Copy four files and rename each pair of files with a specific date format

[power13]

Hello all,

Can someone guide me on how to copy files before renaming them with a date in the format of our choice? So, I have two reports (.xlsx) saved around every morning 8 am containing the previous days' visitors to the office. I have to name them "Emp entries - yyyy.mm.dd" (previous date) & "Non-Emp entries - yyyy.mm.dd" (previous date). Similarly, after 12 noon every day, I get another set of reports containing entries until 12 noon the same day; I have to name them - "Emp entries - yyyy.mm.dd until noon" (current date) & "Non-Emp entries - yyyy.mm.dd until noon" (current date). 

I have tried a couple of flows but did not work. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

R

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @power13 

I have some ideas to design it, but need some information 

Where is the data stored, is it in onedrive or sharepoint ?

[power13]

Hi Nived,

Thank you! The source file is from SharePoint and has to be copied to another SP folder too

[power13]

Hi Nived,

Thank you! The source file is from SharePoint and has to be copied to another SP folder too

[Nived_Nambiar]

Hi @power13 

I hope you are trying to add datetime to filename. 

If yes try this approach.

Here i have used the trigger when file is created , so that flow triggers when file is added to share point folder based does the renaming based on time it is added. 

See the flow design below

Step 1: Use trigger when file is created in sharepoint 

This trigger when the file is added in the specific folder location, to make it run at times when file is added at 8 am and 12 pm, i have added trigger condition as well like below

condition : @Or(equals(int(convertFromUtc(utcNow(),'India Standard Time','HH')),8), equals(int(convertFromUtc(utcNow(),'India Standard Time','HH')),12))

This is optional as flow can handle the scenario based on timing 🙂

Step 2: Intialize new_filename variable 

Step 3: Use switch sequence with switch condition as below

Expression:  int(convertFromUtc(utcNow(),'India Standard Time','HH'))

Note: here time when running in flow appears in UTC, so we should make sure time need to appear in same timezone when we are uplaoding, to make that I have used India Standard Time to convert to. You can specify the timezone you wish to convert to.

In switch case specify the hours in which you want to trigger flow

Case 1: when value is 8 

Expression used in set variable: 

concat(triggerOutputs()?['body/{Name}'],'-',formatDateTime(addDays(convertFromUtc(utcNow(),'India Standard Time'),-1),'yyyy.MM.dd'),'.xlsx')

Here the file name would be added with - yyyy.MM.dd where the date is previous date, since flow is at 8 am.

Next use http request to rename file 

More details on rename action can be found below

https://zeitgeistcode.com/power-automate-rename-file-sharepoint/

After renaming the file, you will use move file to move file.

expression used : 

concat('/Shared Documents/Important_folder/',variables('new_filename'))

Here highlighted one is the folder path where the file is kept to be moved , you can replace with required one.

Case 2: 12 pm

The same process is repeated when time of flow is at 12 pm. but changes would there in file naming, file name would be including today's date instead of previous date like below

expression : 

concat(triggerOutputs()?['body/{Name}'],'-',formatDateTime(convertFromUtc(utcNow(),'India Standard Time'),'yyyy.MM.dd'),'.xlsx')

This will rename the file based on new date.

So for example if the filename is Book.xlsx and flow runs at 12 pm , it will rename the file like Book - 2023.04.14.xlsx if 2023.04.14 is today's date.

I hope this is what you expect.

Mark it as solution if it resolves your query 🙂

[power13 · Accepted solution]

Hi Nived,

Thank you for addressing this question and for the detailed answer. 

Unfortunately, it does not work, and the flow shows failed every time a file is added to the source folder. I will happily share the flow if you want to take a look. Please let me know.

Thanks,

R