Copy a file from one library to another with full version history in SharePoint using Power Automate

 Posted on February 3, 2025

Learn how to copy a file from one library to another using Power Automate, with the complete version history of the file in SharePoint

The challenge

When copying a file from one library/site to another you won’t get the complete version history in SharePoint.

Using a HTTP request called CreateCopyJobs we are able to copy the file containing the version history.

The solutions

Step 1
Create a new Instant cloud flow and select the trigger For a selected file

Step 2
Add the action Get file properties and insert the ID from your trigger output

Power Automate Get file properties action with the file ID from the For a selected file trigger inserted as input

Step 3
Add the action Send an HTTP request to SharePoint with the following options

Method
POST

Uri
\_api/site/CreateCopyJobs

Headers
Accept
application/json; odata=nometadata

Content-Type
application/json; odata=verbose

Body

{
  "exportObjectUris": [
    "@{outputs('Get_file_properties')?['body/{Link}']}"
  ],
  "destinationUri": "https://XYZ.sharepoint.com/sites/Blog/Copy%20library",
  "options": {
    "IgnoreVersionHistory": false,
    "IsMoveMode": false,
    "MoveButKeepSource": true,
    "AllowSchemaMismatch": true,
    "NameConflictBehavior": 1,
    "AllowSmallerVersionLimitOnDestination": true,
    "BypassSharedLock": true
  }
}

Replace destinationUri with your destination library. Be carefull not to introduce an / in the end of your URL

Your HTTP request should look like this Power Automate Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action configured with POST method, CreateCopyJobs URI, required headers, and JSON body including the destination library URL and copy options

Start your flow

This specific flow will be triggered for a selected file, so let’s add a button to our library.

Create a new column called CopyFile and add the following JSON to the column.

{
  "$schema": "https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/v2/column-formatting.schema.json",
  "elmType": "div",
  "customRowAction": {
    "action": "executeFlow",
    "actionParams": "{\"id\":\"FLOWIDENTIFIER\", \"headerText\":\"Copy file\",\"runFlowButtonText\":\"Copy file\"}"
  },
  "style": {
    "display": "flex",
    "align-items": "center",
    "margin-top": "2px",
    "margin-bottom": "2px"
  },
  "children": [
    {
      "elmType": "a",
      "attributes": {
        "class": "ms-bgColor-themePrimary ms-bgColor-themeDarker--hover"
      },
      "style": {
        "cursor": "pointer",
        "height": "30px",
        "text-decoration": "none",
        "display": "flex",
        "align-items": "center",
        "text-align": "center",
        "justify-content": "center",
        "margin": "5px",
        "color": "#fff",
        "border-radius": "3px"
      },
      "children": [
        {
          "elmType": "span",
          "attributes": {
            "iconName": "Copy",
            "class": "ms-fontSize-16 ms-fontWeight-regular",
            "title": "Details"
          },
          "style": {
            "color": "#fff",
            "flex": "none",
            "margin-right": "5px",
            "margin-left": "8px"
          }
        },
        {
          "elmType": "span",
          "style": {
            "margin-right": "8px"
          },
          "txtContent": "Copy file",
          "attributes": {
            "class": "ms-fontWeight-bold"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Replace FLOWIDENTIFIER with your own flow identifier.

Getting the flow identifier

You can get the flow identifier from the Export button in the top ribbon

Power Automate flow detail page showing the Export button in the top ribbon used to retrieve the flow identifier for the column JSON

Be carefull that you don’t remove the \ when inserting your identifier

The code should look like this

"actionParams": "{\"id\":\"v1/Default-efadct70-cxsa-45b1-a688-8442bf7ce56c/7839e3b9-62c8-4130-44b6-a1e696ca4999\", \"headerText\":\"Copy file\",\"runFlowButtonText\":\"Copy file\"}"

We can now copy a file from one library to another using Power Automate with full version history in SharePoint

SharePoint document library showing the custom Copy file button column and a file successfully copied to the destination library with its version history

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SharePoint  Advanced  Power Automate 

See also