Before you begin
- Store the workbook in OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Create a real Excel table, not only a formatted range.
- Name the table and columns clearly, for example `Leads` with `CreatedAt`, `LeadId`, `Name`, `Email`, `Phone`, `Source`, `Campaign`, and `Message`.
- Choose Power Automate, Zapier, Make, or a Microsoft Graph bridge to receive the InstaChime webhook.
Graph API shape
A bridge can receive `lead.created`, authenticate to Microsoft Graph with delegated file permissions, and add one or more rows to the workbook table.
POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/me/drive/items/{item-id}/workbook/tables/{table-name}/rows/add
Authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN
Content-Type: application/json
{
"values": [[
"2026-05-27T05:00:00Z",
"lead_uuid",
"Jamie Lee",
"jamie@example.com",
"+15555550123",
"google_ads",
"Emergency demo campaign"
]]
}Verify
- Send an InstaChime sample webhook and confirm the table row appears in Excel Online.
- Confirm the table expands instead of writing outside the table range.
- Confirm the bridge retries safely if Microsoft Graph returns a temporary error.
- Confirm the delivery row in `/integrations` records the Graph response or automation run ID.
Exact workbook setup
- Create the workbook in OneDrive or SharePoint, not on a local-only desktop path.
- Create a worksheet named `Leads`.
- Add a header row with the fields you want to receive.
- Select the range and insert an Excel Table.
- Name the table `Leads` or another stable name without spaces.
- Save and close the workbook before testing the integration if your bridge has trouble locking the file.
Power Automate path
- Create an automated cloud flow with an HTTP/webhook trigger or a Teams/automation trigger suitable for your tenant.
- Copy the flow webhook URL.
- Create an InstaChime CRM webhook destination using the flow URL.
- Add an Excel Online action to add a row into a table.
- Select the OneDrive/SharePoint location, workbook, worksheet, and table.
- Map the InstaChime lead fields to the table columns.
- Send a sample lead and confirm the flow run succeeds.
Microsoft Graph bridge path
- Register an app in Microsoft Entra ID or use a secure delegated integration flow.
- Grant the minimum Graph permissions needed to update the target workbook.
- Receive `lead.created` from InstaChime in your bridge.
- Exchange credentials for a Microsoft Graph access token.
- Call the table rows add endpoint with a two-dimensional `values` array.
- Return the Graph request ID or row result in the webhook response for audit.
Excel troubleshooting
- If Graph says the table cannot be found, verify the table name rather than the worksheet name.
- If rows are inserted outside the expected range, recreate the Excel Table around the header row and data area.
- If the workbook is locked, close desktop Excel and retry from Excel Online.
- If phone formatting changes, set the phone column to text.
- If flow runs fail, open the exact failed run and compare the mapped fields with the incoming InstaChime payload.
Official references
These vendor-owned pages explain the controls and requirements referenced in this guide.
- Microsoft Graph add table rowsOfficial documentation used to verify this setup path and its current vendor requirements.
- Microsoft Graph Excel workbook APIsOfficial documentation used to verify this setup path and its current vendor requirements.