Adding multiple attachments to the approval email with Power Automate

[Krishna92]

The approvals action has been very helpful for us, it has helped in designed many scenario's and has made tasks easier.

Recently there has been addition to the approval action card where in we can add attachments to the approvals. When we try to add a single attachment this works fine but when we have multiple attachments this is running into an FOR EACH loop causing the flow to re-run the approval action card multiple times.

Because of this user may receive multiple approval requests to over come this behavior, I have found a way where in we can add multiple attachments to the approval mail and this will not run into a FOR EACH loop. The steps for this are almost the same how we try to add multiple attachments to an email.

Here with I have created a flow with below steps.

The flow is that when an item is created in share point list with multiple attachments, add those attachments and send an approval including them.

Let start by adding a trigger – “When an item is created” and selecting the correct SharePoint Site and List.

Please ensure that you already have SP List created that allows storing multiple attachments on the items in it.

After adding the trigger, we need to fetch all the attachments added to the newly created list item. We should, hence, add the “Get attachments” action. The Site name and List name remain the same from the previous step. We want to then pipe the output “ID” from the trigger, to the input ‘ID’ field.

Now, that we have a track on all the attachments – we must store these in a single array. Let’s start by initializing an array for the same

Now as we have initialized the array, in the next step we will fetch and store the attachments contents in the array. This is the main step that leads us to adding multiple attachments, so be careful to follow the instructions.

• Start by adding a “apply to each loop”, then chose the “body” output from the “Get Attachments”

• Next add “Get attachment content” action inside the loop. The SP site name and list name don’t change.

  • For the ID field – select ID output from the “When an item is created” trigger

  • For the file identifier field – Select the Id output from the “Get Attachments” action.

• Next, we want to start adding to the array we just initialized. Set it up as shown below

For reference I am showing the content that I have passed in the Append to array variable step again below.

{

"Name": Display name for the new file being created,

"Content":"Content of the file"

}

The content has to be enclosed in doublequotes("). 

Our array, contains the attachment item with two properties – Name and Content. We are assigning the DisplayName, retrieved from “Get Attachments” action to the Name property and the Attachment Content, retrieved from “Get Attachment Contents” action to the Content property.

Now for the final step we need to send the approval email with the attachments array we just constructed.

This step is pretty simple, add an action to send the approval email and pipe in the attachmentArray output to the attachments input field.

That's all once you have successfully created and saved your flow, be sure to test it by exercising the trigger you should see an email as shown below in your inbox with multiple attachments send on single approval request.

Note: If you getting any error related to attachment content please try converting the content into base64 format using the base64() function in flow.

[VswaldB]

Hi, I'm using the same flow and got the error message as below, what could I do to solve this, I saw your note, but don't know how to solve...thanks. 

[Krishna92]

@VswaldBCould you please enclose the content that you are passing in the base64() function.

That will help you over come the error

[Oliver_Germany]

I ran into the same problem and solved it in Flow by enclosing the Get attachment function in the base64() function.

I used this expression: base64('Get_attachment_content').

This will continue the flow and add attachments to the approval. However, the attachments cannot be opened as it seems that the content is not properly transferred.

The string after content looks like this:

"Content": "R2V0X2F0dGFjaG1lbnRfY29udGVudA=="

and is identical for all attachments while the name changes.

Consequently, I get an Email that shows the correct file names but when I try to open them an error is returned from Excel, Word, PPT that the file is corrupt.

Any hint what I am doing wrong?

Oliver

[VswaldB]

Lieber Oliver, @Oliver_Germany 

I somehow got it right...I will share my flow screen below just for your reference. 

I think the important thing is to correctly append your array variables and you have to type in the name and content part. hope this could help. 

[Oliver_Germany]

Dear VswaldB,

Would you mind to share the expression you entered into the ContentBytes section?

Oliver

[VswaldB]

@Oliver_Germany 

It's the dynamic content of the previous step of "get attachment content".

