Simplified Explanation of Update Item vs. Send an HTTP Request to SharePoint
Think of Power Automate as a tool that helps automate tasks, like updating info in SharePoint lists (which are like online spreadsheets). There are two main ways to update a SharePoint item: the easy “Update Item” action or the more advanced “Send an HTTP Request to SharePoint” action.
- Update Item Action (Simple Built-In Tool): This is like filling out a form. You pick the list, the item ID, and update fields. It’s easy for beginners—no coding needed. But if your list has “required” fields (must-have info), you have to fill them all in again, even if you’re only changing one thing. If you forget, it fails. It also acts like a normal user edit, so it might trigger other automations or change “who last edited it.”
- Send an HTTP Request to SharePoint Action (Advanced Custom Tool): This is like sending a direct message to SharePoint using code (REST API). You can say exactly what to change without touching other stuff. It’s flexible—you can update just one field without re-entering everything. But you need to know a bit of coding, like the right web address (URL) and commands (e.g., “PATCH” to update).
In short: Use “Update Item” for quick, simple jobs. Use “HTTP Request” for tricky stuff, like avoiding errors or handling big changes.
Which is Better When Someone Else is Editing the Same Record?
SharePoint doesn’t “lock” list items like a door—it uses a “version check” (called ETag) to spot if someone else changed it while you’re working.
- Update Item: Not great for this. If someone edits at the same time, your flow might fail or overwrite their changes. No easy way to check versions built-in.
- HTTP Request: Better! You can first “ask” SharePoint for the current version (ETag), then update only if it matches. If not, retry or stop. This avoids messing up others’ work.
Tip: Always turn on “versioning” in your SharePoint list (in list settings) to keep old versions safe. For busy lists, make your flow wait and try again if there’s a conflict.
What Happens When Updating Only One Field, But There Are Required Fields?
SharePoint lists can have “required” fields that must have values (e.g., a “Name” field can’t be empty).
- Using Update Item Action: You must provide values for ALL required fields, even if you’re only changing one (like updating “Status” but ignoring “Name”). Power Automate acts like creating a new item—it checks everything. If a required field is missing in your flow, it fails with an error like “Required field is empty.” Solution: In your flow, first “Get Item” to grab current values, then use those for required fields while changing your one field.
- Using Send an HTTP Request Action: Smarter for this! You can update JUST the one field (e.g., only “Status”) without touching required ones. SharePoint doesn’t re-check them if they’re already filled. Use “PATCH” method and send only the changed field in the “body” (like JSON code: {“Status”: “New Value”}). No failure from missing fields. This is the complete solution if you want minimal changes—avoids errors and is faster.
Complete Solution: If your list has required fields and you’re updating one:
- Prefer “HTTP Request” for flexibility. Example code in the request:
- Method: PATCH
- URI: _api/web/lists/GetByTitle(‘YourListName’)/items(YourItemID)
- Headers: { “If-Match”: “*” } (or use ETag for safety)
- Body: { “FieldName”: “NewValue” }
- If sticking with “Update Item,” add a “Get Item” step before to copy all current values, then update only your field.
- Test in a small flow: Create a test list, add required fields, and run to see.
This keeps things safe and avoids overwriting or errors.
More Questions and Answers Related to Power Automate Flows
Here’s an expanded FAQ-style list. I started with the 20 from before and added 20 more (total 40) based on common issues. These cover SharePoint integration, errors, best practices, and more. They’re simple, with solutions.
- Q: What causes the “The file is locked for shared use” error in Power Automate when updating SharePoint documents? A: Happens when someone has the file open. For lists, it’s less common, but for files, add a delay (e.g., 30 seconds) and retry up to 3 times using a “Do until” loop.
- Q: How do I handle ETag conflicts in Power Automate for SharePoint updates? A: Use Send an HTTP Request: Get the item first to grab the ETag, then update with “If-Match” header. If it fails (412 error), retry after refreshing.
- Q: Why does my flow trigger multiple times on the same SharePoint item modification? A: The flow itself might be causing another modification, creating a loop. Fix: Check if the editor is the flow’s account and skip, or use HTTP to update without triggering.
- Q: How to bulk delete SharePoint list items without hitting the 5000-item threshold? A: Turn on pagination in “Get Items” settings, then loop through with “Delete Item.” For big lists, use OData filters like $top=1000.
- Q: What is concurrency control in Power Automate triggers, and when to use it? A: Limits how many flow runs happen at once (e.g., set to 1). Use for shared lists to avoid conflicts, but it might slow things down.
- Q: How to update a single column in SharePoint without required fields errors? A: Use Send an HTTP Request with PATCH—just send the one field. Avoids re-validating required fields.
- Q: What happens if a Power Automate flow fails midway through a bulk operation? A: Done actions stay done (no auto-undo). Use “Scope” to group steps and “Configure run after” to continue or notify on failure.
