Power Automate with SharePoint list

This blog walks you through the process of how to archive SharePoint lists using Microsoft Power Automate flow and focuses on a SharePoint list which has column types such as Multiple lines of text, Hyperlink or Picture, Choice and Lookup type columns. In addition, the Multiple lines of text column has the append changes to an existing text option selected as yes.

Scenario

Consider a SharePoint list whose list items need to be archived i.e. copied over to either another SharePoint list or a data source such as Excel or Azure SQL table or CDS entity. The source list has some complex SharePoint columns such as

• Multiple lines of text which appending to an existing text option selected as yes
• Hyperlink of Picture
• Choice
• Lookup

Here are screenshots of the list and their column types:

Comments column and its settings:

Here is a screenshot of the destination list:

As you can see the comment column in the destination list does not have the append feature set as yes:

Power Automate flow

The Power Automate flow does a great job copying the Single line of text and Hyperlink or Picture directly, however, the Choice type column and the Multiple lines of text with append does require some extra work.

To copy the Choice type columns, we use the variable function and for Multiple lines of text with append, we use a combination of HTTP request and HTML table.

Video

This video walks you through the two SharePoint lists and the flow.

Conclusion

The destination is also a SharePoint list, however, you can use other data sources such as an Excel spreadsheet in OneDrive, Azure SQL Table or CDS entity. Keep in mind if you do use Azure SQL Table or CDS entity then you will need either Power Automate per-flow or per-use plan in addition to your Office 365 license.

This is how you should archive SharePoint lists using Microsoft Power Automate flow! Read my previous blog posts and see the videos for more great how-tos and tips & tricks:

Build your own Audit App
Pre-populate PowerApps controls using URL
How to split gallery items in Power Apps

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