Make sure you get the "Body" from the step "get attachments". 

And in Email, you set the last feature "Use only html message" to "Yes"

[Oliver_Germany]

@VswaldB 

Thanks for the help.

I noted that this works fine, the problem is caused earlier in the flow.

I have created a form that allows a file upload and these attachments are added to the SP list. 

This part is causing the problem because it only adds the first item again and again.

I have to work on this part to properly cycle through the attachment list and add them to the sharepoint list.

[Anonymous]

Hello @Krishna92 ,

Where exactly do I need to add the base64() function? I can't seem to figure this one out.

[VswaldB]

@Anonymous 

in the attachments, see last pic in my last post, add base64(Attachments). 

[Anonymous]

Hello @VswaldB ,

I added it to the " Append to array variable"step and it worked. adding it to the attachment did not work for me...

Anyway, I also would like to add the same attachments to a "send an email (V2)" action. I tried to just add it like I did in the approval step but it didn't work. Do I need to do anything different for it to work?

[VswaldB]

@Anonymous 

So from my own experience, I did not use the base64() function at all... and it worked for me and once it's working I can add it to every "Send Email" function. maybe you can try if it also works for you

[Anonymous]

Hello @VswaldB ,

I have been following along this week, as I need to copy attachments from a list over to an email.

I was able to get the attachment to display, along with its size, but when I open it (a PDF), nothing shows up.  It's like its empty.  

Here is my append step:

When I review the flow that ran successfully, I see that the content line is different.

The Get attachment content Output shows this:

and the Append to array variable Input is this:

That array is attached to the Send email (v2) and shows the same value.

The "Name" displays correctly as an attachment, however opening it shows a blank page.

Any thoughts on getting the content to actually transfer and display?

Thanks,

Dave

[Grace_KAMGOUA]

Hi @Krishna92  ! Hi Everyone !

I have created a flow that collects attachments from a list item on sharepoint online based on a choice column value and send it in approval mail for approbation. 

I have done exactly what you've explained and approval mail works fine, the attachments are added to the mail but when trying to download them the files seems to be corrupted.

What could be the problem? 

[ExcelNerd]

Hello all,

I created a flow that checks the current date against a column in a SharePoint list, and when they match it sends an email containing all the attachments associated with that list item.  This tested well; so far, except the flow is sending two separate email instead of just one.  The first email contains only the first attachment, while the second contains both attachments which is the intended result.

Any ideas why two email are being sent, and how to reduce to just one email with both attachments (the second email shown on the right)? 

Here is the flow:

I would appreciate any insight into how to correct this!

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[Grace_KAMGOUA]

Hi @ExcelNerd !

I suggest you put the send an email step out of the apply to each loop. This way, it collect all the attachments before send the email.

[Grace_KAMGOUA]

Hi @ExcelNerd !

I suggest you put the send an email step out of the apply to each loop. This way, it collects all the attachments and add it to the array before sending the email.

If this reply has answered your question or solved your issue, please mark this question as answered. Answered questions helps users in the future who may have the same issue or question quickly find a resolution via search. If you liked my response, please consider giving it a thumbs up. THANKS!

[MP_Squared]

Great Article @Krishna92!

Would I need to use a condition to evaluate if there is or isn't any attachments to add to the approval? Or does the append array variable  take that into to account in the approval process. Thanks

[suns3t]

I was finally able to attach multiple files to approval flow by use body('Get_file_content_using_path') for "Content" at the Append to array variable action (no need to have double quotes here - see my screenshot below) . I used Get file content using path because my attachment file was saved in a OneDriver folder. 

Hope it help.

[MD35981]

1. You only need first and third actions (2nd is for different purpose).

• In Attachments Item -> "content:" enter expression - 
  base64ToBinary(item()?['contentBytes'])

  This will help download and open attachments correctly.

  Hope this helps!