Which Excel file formats are supported?

The action supports .xlsx and .xls Excel workbooks. Macro-enabled workbooks (.xlsm) are not supported. The output is always an .xlsx file regardless of the input format.

Add Text Watermark to Excel in Power Automate

Q: Does the text watermark appear when the Excel file is printed?

Yes. The watermark is embedded as a WordArt object in each worksheet, so it prints along with the sheet content. Set Transparency to around 40: 60 so it's visible but doesn't obscure data. A fully opaque watermark (Transparency = 0) may be harder to read over dense cell data.

Q: Can I apply different watermarks to different worksheets in one action?

A single action applies one watermark configuration to either all sheets or a selected subset. To apply different text or styling per sheet, chain multiple Add Text Watermark to Excel actions in sequence - each targeting specific worksheet names or indexes - before saving the final file.

Q: What happens if I enter an invalid color code?

If the Text Color value is not a valid hex code (e.g. #FF0000) or recognized color name (Red, Blue, Black, Gray), the action falls back to black. Always test your color in a flow run to confirm the watermark renders as expected before deploying to production.

Q: Can I watermark only specific worksheets by name?

Yes. Use Selected Worksheet Names to provide an array of exact sheet names (case-sensitive) like ["Sheet1", "Summary"]. Alternatively use Selected Worksheet Indexes (0-based) for sheets at known positions. Leave both empty to watermark every sheet in the workbook. Names and indexes are combined - a sheet is watermarked if it matches either list.

PDF4me Add Text Watermark to Excel is a Power Automate action that stamps CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, or any custom text label onto Excel worksheets as a WordArt object. Use it to mark sensitive financial data, flag draft budgets, or add copyright notices to exported reports, with full control over size, color, rotation, and position.

How Do I Authenticate My Power Automate Flow?

Every PDF4me action in Power Automate requires a connection that holds your API key. Create or select one when you add the action for the first time.

Get your API Key

Important Facts You Should Not Miss

WordArt - not a header/footer

The watermark is embedded as a WordArt shape in the worksheet drawing layer. It is visible in both the sheet view and print output, unlike Excel's native header/footer text which appears only when printed.

Worksheet-level targeting

Leave worksheet selectors empty to watermark the entire workbook. Specify sheet names or 0-based indexes to target only certain tabs - useful when a workbook mixes public summary sheets with restricted data sheets.

Chain multiple actions for per-sheet variation

One action applies one watermark style. To stamp different text on different sheets, chain two or more Add Text Watermark to Excel actions in sequence, each targeting distinct sheets, before saving the final file.

Power Automate Add Text Watermark to Excel action showing File Content from SharePoint Get file content, Watermark Text CONFIDENTIAL, Text Size 3, Text Color #FF0000, Position 4 — Map **File Content** from your storage step, enter **Watermark Text**, and choose size, color, and position.

Parameters

Required: File Content, File Name, and Watermark Text. All other parameters have sensible defaults. Worksheet indexes use 0-based numbering (Index 0 = first sheet).

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
File Content	Required	Binary content of the Excel file. Map from a Get file content action in SharePoint, OneDrive, Dropbox, or any storage connector. Must be a valid .xlsx or .xls workbook.	`SharePoint → File Content`
File Name	Required	Filename including extension (.xlsx or .xls). Used to identify the document being processed. Supports dynamic values from prior flow steps.	`report.xlsx`
Watermark Text	Required	Text to display on each worksheet as a WordArt object. Any alphanumeric string or symbol. Examples: CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, © 2025 Acme Corp.	`CONFIDENTIAL`
Text Size	Optional	Size preset: 1 = 50 pt (Small), 2 = 75 pt (Medium), 3 = 100 pt (Large, default), 4 = 150 pt (Extra Large). Values outside 1-4 fall back to 100 pt.	`3`
Text Color	Optional	Hex code (#FF0000) or named color (Red, Blue, Gray, Black). Defaults to Black. Invalid values fall back to black.	`#CC0000`
Font Family	Optional	Font name for the watermark WordArt. Common choices: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman. Defaults to Arial. Unknown fonts may use the system default.	`Arial`
Is Bold	Optional	Set to true to apply bold weight to the watermark text. Improves readability over busy worksheets. Defaults to false.	`true`
Is Italic	Optional	Set to true to apply italic style. Useful for softer "Draft" labels. Defaults to false.	`false`
Transparency	Optional	Opacity from 0 (fully solid) to 100 (invisible). Set 40-60 for subtle watermarks that do not obscure cell data. Defaults to 0.	`50`
Rotation Angle	Optional	Angle in degrees. Positive = clockwise, negative = counter-clockwise. Range: -360 to 360. Use: 45 for the classic diagonal watermark.	`-45`
Position	Optional	0-8 grid code. Top row: 0 = Top-Left, 1 = Top-Center, 2 = Top-Right. Middle: 3 = Mid-Left, 4 = Center (default), 5 = Mid-Right. Bottom: 6, 7, 8.	`4`
Selected Worksheet Names	Conditional	Array of case-sensitive sheet names to watermark. Leave empty to apply to all sheets. Combined with Selected Worksheet Indexes.	`["Sheet1","Summary"]`
Selected Worksheet Indexes	Conditional	0-based array of sheet positions to watermark. Index 0 = first sheet. Leave empty to apply to all sheets.	`[0, 2]`

Output Fields

Field	Type	What it contains
`document`	Base64	The Excel workbook with the text watermark applied to each targeted worksheet.
`Success`	Boolean	true if the action completed, false if it failed.
`ErrorMessage`	String	Error description, null when Success is true.
`Errors`	Array	Detailed error objects, empty when Success is true.

