How to Create a PDF From SharePoint List Items Using Power Automate? [Without Premium Connector]

While working on a Leave Management application, one of my clients needed a solution to generate a PDF at the end of the approval process. The PDF had to include digital signatures from all approvers as proof of approval. After researching different methods, I found a way to achieve this without using any Premium Connector in Power Automate.

In this tutorial, I will walk you through generating PDFs from SharePoint list items using Power Automate without relying on third-party connectors. The flow generates a PDF based on the provided data when an item is created in the SharePoint list. Additionally, digital signatures are added to the PDF after approval. Once the PDF is generated, it is automatically sent to the Finance Team for further processing.

Create a PDF Using Power Automate Without Using Premium Connector

I created three SharePoint lists and one SharePoint document library to implement this solution, all set up using a PowerShell script. Each list serves a specific purpose, and the document library stores the generated PDFs.

1. Expense Claim Details (Master List)

This is the main list where key information, like bank details and other expense-related details, is stored. Below is the schema for this list:

Column Name	Data Types
Expense Request ID (Title)	Single line of text
Employee Name	Person or Group
Department	Choice
Job Title	Single line of text
Budget Code	Single line of text
Reimbursement Type	Choice
Bank Title	Single line of text
Bank Address	Multiple lines of text
Bank Account Number	Single line of text
Bank Code	Single line of text
Expense Type	Choice
Claim Submission Type	Choice
Submission Method	Choice
Expense Declaration	Yes/No
HR	Person or Group
Employee Digital Signature	Multiple lines of text
HR Digital Signature	Multiple lines of text
Claim Status	Choice
HR Review Notes	Multiple lines of text

2. Employee Cost Details

This list contains all cost-related data, including individual expense items and their details. It is designed to link with the master list for a seamless workflow. Below is the schema for this list:

Column Name	Data Types
Expense Request ID (Title)	Single line of text
Claimant Name	Person or Group
Expense Date	Date and time
Expense Currency Type	Choice
Expense Classification	Choice
Expense Details	Single line of text
Expense Amount	Number
Exchange Rate	Number
Total Amount	Number
Receipt Reference	Single line of text

3. Admin Options

This list stores static data such as the company logo, name, and address. It’s a one-time setup, only filled when the list is created. Below is the schema for this list:

Column Name	Data Types
Title	Single line of text
Company Logo	Image
Company Address	Multiple lines of text
ID Prefix	Single line of text
Regards	Single line of text
Company Name	Single line of text
Finance Team	Person or Group

4. Document Library [ Expenses Claim PDF Documents]

I also created a SharePoint document library, specifically used to store the generated PDF documents. Each PDF created during the workflow is automatically saved here, making it easy to access and organize.

I created a Power Automate flow to generate PDFs in two cases and included an approval workflow and digital signatures.

Offline Submission:

• When an employee submits their details in the SharePoint list, and the submission type is set to Offline, a PDF is created immediately without requiring approval or signatures.
• The PDF is stored in the Expenses Claim PDF Documents library.
• An email is sent to the requester with the generated PDF attached.

Online Submission:

• If the submission type is Online, the request is sent to HR for approval using the Start and Wait for an Approval action. After HR reviews the request:
• If Approved:
  • A final PDF is generated, including digital signatures from the employee and the HR manager.
  • The PDF is stored in the Expenses Claim PDF Documents library.
  • The Finance Team received an email with the PDF attached.
• If Rejected:
  • An email is sent to the requester with the reason for rejection.
  • The reason for rejection is also recorded in the Expense Claim Details list under the “HR Review Notes” column.

Digital Signature in PDF:

For online approvals, the PDF includes a dynamically generated text-based signature with the approver’s details. The format of the signature is as follows:

Submitted via e-workflow system by:  
[Lidia Holloway] (Employee)  
Date: [21st Jan 2025, 10:19 AM]  
Claim Request ID: [Exp-Claim-28614]  

The signature details are generated dynamically in Power Automate using expressions and are added to the PDF before conversion.

Create a SharePoint list and Document Library using PowerShell

I used a PowerShell script to simplify the process of creating the required SharePoint lists and document library. This script automates the setup, ensuring all lists and libraries are created with the correct columns and configurations.

The PowerShell script creates three SharePoint lists and a document library, adding the necessary columns. It ensures all required configurations are in place automatically, saving time compared to manual creation.

You can download and modify the solution to fit your requirements if you want to use the same script.

Below is a screenshot of the PowerShell script:

Once you run the PowerShell script, the lists and document library will be successfully created on your SharePoint site.

With this setup in place, we are ready to move on to the next step: creating the workflow in Power Automate.

Create a Power Automate Flow to Generate PDF Using SharePoint List

I created a cloud flow in Power Automate with the trigger When an item is created to automate the PDF creation process. This flow dynamically handles different submission methods and ensures the PDFs are generated and shared accordingly. Here’s how the flow is structured:

Trigger: When an item is created

The flow starts whenever a new item is added to the Expense Claim Details list.

Generate Expense Request ID

A series of actions are added to generate a unique Expense Request ID for the claim.

Condition: Submission Method

A condition checks the value of the Submission Method column:

• If the Submission Method is ‘Offline’:
  • A PDF is created without requiring approval.
  • An email with the generated PDF is sent to the requester using Outlook.

• If the Submission Method is ‘Online’:
  • The flow triggers a Start and Wait for an Approval action to send an approval request to the HR manager.
  • Another condition checks if the HR manager approves or rejects the request:
    • If Approved:
      • A PDF is created that includes digital signatures from both the employee and HR manager.
      • The PDF is then emailed to the Finance Team along with the request details.
    • If Rejected:
      • An email is sent to the requester, including the reason for rejection.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, I covered how to generate PDFs in an Expense Claim application using Power Automate without the Premium Connector. I set up SharePoint lists and a document library, automated their creation with PowerShell, and built a flow to handle offline and online submissions. The flow dynamically generates PDFs, includes digital signatures for online submissions, and emails the final documents to the relevant recipients.

Also, you may like some more Power Automate tutorials:

• Power Automate Multilevel Approvals
• Power Automate Send seven or 14-Day Task Due Reminder Emails
• Expense Reimbursement and Approval using Power Automate
• Create Multiple Sites in SharePoint Online using Power Automate from Excel
• Create SharePoint Online List and Columns from Excel Using Power Automate