Using %userprofile% in a File Path

I am trying to create a workflow that ends with writing an Excel file to the current users Windows Download folder. Typically, c:\Users\username\Downloads. I built the string in a String Manipulation (Variable) node shown below.

I tried to build the path using %userprofile% which windows will translate to C:\Users\username.

The flow variable after this step creates.

"%userprofile%\Downloads\ExcelFile_2024-02-07.xlsx"

Which looks good.

I convert that to a path using String to Path (variable) and it creates.

“(LOCAL,

%userprofile%\Downloads\CQAActiveEmployees_2024-02-07.xlsx)”

Which still looks good.

When that path gets fed into the Excel Writer, I get the following error.

“Execute failed: The directory ‘C:\Users\username%userprofile%\Downloads’ does not exist and must not be created due to user settings.”

This is odd because it looks like Knime translated %userprofile% to “C:\Users\username” properly but did not take the alias out of the path.

What am I doing wrong? Is there a better way to reference the current users Download folder in Windows?