Flow on a SharePoint list

[ErikH63]

Hello,

I have been trying to build a manual one time run flow that copies attached files in a SharePoint list to a Sharepoint document library where the attachments are added to subfolders of the document library, but I have been unsuccessful.  

I have about 300 list items each of which have several attachments.  The flow needs to read each list item and copy  the attachments to a subfolder that is created from two fields in the list.  

For example, here are a few items in the list

So if I take the first item as an example the flow needs to take the Project_Name and concatenate it with the Fab_Number, so the document library has a subfolder name 88Ridge_Fab2 and the attachments are copied there, then it needs to read the next one and make a subfolder called "88Ridge Redriver_Fab1" and copy its attachments there, etc...  In the end I am trying to have all the attachments in the doc library and the list should just have the details.  

Currently, I am stuck regarding how to create the subfolder name from the field in the list.  "Project Storage Library"  is the document library.

I am not bound to this idea so if there is a better way.

     Thanks for any help

[DamoBird365]

Hi @ErikH63 

I think you are looking for:

You just need to insert the two dynamic fields for your folder names into the folder path and seperate with a /.

(your dynamic values will need to be contructed as expressions as you are in an apply to each).

You can create these in the expression tab and select OK

items('Apply_to_each')?['Field Name'] e.g. items('Apply_to_each')?['Project_Name']

items('Apply_to_each')?['Fab_Number']

Let me know how you get on or if you need more help.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

[annajhaveri]

@ErikH63  you can use below expression for the subfolder name to be provided in Folder Path parameter.

Replace Title an ID with your column names, note these will be internal column names, to get internal column name do following:

Go to your List Settings, then click on the specific column, then look at the browser URL, take the name what appears after the Field=

E.g. http://test.sharepoint.com/sites/test/_layouts/15/FldEditEx.aspx?List=%7BA4E78CC7-F74F-4733-832A-099... is my URL when I click on Link field in List Settings, here my internal field name is Link.

Use below expression to get subfolder name

concat(triggerOutputs()?['body/Title'],'_',triggerOutputs()?['body/ID'])

[DamoBird365]

Hi @annajhaveri 

Good spot on the folder name but hopefully with @ErikH63 using _ between field names (like a pro) she will have avoided any ascii strings in the field names e.g. _x0020_ for space.

As we are using an apply to each we have to construct an expression for the item value but what I find quite interesting is that you have used a concat and it's equally as possible to just supply the two values seperated by a _ in the folder path like so:

For my learning, is there an advantage/disadvantage of using a concat for the string vs the method I propose above or is this personal preference?

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[ErikH63]

Thank you very much for the reply Damien!    I tried this, but I am getting an error regarding the "Apply_to_each", I tried to look this expression up but can't find anything about 'Apply_to_each", maybe I am using it incorrectly?  I did mean 88Ridge_Fab3 but I think I like your idea better. 

Thanks,

   -Erik

[DamoBird365]

Hi @ErikH63 

You've renamed your apply to each vs my out of the box:

So the trick here is to select your apply to each as a dynamic content (temporarily) and then highlight it with your mouse and ctrl+c to copy the hidden code.  You can then paste it into notepad/word and view the exact phrase for your apply to each name (a trick of the trade).

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[DamoBird365]

@ErikH63 

For example, if I rename my apply to each to the name you have given it, I get:

items('Apply_to_each:_item_in_the_list')?['Project_Name']

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[annajhaveri]

@DamoBird365  i think both approaches are fine to use, i dont see any specific pros and cons, while i was writing my response i didnt see that you had already responded to this post, its was when i posted the response, i saw there is already a response to this post.

[ErikH63]

Thank you Anna!  The URL and Field idea was great.    It ran but only generated one un-named folder in the document library for the 257 items in the list, my first run was just to see if I could create the folders before moving the files.  Note, Title was the name of the column.  Here is my expression:  

concat(triggerOutputs()?['boby/Title'],'_',triggerOutputs()?['body/Fab_Number'])

This is the document library:

Thanks,

     -Erik

[DamoBird365]

Hi @ErikH63 

It's because you are in an apply to each... you have to use 

items('Apply_to_each:_item_in_the_list')?['Project_Name']

And you can use a concat or you can simply add the expressions with a _ in the field - both options work, it's personal preference.

Damien

[ErikH63]

Hello Damien,

Now I understand, I changed the loop back to "Apply to each" and reran it with the fields, at first it didn't work and that was because Project_Name was not the field title as  @annajhaveri helped me see, after that correction it ran, however, 2 issues popped up.  

1. I really wanted to do the" / "option you showed (where the Fab_Number is a subdirectory) instead of the "_" I had, but it seems it did not work that way it just created the Title (Project_Name) but no subdirectory (Fab_Number). Maybe it is due to issue #2, but I would have thought that the subdirectory would be created at the same time. 
2. It seems that the flow timed out and did not build all the directories, should be 257 but only see about 69 of them.  This was only building the directories I had not yet copied files, so I am worried it will crash much earlier when I copy the files.

Any ideas?

    Thanks again for all the help,

          -Erik

[ErikH63]

Update: It shows that the flow timed out but if I go to the history I see it is still running.  So let me wait until it is done

[ErikH63]

It finally failed and did not make all the folders here is the report:

One raw input note:

Thanks,

   -Erik

[DamoBird365]

Hey there. I would guess you have invalid characters in your folder paths. Take a look here https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/invalid-file-names-and-file-types-in-onedrive-and-sharepo... Damien

[ErikH63]

I am going through all of them to remove invalid characters and I noticed that once person used the same title name but different fab numbers will the flow choke when it tries to create a title that it already created?  I need it to create the title folder and then make all the subfolders.  For example:

I need one Springhill M_2 folder and then all the fab* subfolders.

[ErikH63]

I removed all the invalid characters, and it failed again but not with the invalid character error. 

Here is what I am trying to do.  Since there are several Titles the same with different fab numbers I am trying to create the title folder and then add any fab number as a subfolder.  "Project_Storage" is the list and "Project Storage Library" is the document library I am trying to copy this to.  In the table below A21 Bird Key has the same title twice and 2 fabs.

Thanks for any help!

    -Erik

[DamoBird365]

Morning @ErikH63 

A steep learning curve for you.  This time you are calling a folder that doesn't exist with the list folder action.

I can create the same by calling a folder that I know does not exist

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[ErikH63]

Thanks Damien, yes very step and painful.   I am confused as to where I am calling a folder that does not exist,  I do create a folder in a previous step that I then see if it has anything in it, can I not do that?  I am doing this in the event the folder already existed from a previous pass.   

[DamoBird365]

Hi @ErikH63 

I think I can see your problem now... maybe?!  

 The path for the folder you have created must also include the document library.  So you will need to concat the doc lib to your newly created path in order to list the files in that folder.

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Cheers,
Damien

P.S. take a look at my new blog here

[ErikH63]

Thank you so much for helping!  

If so I am confused, do you mean the "Shared Documents" part?  Alothough it is not part of the URL: sharepoint.com/sites/jdp/Project%20Storage%20Library/Forms/AllItems.aspx

The other confusing part is that it does run for about 45min, before failing, and creates most of the Title (i.e., Project_Name) folders, but not all of them, however it does not create any of the subfolders i.e. Fab#. 

For grins, I removed the subfolder creation to see if it would make all the Title folders, but it fails after 43 min with 

Thanks,

    -Erik