it converts it on the fly.

There is fairly sparse documentation for these actions on Microsoft's knowledge base unfortunately.

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Alan Roberts on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Thanks anyway. Somehow I've managed to get it working, but I'm not sure what tweak was the answer.

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SBeal 50 on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Oh interesting - would be interested in seeing your flow steps/code to see if I can replicate!

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Alan Roberts on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Very similar to yours really

1. Setup the import

2. Set up the file

I'm just passing the content in from a compose as a test

I am using an existing map with TargetEntityName and SourceEntityName matching the ones above

If the SourceEntityName doesn't match the import will fail

3. Parse the file (Dataverse Connector/Perform a Bound Action/Data Imports table/ParseImport)

Then loop checking the system jobs until complete (statecode 3 as per https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/developer/data-platform/webapi/reference/asyncoperation?view=dataverse-latest)

4. Do a similar thing with the transform (Dataverse Connector/Unbound Action/TransformImport)

again looping and checking system jobs for completion

5. Import the transformed file (Dataverse Connector/Perform a Bound Action/Data Imports table/ImportRecordsImport)

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SBeal 50 on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Thanks Alan, the key bit I was missing was setting the SourceEntity of the importfile record to be the same as the chosen importmap.

It now works seamlessly!

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Alan Roberts on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Glad to hear it is working. That was the only part I could see where the problem might have been!

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Abeer 5 on at

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RE: Using Power Automate to initiate importing records

Alan Roberts Thank you for sharing this but I didn't get how did you do the mapping tags

<entitymap targetEntity="int_location" sourceentityname="location7" dedupe="ignore" procesCode="Process">

please if you could help!

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