SharePoint File triggers need to return numerical ID

[JRitmeijer]

TL;DR: The SharePoint File triggers (e.g. 'When a file is modified) also need to return the numerical ID of the item. In addition, or as an alternative, the 'Get file metadata' activities need to return the numerical ID in the ID field, not the path (as the path is already known because it is an input parameter)

I have a very common scenario, which is a SharePoint Document Library with a number of custom columns. When a change is made I need the following information in my Flow:

• File Name
• Content of a custom column

Should be pretty easy, right?

Now, here is the problem. I can use the 'When a file is modified' trigger, which nicely gives me the file name. However, there is no way to get to the metadata for the item as:

• 'Get file metadata using path' does not return custom columns (and the ID field does not contain the numerical ID)
• 'Get item', which does return the custom columns, requires the numerical ID of the file, which is not available on the trigger (or on 'Get file metadata using path'.

I have tried to turn it upside down and use ‘When an existing item is modified’ as the trigger. This nicely gives me the numerical ID, but not the file name. I can get the file name using 'Get file metadata using path' if only I had the path to the item, which I don't have, I have the ID.

[TomCastiglia]

I couldn't agree more with this feature request.  The limitations in Flow related to SharePoint metadata is disappointing, especially related to Document Libraries.  At least with regular lists we can retrieve custom metadata when an item is created.  I don't understand why that wouldn't be supported with document libraries.

[efialtes]

@JRitmeijer @TomCastiglia Please have a look to this potential workaround

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Flow-Discussion/Workaround-to-update-SharePoint-document...

Hope this helps while waiting for this feature to be implemented

[KeremY]

Hi there, I'm happy to report that this is now avaliable. We have added some new triggers that return you all of the library columns as properties, along with the item id. See the details in this blog post: https://flow.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/support-for-sharepoint-document-library-properties/