How can I update only 1 property in a SharePoint List?

[Tanner]

I am trying to update the value of a specific column in a list item in a SharePoint 365 List via Microsoft Flow.

I have found and used the SharePoint - Update File Properties action, but that requires that I put in a value for every single column in the list item! How can I update just a single column of my list item? Or does this feature not exist for some reason in Flow?

[v-yamao-msft]

Hi @Tanner,

Are you working with SharePoint list or SharePoint library?

If you are trying to update a list item, please use the action “Update item”.

When using this action, you are asked to enter a value for the required field, for the other fields, you can just specify value for the fields that you want to update.

Best regards,
Mabel Mao

[Tanner]

Thanks, when just typing in "SharePoint - " the Update Item option was not showing in the dynamic list. I had to select the "SharePoint" icon at the top of the dynamic list dropdown box to show it.

I'm working with a SharePoint List, by the way.

In conjunction with that, I was able to select a third option for some Yes/No list item column values: "Enter Custom Value"; I hadn't seen this before, either.

@v-yamao-msft       Are you saying that if I leave fields blank in the Update Item action, it will still work (by leaving those values to what they were)? I was under the impression I had to enter a value for each of them, otherwise it would save a blank value for any I left blank.

[AlejandroCarril]

What was the result? I’m on the same boat right now and have live data I don’t want to risk being emptied out...

[ScottShearer]

When updating a SharePoint list item, you must supply data for all required columns.  If you don't want to change the data in those columns, just set them to the existing value via Dynamic Content.

You do not need to supply values for any column that is not required.  If you don't supply a value for the update, the column value will not be changed.

In other words, you don't need to worry about columns that are not required being "emptied".

Scott

[AlejandroCarril]

Thanks Scott.

I didn’t notice but it also picked up my default values and overwrite some fields bit definitely helpful.

Thanks again!
Alex

[GabrielStJohn]

Hello, @Tanner!

Have you had a chance to apply @AlejandroCarril‘s recommendation to adapt your Flow? If yes, and you find that solution to be satisfactory, please go ahead and click “Accept as Solution” so that this thread will be marked for other users to easily identify!

Thank you for being an active member of the Flow Community!

-Gabriel

Flow Community Manager

[Anonymous]

It's really cumbersome if your list has many required fields. If your flow has complex logic and many actions that only intend to update a single or a few fields, you need to pick all the columns over and over and over again using the the flow editor. It's not a good user experience.

[Tanner · Accepted solution]

Hi Gabriel, it's been too long since I was working on this Flow for me to remember but from what I read of my previous reply, Alejandro's answer did not solve my problem, and from I've seen Scott's suggestion is not accurate, either, but I don't have a Flow set up to confirm or deny it at the moment.

My workaround was to switch from yes/no columns in the SharePoint List to Text columns.

[Anonymous]

On updating SharePoint list item, can the current value be the default value?  Then, it should be easy just to modify one column which need to be updated instead of going through every single column.

[ScottShearer · Accepted solution]

Can you explain how my response was not accurate please.

 Here is a screen shot of an entry in a custom list

Here is a Flow that I executed on this list item

Here is a screen shot of the list item after the Flow was executed

Please note that the columns for which I did not supply a value did not change.

Scott.

[vongsi]

You are right ! Not sure why they designed it this way ... The application shoud provide option for users to select only one field to update or make change 

[Tanner]

Hi Scott, this is a shared account, so I'm not sure who on our team wrote this thread or accepted the answer, but in all likelihood they were probably not realizing they had set various columns as required in SharePoint, and/or they were looking for a one-line action via dropdown or something similar rather than showing all columns at once... can't say I blame them, with how MS Flow's page and UI responsiveness is worse than molasses in the wintertime.

At any rate, I have used the method you describe successfully before, so I'll mark your response as a solution.

[wahgar]

One addition Scott, the Update item action requires that you specify a value for ALL required fields on the form even if you only want to update 1 non required field on the form.  Only workaround I've found is to map the required fields to themselves so you don't lose their values.  I assume this re-writes over the field every time, which messes up alerts and version control if you are using these features.  Not a huge deal in your example, but very painful if you have a lengthy form with many required fields or a complex process with many workflows / actions that require updates to various form fields.

Why isn't there an action to update a single list variable?  I'm coming from Nintex workflow where this a breeze : (

[ScottShearer]

@wahgar- I did suggest earlier in this discussion that the standard way to handle required columns where the value should not change is to set them to their existing values via Dynamic properties.

As far as why you can't simply update a single column - I don't have an answer for that.  However, it sounds like something that should be suggested in Flow Ideas.  If it has already been suggested, you may want to vote for it.

Scott

[wahgar]

You did Scott, completely missed that!  Apologize!

[kushanperera]

Is this valid for multi-valued columns? 

[sice]

Hi Scott - I have two obstacles to implementing this solution:

1. The fields I'm trying to update are on a calendar list so I can't adjust to make them not required
2. I'm hoping to update a field on that calendar based on a change to another list.  For some reason, the Dynamic field choices are limited to the list that's changing (triggering the workflow) and not the list I'm hoping to update.

To summarize, a new record being added to List A triggers a workflow to update a field on an existing calendar entry in List B. The two lists have a common ID field.  Since several fields are required (none of which I want to update) I'm lost as to how I can set them to their existing values via Dynamic properties.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[ScottShearer]

@sice:

It sounds like your Flow will start when there is a change in another list (list A).  So, the trigger will reference list A.  You can add a Get Items action and retrieve the item from list B - I would suggest using an OData filter (filter on your common column) so that you only get back a single row of data - the row that you want.  Then use an Update item to update List B - you'll have access to all the data you need via Dynamic properties from the Get Items action.

You'll find yourself inside of a loop when referencing the fields from Get Items but that's OK as you'll only have 1 row - it will only loop once.

Scott

[sice]

Fantastic - that did the trick 🙂