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Gert file on same folder by 10 computers

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Posted on by hosino

How to avoid error if I have 10 computers need pick up a file from same folder?

The folder contain a bunch of files need to process, I used [Get Files in Folder] to read every file detail and then used [For each] to loop every files name. Every computer have their own folder to store the pick up file from [Get Files in Folder], andI used [on error] and [Go to label] to detect file picked by another computer, but still cannot avoid error.

Any idea to solve this issue, THX.

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trice602 16,491 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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Hi @hosino ,

Can you share your flow here please with the relevant actions expanded? On the surface, this sounds possible but really need to see some of the flow to troubleshoot.

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hosino 58 on at

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Thanks for your help, here is my flow.

All computer use same workflow, line 51 to move the file to individual folder and added an on error when the file was picked by another computer then go back to line 44. Line 55 also added an error go back to line 44 when PAD cannot read the file in the individual folder.

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trice602 16,491 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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Hi @hosino ,

Thanks for sharing! One option to consider here is add a temporary folder to this flow. In this scenario, I think that first your flow identifies which computer is running the flow with some dynamic variable, easy stuff - computer name, machine ID, etc.

Next after get files in folder, you move them to a temporary folder named /temp_processing/computerID/ and then process the files from that folder.

When another computer runs this flow and they use get files in folder, the only files in the folder will be files not currently being processed by another computer/flow.

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hosino 58 on at

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Thanks for your advise.
Yes, I used same approach, everything computer arranged their own tempoary folder to store the picked file.
And added a on error instruection to move back Get files in folder again when the file was picked by another computer.

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Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @hosino

Does this design mode helps you ?

Thanks & Regards,
Nived N 🚀

LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
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hosino 58 on at

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Thanks sir, but when file not exists, how can I ask PAD go back to pick another file?

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Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @hosino

Then you can skip iteration (in other words do nothing) and let's flow go to next iteration and do the job if file exists for the next iteration , hope you got the idea 🙂

Thanks & Regards,
Nived N 🚀

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Nived_Nambiar 18,138 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

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Hi @hosino

Then you can skip iteration (in other words do nothing) and let's flow go to next iteration and do the job if file exists for the next iteration , hope you got the idea 🙂

Thanks & Regards,
Nived N 🚀

LinkedIn: Nived N's LinkedIn
YouTube: Nived N's YouTube Channel

🔍 Found my answer helpful? Please consider marking it as the solution!
Your appreciation keeps me motivated. Thank you! 🙌

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hosino 58 on at

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I still cannot avoid PAD error with below flow, is there any comment to check the folder is empty or not?

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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How about instead of Copy + Delete, you use Move file(s)? At that point it is much less likely for several computers to see the same file as still existing and proceeding to copy and delete it.

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