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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Overwrite file when cr...
Power Automate
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Overwrite file when creating a file in SharePoint

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Posted on by 48

Hey guys,

in the recent flows I created it was normal that an existing file in SharePoint was simply overwritten when it had the same name as the new file. 
Right now I am creating a flow and Automate doesn't behave like this anymore, whenever I try to create a file with the same name I get an error.
Any solutions for that?

Thanks, Julian

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I have the same question (0)
  • nbot Profile Picture
    3 on at

    I am experiencing the same issue....very strange

  • Mira Ghaly Profile Picture
    11,415 Moderator on at

    @nbot 

    I have recently experienced the same issue in flow but i believe it is much related to sharepoint versioning rather than flow.

  • servicesGB95 Profile Picture
    48 on at

    Did you find any solution for that? The weird things is that it only occurs at "new flows", my old ones still function normally... 

  • cvaldez83 Profile Picture
    2 on at

    I'm having same issue.  My new flow will not overwrite the csv file but yet another older flow that I created a few months ago is able to overwrite its file.

  • PowerMic Profile Picture
    31 on at

    Try to use the "Update File" action if the file exists.

  • ahmednaseem Profile Picture
    on at

    Whats the best way to check if file exists?

  • bkeano Profile Picture
    136 on at

    Hi

     

    I found a solution to this that means you don't have to put in conditions\scopes on whether the file is already there

    Not sure if this a recommended long term best practice, but it works.

    I also had old flows that did overwrite the file in SharePoint, but as above new 'Create file' does not allow it.

     

    So I looked at one of the Microsoft Automate templates 'Copy new files from PC to SharePoint' 

    I copied to clipboard the 'Create file' action from that template into the flow I was having problems with, cleared existing fields in it action and replaced them with my own and it worked, it overwrote the files.
    I suspect you could also copy from an old flow that worked in the same way.

     

    So from this I gather when Microsoft make changes to these actions they make it so it only applies if you are adding the 'action' from new. So if it worked on an older flow, then copy that action from the older flow and you should have the old situation.

    Not sure if this issue is a bug on new action or intentional from Microsoft.

    Give a thumbs up if this works for you, as it cost me a lot of time trying to get a workaround in place when the solution , in the end , was very simple and hidden in plain sight!

    BTW: Versioning is turned on in my site, so solution is not there

     

  • Verified answer
    EnriqueC Profile Picture
    181 on at

    Turning "Allow chunking" OFF in the Create File settings worked for me. 

    EnriqueC_0-1602018799274.png

     

  • SirStumfy Profile Picture
    2 on at

    Does this do anything else? 

    It is mentioning "HTTP",  does this imply that data is transferred to SP over HTTP? 

  • AK3800 Profile Picture
    2 on at

    @bkeano can you look at the code behind the action that works and share the results here?  You can use the Peek Code option from the menu on the action to compare what it is doing, it's possible there is some other parameter being included.  I am having the same issue but don't have an action that works to copy.  thank you

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