Copy attachments from a SP document library to a SP list on the same site.

[graciegables]

I'm using SharePoint online.  I need to copy ALL of the document library attachments into a SP list.  The list is already created and contains the same columns.  How do I do this using flow?  I want to be able to do this manually - one-time action.

[eliotcole]

Hopefully pretty simple, will update with an image in a second, @graciegables .

1. Button flow
2. SharePoint Get files (properties only) action on the library.
3. Apply to each on the results of that and in each loop:
   1. Get the file
   2. Create an item in the destination list
   3. Add attachment to the item just made

That's it! 🙂

Here's an image to help you picture that, I've added a step so that the making of the item in the list, and the retrieval of the file data can happen at the same time.

[graciegables]

Thank you.  Will this work if the list is already created and the line items are already within the list?  I want to make sure that the attachments get attached to the correct line item.

[eliotcole]

If that's the case, @graciegables, then you just need to replace the Create an item with a call to get the right item instead.

Example Flow

Here's an example flow where I've put that in the Scope to get data. Also, a kind reminder that you can use whatever logic, and apply whatever details you need to, just change whatever you need to change. I don't know what data you have in your list (for example) so you might use a different method of matching files to list items:

So your Get files (properties only) is still getting all the file details from the library (or subfolder therein).

Then for each file that's in the library/folder, the Apply to each is run on that.

Scope to get data

Within that Apply to each the first action is the Scope to get data:

First 3 Compose Actions

Each of the first three Compose actions there (fileIdentifier, fileId, and fileName) all take information from the current item in the Apply to each, which is from that Get files (properties only) action.

Get file metadata

Using the value of the first Compose (fileIdentifier) this retrieves some more data about the file. You can skip this step if you don't keep ContentType information. I have a column in my list for it, though.

fileContentType Compose action

Similarly, you can skip this if you don't use this information, but it takes the MediaType information from that Get file metadata action before it, and keeps it safe and snug.

Get items

This is the action you asked about in the other comment, and you should tap on the Show advanced options to show:

As you can see, that Filter Query is using a column from my list, in my case, it is the library ID number for the files. Therefore, if a file has already been placed on the list, I know that this number will be unique, so I am filtering by that number, and I am matching it against the current ID stored in the Compose made at the start of the Scope to get data (fileId).

If I clicked those arrows that are facing either way, it would read like this:

codeTBC

Switch on how many are found in Get items

Here is where you apply logic on what you do with the files in terms of attaching.

I'll update this in a second.

What you know for sure from the results of your filtered Get items action:

1. If there are Zero results then the file need details AND attachment adding to the list.
2. If there is One result then you need to check if it's attached, and if not attach it.
3. If there are any others, then something is wrong, and you need to investigate.

So here's that broken down in a basic Switch action:

 

The None Branch

This branch makes entries in my list in case there's files that haven't been added:

The One Branch

This branch is likely to be the one you see most used, and is where you'll see the expression, which I mentioned in My Old Response:

outputs('Get_items')?['body/value'][0]?['ID']​

Here you can see that the expression is actually used twice in that Yes branch, with the no branch purely there for show as nothing needs to happen if the file is on the list and attached already. If, like me, you're deleting the files, then you could put a delete action in the no branch.

Yes branch

That's all she wrote! The other branch is just an email alert. 🙂 

My Old Response

I would assume that the items in the list have unique identifiers for the library items, so it shouldn't be too hard to either:

1. Perform the following inside the Apply to each action:
   1. Add a Get items with an OData filter to limit the response to just the item you need.

   2. In the Add attachment action, when building the ID field make an expression and use this to get the ID from it:

      outputs('Get_items')?['body/value'][0]?['ID']​

      That [0] pulls the first item from the array, giving you the data of the only item in your lovely filtered Get items. 😊

2. Or if when you made this list you also added a column to the library with the list ID, then you can iterate through each file, and pull the list ID from that column of information on the file. 👍

---

An example of data that you might have in the SharePoint list about the files is perhaps the file Id in a column called "File_Id". In which case your ODATA Filter would be:

File_Id eq 'EXPRESSION'

Where EXPRESSION is the following expression:

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

[graciegables]

When you say "unique identifiers", do you mean an ID column?  If yes, that is correct.  I'm confused by the OData filter - not sure what that means.  Also, I need this flow to move ALL of the attachments at the same time - not individually.  Here is a screenshot of what I've set up so far, but it has an error and I don't understand it.

[eliotcole]

Sorry, the Get items runs inside the Apply to each, I'll amend that to be more clear. Your Id field is referencing something that doesn't exist as you haven't performed the Get items on the SharePoint list.

An ODATA filter is in the advanced options for limiting the items in your list search.

So my list has a number column called HowManyHours, if I only want hours above 100, then I could use an ODATA filter on that list of:

If I tap those two-way arrows next to Filter Query it shows it in the ODATA format, which is:

HowManyHours ge '100'

[graciegables]

Hi, the screen shot you have above is reference a LIST.  I need to copy attachments from a DOCUMENT LIBRARY.  Is there a "Get Items" for that, or does it only work with Lists?

[eliotcole]

Yes, @graciegables it is a list items pull.

Again, that runs inside the Apply to each, your Get files (properties only) is what the Apply to each runs on.

Also, there's no need to shout, mate, I can understand from normal words. 😉

I'll try to spend a few minutes putting a visual demonstration inside the message you're talking about.

[dghavban]

Hi , were you able to get this to work? if yes can you share the steps.

[dghavban]

Hi, Where you able to get this to work? if yes can you share the steps,

Thanks

Regards,