Trying to build a flow that puts attachments into a specific folder based on a list column entry

[elizabethharms]

Hi all!

I'm trying to build a flow that will allow employees to upload photos to specific SharePoint document libraries based on how they answer a question in a Microsoft Form.

The form has:

• Which event are your photos from (as a choice question)
• Attachments

My current flow:

• When a new form response is submitted ...
• It copies the attachments to my OneDrive ...
• Creates an item in a SharePoint list ...
• Copies attachments to the SharePoint list.

I can't figure out how to then route it to a particular document library based on the answer to the first question (either in the form or in the list). In other words, if someone chooses 2022 Staff Retreat from the choices, I want the attachments to flow to the document library called 2022 Staff Retreat.

I'm starting to wonder if this is even possible.

[wskinnermctc]

It is very possible! You can put a Switch control in your flow and have it use the form response. Then for each switch case, just have the response options.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KokllQUX2I 

That is a youtube video that shows a Switch control.

If your form question is - Select which event these photos are from:

• 2022 Fun Time
• 2022 Christmas
• 2023 New Years

Switch Control

Let me know if this works for you,

[elizabethharms]

I have high hopes for this @wskinnermctc ! Here's what my flow looks like right now (and so far it works). I'm guessing I'd need to put it after the last item, right? Once I put in the switch, do you know what action I use to copy the files to a document library? I appreciate all of your help! I'm a first-timer.  🙂

[wskinnermctc · Accepted solution]

So there isn't going to be a direct action to Copy a file since you are trying to go from OneDrive to SharePoint. You will need to use the SharePoint - Create file action. This is not much different than the SharePoint - Add attachment action.

I can't make a duplicate of your flow without seeing the expanded steps, but it probably isn't necessary. You have done the hard part already. To finally create a file in the SharePoint document library, it is going to work much like how you are adding the attachments to SharePoint.

Switch Create File

In my quick example the Switch is using the Choice response from the Form and then it will create a file in the identified folder.

Yours will probably be slightly different, so instead of a Create File action within each of the Switch Case, you will probably have an Apply to Each within each Case. And within that Apply to Each you will have the Create File action.

I'm guessing you could use the same "Add attachment to SharePoint list" step within each Switch case, but replace it with the action Create file.

You could put the Switch inside of an Apply to Each, but I think it looks cleaner to have it outside and then the individual Apply to Each for each case.

This requires that the document folders are already made and the form choice response matches each case. This also doesn't allow for a single form response to send photos to different folders; that would get more complex.

Do you think you can make it work like this?

(If you get stuck, let me know, but also add a screenshot of your steps opened up fully so I can copy what you have. Then I'll make a complete example.)

[elizabethharms]

It works! 

Thank you so much for your help. I've been struggling with this all day. 

[elizabethharms]

Well, I've found a new problem. The flow works and everything goes to the right document libraries. However, the files appear to be corrupted and won't open. It appears to be a problem with it going from OneDrive to the SharePoint List. Any ideas how to fix that? I can only find information about emails with corrupt attachments.

[wskinnermctc]

Are the file names correct? More specifically, using the correct name with extension such as .docx or .pdf or .xlsx

I have made the mistake of just using the file names and it doesn't work without the correct extension.

[elizabethharms]

Yes, they are. It's putting my name at the end, but the extension is correct.

[wskinnermctc]

So the files that are put into the list item as an attachment work correctly? You can open them up and they are not corrupted? 

It is only the files that are being put into the SharePoint document library that are corrupted?

[elizabethharms]

No. I thought they were fine because I could see the file name, but I don't think I had tried to open one previously. Now, when I try to open it from the SharePoint list, it doesn't open.

[wskinnermctc]

Can you show a screenshot of your steps? Not just the steps and names (like in a previous photo of yours), but the steps expanded so I can see the values that are being used.

[elizabethharms]

Sure! 

Part one

Part two (the array came from a successful original test)

Part three

Part 4 (only showing one option, but they're all the same)

[wskinnermctc · Accepted solution]

Thank you, very helpful!

I think you are going to have to reformat your flow. Right now you have these separate Apply to Each and they aren't going to work together, if they do then it is because of luck or only a single file.

For example

• The Apply to Each - "Get file content from Onedrive" is going through the body of the action "Generate array from multiple attachments" and getting file content for each one.
• Then the next Apply to Each - "Add attachment to SharePoint list" is going through the body of the action "Generate array from multiple attachments" and adding an attachment to a SharePoint item, but it is using the Body of the content that comes from the previous Apply to Each.

The Problem:

1. Apply to Each is like its own container and each loop is for single item. So how is one container of item loops supposed to pair with another container of item loops? It can't.

You basically only need 1 Apply to Each action that is going through your array of attachments and performing actions for each item. So immediately after the "Get file content using path" put the action "Add Attachment" so that it is still on the same name and same file content.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I made a full example and have tested it to work. The attachments are able to be seen in the sharepoint list item when clicked on, and the files in the folder can be seen without corruption.

I probably should have just done this from the start, but I have never done anything with forms attachments so I kind of thought you already had it all set up correctly since you said it was working. Either way, at least I learned how to do it too!

Below are the steps of the flow, if you make yours look similar to mine then it should work.

Note: I added "Get File Metadata" because I wanted to make sure I was using the dynamic content for the file name.

I am also using the "id" of the file to get the metadata and content. This is basically the same as "Get File Content By Path" except I like using the "id" because it is more precise. You can swap them if you prefer.

This is an overview of the steps in the full flow:

Flow Overview

The first steps of the flow are pretty obvious and you already had them in place. I basically copied yours.

Flow Steps Detail 1

This is going to be the only "Apply to Each" in the flow since it is acting on the individual items coming from the ParseJSON step.

Flow Steps Detail 2

This is the Switch control that is within the Apply to Each. Each create file action is using the Name from the Get File Metadata and then using the Content from Get File Content.

Flow Steps Detail 3

So this should make it easier to put together, let me know if you have any issues. If this works for you, then mark it as the solution so other people can see it easier.

Good Luck!

[elizabethharms]

Thank you so much again! I've now tested it, not just with the flow (which looked like it was working) but also opening the files at each point. I really appreciate your help!