Creating Folders within Folders via Automate

[DylanB02]

Hi,

I'm trying to utilise MS Forms to create job folders automatically without the need to manually copy a template folder.

I have built the below flow which creates the main folder correctly based off the form input and then creates the folders within this correctly. But within the folder named "Submission" I need 2 more folders named "Quality" & "Commercial". I can't figure out how to do this, I tried using another Apply to each function underneath the previous but this just remade the folders again within submission, not the ones I've listed within the Sub Folder variable.

Results here:

As mentioned I need to add 2 more sub folders within the "Submission" folder.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

You can store all paths (both main folders and subfolders) in one array.

Try the below value for your array

[
"Bits",
"Drafts",
"Submission",
"Submission/Quality",
"Submission/Commercial",
"Tender Docs",
"Answers from Previous Jobs"
]

[DylanB02]

Amazing, thanks this works perfect.

Just to add on to this, we have some template word docs I'd like to copy into the newly created folder and into the "Drafts,

I can't figure out how to set this up so it then uses the new folders its made to move the docs into it?

How can I get automate to move them into that folder?

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

Within your loop you can check if the current item of your array is Drafts via a Condition action. If that is the case you can retrieve these files and copy each of them (in the If Yes section).

Below is an example

1. Via a Get Files I am retrieving the template files

2. For the destination folder I am using the below expression in the Copy File action

encodeUriComponent(outputs('Create_new_folder')?['body/{FullPath}'])

[DylanB02]

Morning @Expiscornovus

Working on this now, do I need to add the initialise variable action you have added and if so what needs to be in there?

And just to clarify this ties in with the first process which creates the folders based off the MS Forms, once that is done I have the below. I then want the template word docs to be copied into the newly created drafts folder, ideally not another folder to be added within.

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

That initialize variable action uses the same array variable as your MainFolderArray variable you shared earlier (with the updated value from my first reply).

I just used a different variable name (FolderArray instead of MainFolderArray) in my example, sorry for the confusion 😅

[DylanB02]

Ah, thanks for clarifying,

I am receiving the below error message though

And as for the "SPO Site Collection" that you have in the create new folder I don't seem to have this option?

Do I just use the usual site address I've been using throughout?

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

Yes, you can use the site address you have been using in your setup before. In my case it is a environment variable I am using in the Site Address dropdown, which you will not have in your environment.

Also make sure you are using the same action names as in my example, if possible.

Whenever you rename an action (from Create a new Folder to Create a new folder 2) you also need to update the expressions as well. So if you need to use other names you can update the expressions like below:

encodeUriComponent(outputs('Create_new_folder_2')?['body/{FullPath}'])

[DylanB02]

Amazing, thanks.

I've amended that now, apologies as it had named itself Create a Folder 2 as I already have one earlier on.

So the flow is running but it doesn't seem to be copying the docs, it reaches the condition statement and is checking the folder named "Bits", it's not going through each folder and finding the Drafts one to upload into, see screenshots below.

I'm presuming it should be going through each folder and when it finds the Drafts one it drops the word docs in there?

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

Yes, that is correct. For one of these items (Drafts) in the apply to each loop you should see a true for the condition.

Below is my test run. As you can see the second item of the array was the one of Drafts. And my flow is copying only two files to that new Drafts folder (that's why that second apply to each has only two pages).

[DylanB02]

Thanks, didn't realise the numbers were showing each attempt in the loop.

So I've ran it and it says true on the Drafts folder which is correct but the copy file is greyed out and the Drafts folder is still empty?

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02 

The Get Files (properties only) might not return any results, that could explain a skipped loop. Can you double check this? Can you share a screenshot of the configuration of that action as well?

[DylanB02]

Thats what I was thinking but couldnt figure out a way to fix it.

It does seem like it's going to the right folder but with the copy file action being greyed out I can't see what it's doing.

Apologies, so close.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

In the second screenshot the Outputs contains a Click to download option. Can you click that and shared the outputs over here. This way we can see if your Get Files returns any results or is just empty (aka '[]' )

[DylanB02]

Morning @Expiscornovus 

Please see results from the Output file below.

Hopefully you can understand this better that I could 😆

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

Yes, I see the Get Files (properties only) action is not returning items, that is why it is skipping the apply to each action. It does not have any items in the value property to loop through. I have highlighted this with the red arrow in an edited version of your original screenshot.

Just to double check. You used the same library in both the Library Name dropdown and also in the Limit Entries to Folder selection, correct? 

[DylanB02]

Ah ok,

See Get Files action below, I didn't think they needed to be the same, the docs I need it to copy are within multiple folders with the Documents library, is this correct?

Not sure how I would point it to the specific folder within adding the folder path?

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @DylanB02,

It looks like you have selected both the Documents (aka Shared Documents) and Bid Writing libraries in your action.

Those locations need to point to the same library. Otherwise the action will try and look at two different libraries at the same time, which will confuse the action. 

In the Library Name you select the library you want to use. In the Limit Entries to Folder you select a folder from the same library which you want to use.

Below is an example with a Test folder in the Documents library (which confusingly has a displayname of Shared Documents). As you can see it would also show the library name in the path.

[DylanB02]

Apologies, I read this wrong,

Please see below.

I'm not sure what the difference between the "Documents" & "Shared Documents" is as they both seem to go to the same place?

Thanks

[DylanB02]

Please see below from the SharePoint site to, so Bid Writing is just a folder within Documents so based off how you have explained it then this should be correct?

Thanks