Adding SharePoint site Column to Document library view in Power Automate Flow

[comparini]

Hi there! I'm working on a problem without finding the solution i'd like.

The Problem: I created some document library(doclib) and i want to set a custom view for each document library, this views will have common columns.

My solution (it's working): Adding custom columns to each one of my custom library, then adding the column to the document library view.

Flaws of my solution: If i have common column to be seen in different doclib view i end up with replicated columns; moreover if, one day, i want to change a column type or name i have to change it in each doclib.

The desired solution: The best way would be adding the common column in the site column and then, during the creation of a custom view for a doclib, inserting the site column in the view.

Advantage of desired solution: no replication of columns that are used on different document library view; possibility to change name/type of a column in each view the column is present just modifying it in the site column menu.

Note: I checked on site interface and one can do such operation (adding a site column to a document library view)

Here have some screenshot:

Custom Document Library CreationCustom Document Library Cration

Adding Custom Column To Custom Document Library

Document Library Custom View Creation

Adding Custom Column To Document Library View

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @comparini,

If you want to define your site column once I would suggest to look into using a content type for this. You can define your content type (and its related site columns) in the content type gallery of the SharePoint Online Admin centre.

After that you can always add the content type to your library or list. If you want to change something in the future, you only need to change it in the content type gallery.

[comparini]

So i can go with a solution like:

adding all site columns to a content type, than adding content type in each document library and finaly creating views with the content type. I got it right?

Doubts: In this case , am i still replicating data because i add the content type in each library or is all reference?

In reality what i want is to set some metadata for and only for the document libraries i choose; some metadata are the same for ALL document libraries and some other metadata are just for particular document libraries.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @comparini,

Adding an existing content type is just a reference. You can republish/manage from the content type gallery if you need to make changes to the content type. And I would suggest to only include the site columns which are the same in that content type.

[comparini]

I'm looking in it since yesterday but i can't find a SharePoint http request that lets me create a content type from power automate. I need to do this with automation can't set manually content type with SharePoint Admin center.

Moreover i still don't get the difference between a content type and a list, and i'm wondering if a list can be a solution for my problem.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @comparini,

I actually have blog post with an example for that first step, the creation of a content type in the content type gallery:

https://www.expiscornovus.com/2023/02/03/create-content-type/

I will have a look and share the other steps as well. Let me get back to you on that.

You can use a POST request method in a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action. Make sure you use the Content Type gallery (aka content type hub) site address.

Uri

_api/web/contenttypes

{
        "__metadata": {
          "type": "SP.ContentType"
        },
        "Id": {
          "__metadata": {
            "type": "SP.ContentTypeId"
          },
          "StringValue": "@{variables('BaseContentTypeId')}@{replace(guid(), '-', '')}"
        },
        "Name": "HR FAQ",
        "Description": "FAQ list content type for HR",
        "Group": "Contoso Content Types"
}

[comparini]

Thank you for the blog post, now the content type creation is going smoothly.

The next step (adding custom columns to content type) is not going as well.

Here is my action:

And here is the error:

{

  "status": 400,

  "message": "Value does not fall within the expected range.\r\nclientRequestId: 91cb0cb7-d8c4-47ab-b04a-abb9d5ce7122\r\nserviceRequestId: 3d94a4a0-4025-6000-70f9-24715ffc1b44",

  "source": "SiteURL/_api/web/contenttypes('%7B%22__metadata%22:%7B%22type%22:%22SP.ContentTypeId%22%7D,%22StringValue%22:%220x0100D35FBD2B9D4369409F45BB04BC94BC65%22%7D')/fields/addfield",

  "errors": [

    "-2147024809",

    "System.ArgumentException"

  ]

}

Note: i'm not sure of the correctness of the api call i'm using.

[comparini]

Thank you for the blog post now the content type creation is going smoothly.

Now is the next step (adding custom columns to content type) that's not going well.

Here is my http request:

 This is the error message:

"message": "Value does not fall within the expected range.\r\nclientRequestId: 91cb0cb7-d8c4-47ab-b04a-abb9d5ce7122\r\nserviceRequestId: 3d94a4a0-4025-6000-70f9-24715ffc1b44",

[comparini]

@Expiscornovus

Do you have any ideas?

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @comparini,

After you create the content type you can create your fields (aka site column) in the content type hub site collection (aka content type gallery from Admin centre). When you have done that you can add it to your newly created content type. Only use the common columns in these steps btw. 

When that is all working you can continue with the next steps. Publishing the content type and adding it to a library of a target site.

Below is an example

URI used in the AddFieldToContentType action

_api/v2.1/sites/@{variables('ContentTypeGallerySiteId')}/contentTypes/@{outputs('Send_an_HTTP_request_to_SharePoint_-_CreateContentType')?['body']['d']['StringId']}/columns/add

Payload used in the AddFieldToContentType action

{
"value":
[
{"id":"@{outputs('Send_an_HTTP_request_to_SharePoint_-_CreateField')?['body']['d']['Id']}",
"pushDownChanges":true
}
]
}