Change Sharepoint library settings"Allow management of content types" using power automate

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Hi,

I am trying to change the "Allow management of content types" setting on an existing library to test the behaviour. We are currently building a new structure of sites and the sites themselves have been created but this setting needs to be enabled on all of them.

Is this possible or is this a setting that can only be provided during the creation of the document library?

Afterwards I would have to add a custom content type to the document library. How should I do this as I have been looking this up and it seems that the way you do this has changed recently.

What I have tried so far is this:

but this gives an error as Patch is not supported on the list collection.

I have also tried it with post but then I get this error(which I guess has to do with the fact that it thinks I'm trying to create a library and therefore provide no library title):

If anyone has an idea of what I could do that would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

You can use a POST method for this. You do need to provide which list/library you want to update in the URI field though, otherwise it would not know which library you want to update.

Below is an example

URI

_api/web/lists/getbyTitle('@{variables('ListName')}')

Headers

{
  "Accept": "application/json;odata=verbose",
  "Content-Type": "application/json;odata=verbose",
  "If-Match": "*",
  "X-HTTP-Method": "MERGE"
}

Body

{
  "__metadata": {
    "type": "SP.List"
  },
  "ContentTypesEnabled": true
}

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Perfect! Thanks Expiscornovus this worked like a charm! 

Now how would I go about actually adding the content type to the library through power automate as it seems the way to do this has been changed very recently?

Thanks so much already though!

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

If the content type already exists in the site (has been published from the content type gallery) you could use the AddAvailableContentType method.

I have adjusted the earlier shared example and added that step as well.

URI

_api/web/lists/getbyTitle('@{variables('ListName')}')/contenttypes/AddAvailableContentType

Headers

{
  "Accept": "application/json;odata=verbose",
  "Content-Type": "application/json;odata=verbose"
}

Body

{
"contentTypeId" : "@{variables('ContentTypeId')}"
}

[MatthiasVeelaer]

This still works? I find a lot of posts online saying this doesn't work anymore.

[MatthiasVeelaer]

It keeps retrying 😕

This is what my current flow looks like:

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

What are you using in the ListID variable? The name of the variable suggests you are using a GUID or id.

The getbytitle method however expects the title/name of the library or list. 

In my case the name of my library was called 'Enable CTs'. In that case the Uri should be:

_api/web/lists/getbyTitle('Enable CTs')

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Yeah sorry, the name does indeed suggest that but I just forgot to rename the variable. It is a string 🙂

There I changed it 🙂

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

Can you also remove that AllowContentTypes from your first request. That property is not something you can set/update.

You can only update the ContentTypesEnabled property. Also see my example. I am not using the AllowContentTypes property in my payload.

And Yes, it should work. I just tested this flow in my own development environment and both the setting was enabled and the content type was added 😁

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Alright! I will remove that. I will take another look at it and see whether or not I have made a mistake somewhere. Let's hope I missed something 😄

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

I had another look at your last screenshot and specifically the URI of your second request. I noticed a potential space character in the middle.

Can you also make sure there is no accidental typo/space character in the uri. Specifically between the /contenttypes and the listtitle variable?

Below is an example typo gif (click on it to see it in higher resolution).

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Yeah I noticed that too as difference in our screens however there doesn't seem to be a space there 😞

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

Thanks for checking.

Can you also double check that the content type you are trying to add already exists in your test site?

You can check this in the site settings > Web Designer Galleries > Site content types or directly navigate to this type of link (replace contoso and yoursitename by your specific values) :

https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/yoursitename/_layouts/15/SiteAdmin.aspx#/contentTypes

The AddAvailableContentType method only works if the content type is already available. 

contentTypeId: Specifies the identifier of the content type to be added to the content type collection. It MUST exist in the web's available content types.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/openspecs/sharepoint_protocols/ms-csomspt/6d9692cd-56e5-4d5f-aec9-...

Looking at the contenttypeId you are trying to add a custom Document content type which has Document (0x0101) as a parent, is that correct?

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Yes correct, it has Document as parent type. Content type is available on the site.

[MatthiasVeelaer]

This is what I got a second ago. Think something might be wrong with the connection?

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

Can you share screenshots of the configuration you used in your last test and a screenshot of the last failed flow instance (with both HTTP request actions expanded) and also share the specific error you are seeing?

I also assume you already checked the library settings of your test library and made sure that the content type is not already added? If it is already added and you try to rerun the same flow again, it will fail the second time with a BadGateway.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

Can you please check if you see an innererror message in the body of the failed action?

Like in my example below, a HTTP 502 BadGateway can be caused if the content type is already added the the target library.

It would be useful for troubleshooting to see if you get the same or a different type of error message in the body?

[sandeepstw]

Hi There, 

Use this solution - 

Sure, here's how you can change the "Allow management of content types" setting on an existing SharePoint library and then add a custom content type to it using Power Automate.

To enable content type management:

1. Begin by creating a new flow. Add an appropriate trigger based on your needs. For manual testing, you can use "Manually trigger a flow".

2. Next, add the "Send an HTTP request to SharePoint" action. This action will allow you to call the SharePoint API to modify the library settings.

3. Fill in the required fields for the action as follows:

- Site Address: (Your SharePoint site URL)
- Method: POST
- Uri: _api/web/lists/getbytitle('Your Library Name')
- Headers:
- Accept: application/json;odata=nometadata
- Content-Type: application/json;odata=nometadata
- If-Match: *
- X-HTTP-Method: MERGE
- Body:

```json
{
"__metadata": { "type": "SP.List" },
"ContentTypesEnabled": true
}
```

4. Save and run the flow.

To add a custom content type:

1. You need the ID of the content type you wish to add. If you don't have it, you can get it using another HTTP request action. For the Uri field, use `_api/web/AvailableContentTypes?$filter=Name eq 'Your Content Type Name'` and select the ID from the response.

2. Add another "Send an HTTP request to SharePoint" action to your flow.

3. Configure the action as follows:

- Site Address: (Your SharePoint site URL)
- Method: POST
- Uri: _api/web/lists/getbytitle('Your Library Name')/ContentTypes/AddAvailableContentType
- Headers:
- Accept: application/json;odata=nometadata
- Content-Type: application/json;odata=nometadata
- Body:

```json
{
"contentTypeId": "Your Content Type ID"
}
```

4. Save and run the flow again.

Remember to replace "Your Library Name", "Your Content Type Name", and "Your Content Type ID" with the actual names and ID from your SharePoint site.

This method should work to enable content type management for an existing SharePoint library and add a custom content type to it using Power Automate. Note that you need the necessary permissions to modify library settings and add content types in SharePoint.

Please mark as solution if this helps and give me kudos. 

Thanks, 

Sandeep

[MatthiasVeelaer]

Ok so it does however seem that when I search for the content type using the sharepoint get request it gives back nothing but when I search for a content type that is actually on the site then I do get response.

However when I use the admin center I can see the content type in the available ones for the website with this message above:

So I guess it still isn't actually on the site so how would I go about actually adding it so that it can be used?

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @MatthiasVeelaer,

There should be a publish option on the content type in the content type gallery which you can use to either publish it or re-publish it (if needed).

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/publish-content-type