Overview
Power Automate allows seamless automation with SharePoint Online and SharePoint On-Premises, enabling users to create workflows for document management, approvals, notifications, and more. By integrating Power Automate with SharePoint, you can automate repetitive tasks and improve business efficiency.
1️⃣ Setting Up Power Automate for SharePoint
Requirements
✔ Microsoft 365 Account with access to SharePoint Online
✔ Power Automate license (included in most Microsoft 365 plans)
✔ SharePoint site URL & list/library access
2️⃣ Connecting Power Automate to SharePoint
1️⃣ Open Power Automate
2️⃣ Click “Create” → Choose “Automated Cloud Flow”
3️⃣ Select a SharePoint trigger (e.g., “When an item is created”)
4️⃣ Enter your SharePoint site URL
5️⃣ Select the list or library you want to automate
6️⃣ Click “Create”
Example: Automate an email notification when a new document is added to a SharePoint library.
3️⃣ Common Power Automate SharePoint Triggers
| Trigger Name | When it Runs | Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| When an item is created | New item is added to a list | Notify a manager when a task is assigned |
| When an item is modified | Item is updated in a list | Track changes in a SharePoint list |
| When a file is created in a folder | New file is uploaded | Automatically move files to a different folder |
| When a file is modified in a folder | File is updated | Trigger approval for document changes |
| For a selected item | User manually selects an item | Start an approval workflow from SharePoint |
Example:
Trigger: “When an item is created in a SharePoint list”
Flow: Send an approval request when a new purchase request is added.
4️⃣ SharePoint Actions in Power Automate
| Action Name | Purpose | Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Create item | Add new item to a SharePoint list | Log form submissions in a SharePoint list |
| Update item | Modify an existing item | Update project status based on workflow completion |
| Get items | Retrieve list items | Get all pending approvals from a list |
| Delete item | Remove an item from a list | Auto-delete outdated requests |
| Create file | Upload a file to a document library | Save email attachments to SharePoint |
| Update file properties | Modify metadata of a document | Tag invoices with an “Approved” status |
| Delete file | Remove a file from a library | Auto-delete temporary documents |
Example:
Action: “Create File in SharePoint”
Flow: Save email attachments to a SharePoint library automatically.
5️⃣ Automating Workflows with SharePoint & Power Automate
Example 1: Automating Approval Workflows
Scenario: Automate an approval process for SharePoint list items.
1️⃣ Trigger: When an item is created in a SharePoint list
2️⃣ Action: Start an approval process
3️⃣ Condition: If approved, update item status to “Approved”
4️⃣ Action: Send an email confirmation
Use Case: Purchase approvals, leave requests, document approvals
Example 2: Auto-Saving Email Attachments to SharePoint
Scenario: Save email attachments from Outlook to a SharePoint document library.
1️⃣ Trigger: When an email arrives with an attachment
2️⃣ Action: Extract attachment
3️⃣ Action: Upload file to a SharePoint library
4️⃣ Action: Notify the user
Use Case: Centralizing important documents automatically
Example 3: Auto-Organizing Documents in SharePoint
Scenario: Automatically move files into folders based on metadata.
1️⃣ Trigger: When a file is added to a SharePoint library
2️⃣ Condition: Check file type (e.g., invoice, contract)
3️⃣ Action: Move file to the appropriate folder
4️⃣ Action: Send a Teams notification
Use Case: Organizing invoices, contracts, and reports in SharePoint