- Q: How to perform system updates in SharePoint (without changing Modified By)? A: Use HTTP Request with “ValidateUpdateListItem” endpoint—it updates as “system” without changing who/when.
- Q: Why does my flow fail with “Item does not exist” after a deletion trigger? A: The item is gone by the time you try to get it. Use trigger outputs directly instead of “Get Item.”
- Q: Best way to handle large SharePoint lists (>5000 items) in Power Automate? A: Enable pagination, use filters (e.g., Modified > date), or batch with HTTP for speed.
- Q: How to avoid infinite loops in SharePoint modification flows? A: Add a condition: If Modified By is the flow’s user, stop. Or use HTTP updates that don’t trigger flows.
- Q: What are common performance issues with Apply to each loops in bulk ops? A: They’re slow one-by-one. Turn on concurrency (up to 50) in loop settings, but watch for SharePoint limits (throttling).
- Q: How to check if a SharePoint file is locked before updating in a flow? A: Use “Get File Properties” in a loop; if locked (423 error), wait and retry.
- Q: Why do concurrent flow runs cause duplicate items in SharePoint? A: Multiple runs process the same event. Set trigger concurrency to 1 to queue them.
- Q: Best practice for bulk updates in SharePoint lists? A: Use HTTP batching—group 1000 changes in one request to save time and avoid errors.
- Q: How to update SharePoint metadata when a file is locked? A: Use “ValidateUpdateListItem” via HTTP—it works even if locked.
- Q: What causes “The request ETag value does not match” error? A: Someone edited meanwhile. Fetch fresh ETag before updating.
- Q: How to delete old SharePoint items based on date without failures? A: Filter “Get Items” with OData (e.g., Modified < addDays(utcNow(),-30)), then delete in batches.
- Q: Can Power Automate handle parallel processing for SharePoint ops? A: Yes, enable in “Apply to each” (up to 50), but test for throttling.
- Q: How to troubleshoot flow runs failing due to SharePoint throttling? A: Add delays (1-5 sec), reduce batch size, check for 429 errors in history.
- Q: Why doesn’t my SharePoint trigger fire for subfolder changes? A: Triggers like “When a file is created” only watch the root. Solution: Use “When a file is created or modified in a folder” and specify the path.
- Q: How to fix Power Automate not syncing with SharePoint lists properly? A: Check connections, refresh the flow, or recreate actions. Common in big lists—use filters to limit items.
- Q: What are top mistakes with Power Automate for SharePoint workflows? A: Forgetting to handle errors, not testing with real data, or ignoring throttling. Always add error branches.
- Q: Why do SharePoint list structures cause issues in flows? A: Bad column types (e.g., wrong date format) break actions. Plan lists first with simple types.
- Q: How to link two SharePoint lists in Power Automate? A: Use “Get Items” from one, then filter and update the other based on IDs. For lookups, set up relations in lists.
- Q: What’s a good replacement for SharePoint alerts in flows? A: Use Power Automate triggers like “When an item is created” to send emails or notifications instead.
- Q: How to automate approvals from SharePoint lists? A: Trigger on new item, use “Start and wait for an approval,” then update status based on response.
- Q: What to do if “Get Items” returns NULL in Power Automate? A: Use “Coalesce” or condition to check for empty, then set a default value.
- Q: How to create folders or files in SharePoint via flows? A: Use “Create Folder” or “Create File” actions after triggers like form submissions.
- Q: Why do issue trackers in SharePoint fail to sync with flows? A: Mismatched columns or permissions. Check list settings and flow connections.
- Q: How to handle attachments in SharePoint flows? A: Use “Get Attachments” then loop to process; add “Add Attachment” for new ones.
- Q: What causes “Invalid Connection” errors in Power Automate? A: Expired credentials. Re-authenticate the SharePoint connector.
- Q: Best way to filter “Get Items” for efficiency? A: Use OData queries like “Status eq ‘Approved'” to get only what you need.
- Q: How to debug a failed flow run? A: Check “Run History” for error details, inputs/outputs; test steps one by one.
- Q: Why does my scheduled flow not run on time? A: Time zone mismatch or throttling. Set correct time zone in trigger.
- Q: How to copy items between SharePoint lists? A: Trigger on create/modify, “Get Item,” then “Create Item” in target list.
- Q: What if flow exceeds action limits (e.g., 250 in a loop)? A: Split into child flows or use batching with HTTP.
- Q: How to send emails from SharePoint changes? A: Use “Send an Email (V2)” after trigger, pull dynamic content from item.
- Q: Why do person/group fields cause errors in updates? A: Wrong format. Use Claims or ID, like “i:0#.f|membership|user@email.com“.
- Q: Best practice for secure flows with SharePoint? A: Use managed identities or limit permissions; avoid hardcoding secrets.