How Do I Set Up Add Text Watermark in Power Automate?

In your flow, click + New step → search PDF4me → select Add Text Watermark to Excel.
Connect using your PDF4me API key (or choose an existing connection).
Map File Content from your storage step (SharePoint Get file content, OneDrive Get file content, or Dropbox equivalent).
Set File Name to the .xlsx filename (dynamic or static).
Enter Watermark Text - e.g. CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, or © 2025 Acme Corp.
Adjust Text Size, Text Color, Transparency, Rotation Angle, and Position to match your branding.
(Optional) Populate Selected Worksheet Names or Selected Worksheet Indexes to target specific sheets only.
Add a Create file or Update file action after this step and map the Document output as the file content to save.

Workflow Examples

Flow ExamplesCommon Power Automate scenarios that use Add Text Watermark to Excel for security marking, draft management, and compliance.

Mark financial reports CONFIDENTIAL before distribution

A scheduled flow runs at month-end when a new report lands in a SharePoint library.
Get file content retrieves the Excel workbook.
Add Text Watermark to Excel stamps "CONFIDENTIAL" - Text Size 4, Color #CC0000, Rotation -45, Transparency 40, all sheets.
Create file saves the watermarked copy to a restricted SharePoint folder.
A Outlook step emails the download link to authorized recipients only.

Approval workflow - DRAFT to APPROVED watermark

A budget spreadsheet is submitted for review via a Power Apps form.
The flow adds a gray diagonal "DRAFT" watermark (Transparency 60, Rotation -45) and emails reviewers.
On approval, a second flow branch runs Add Text Watermark to Excel again with "APPROVED" in green (Color #008000, Transparency 40).
The approved file overwrites the draft in SharePoint and triggers a Teams notification.

An automated flow exports monthly analytics data from a database to Excel.
Add Text Watermark to Excel stamps "© 2025 Acme Corp - Internal Use Only" in small text (Size 1) at Bottom-Right (Position 8) on only the "Data" and "Charts" sheets.
Selected Worksheet Names is set to ["Data","Charts"] so the cover sheet stays clean.
The watermarked workbook uploads to a client SharePoint portal and a link is sent via Outlook.

Practical Tips

WordArt renders on-screen, not just on print

Unlike Excel's native header/footer text, this watermark is a WordArt shape in the drawing layer, so it is visible immediately in the sheet view, not only in the print preview.

Keep Transparency in the 40-60 range

A Transparency of 0 renders a fully solid watermark that can obscure dense cell data. 40-60 keeps the label readable without hiding numbers underneath.

One action, one style

A single call applies one Watermark Text, color, and rotation to its target sheets. Chain multiple actions in sequence to vary the label per worksheet.

Worksheet Names and Indexes combine, not replace

If you set both Selected Worksheet Names and Selected Worksheet Indexes, the action watermarks the union of both lists.

Branch on Success before continuing

Add a Condition on Success after this action so a failed run does not pass a partially watermarked workbook further down the flow.

Cheat Sheet

Field	Value
Action	`Excel - Add Text Watermark`
Required fields	`File Content, File Name, Watermark Text`
Style fields	`Text Size (1-4), Text Color, Font Family, Is Bold, Is Italic, Transparency, Rotation Angle, Position (0-8 grid)`
Targeting fields	`Selected Worksheet Names, Selected Worksheet Indexes (0-based, combine not replace)`
Output	`document (Base64 workbook) + Success + ErrorMessage + Errors`

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the text watermark appear when the Excel file is printed?+

Yes. The watermark is embedded as a WordArt shape in the worksheet drawing layer, so it appears both on-screen and in printed output. Setting Transparency to 40-60 keeps the watermark visible without obscuring the underlying cell data in print. See Microsoft's guide to <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-a-watermark-in-excel-a372182a-d733-484e-825c-18ddf3edf009" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">adding a watermark in Excel</a> for how the native WordArt approach compares.

Can I apply different watermarks to different worksheets in one action?+

A single action applies one watermark configuration. To stamp different text or styles per sheet - for example, "CONFIDENTIAL" on the data tab and "DRAFT" on the summary tab - chain two Add Text Watermark to Excel actions in sequence. Each action receives the output of the previous one as its File Content and targets different worksheet names or indexes.

Which Excel file formats does this action support?+

The action accepts .xlsx and .xls Excel workbooks. Macro-enabled .xlsm files are not supported. The output file is always returned as an .xlsx workbook regardless of the input format, so existing macros in .xlsm files should not be processed through this action.

What happens if I enter an invalid color code?+

If Text Color is not a recognized hex code (e.g. #FF0000) or a standard color name (Red, Blue, Black, Gray), the action falls back to black. Always run a test flow execution first and open the output file to confirm the watermark color renders correctly before scheduling the flow for production use.

Can I watermark only specific worksheets by name?+

Yes. Populate Selected Worksheet Names with an array of exact, case-sensitive tab names such as ["Sheet1","Summary"]. Alternatively, use Selected Worksheet Indexes with 0-based positions like [0, 2]. Leave both fields empty to watermark every sheet in the workbook. See <a href="https://www.ablebits.com/office-addins-blog/watermark-in-excel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ablebits' guide to watermarks in Excel</a> for common labeling conventions like DRAFT and CONFIDENTIAL.

Remove Watermark from Excel

Strip existing watermarks from Excel worksheets - pair with Add Text Watermark when files move from draft to published status.

Add Image Header Footer

Brand a workbook with a logo image in the header/footer margins instead of a diagonal watermark across the sheet body.

Add Text Watermark to Word

Apply the same CONFIDENTIAL/DRAFT-style text watermark to Word documents inside the same Power Automate flow - useful when workflows output both Excel and Word versions.