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Power Automate
Answered

'Create sharing link for a file' Action doesn't respect "View" - HELP!

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Posted on by LaLaB 9
I've created the SharePoint action: Create sharing link for a file or folder in my Power Automate workflow. The Item Id is an Excel workbook.
When the link is used in either an email or an approval notification, the workbook opens in Excel online in editing mode:
Considering that I selected "View only" this should NOT be the case.
 
It is vital that the individuals receiving the links are prevented from editing the contents of the workbook.
 
What can be done to ensure "View only" will work each and every time?
 
Thanks, in advance, for your help!
 
P.S. - if you have a way to declare the workbook a record, in the SharePoint library (via Power Automate), please let me know. 
Categories:
Building flows
I have the same question (0)
  • David_MA Profile Picture
    David_MA 13,956 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at
    I have never used the action, so I cannot help you with your issue. However, you may want to update the image you posted and blackout your company's URL to its SharePoint domain from a data privacy perspective.
  • Verified answer
    LaLaB Profile Picture
    LaLaB 9 on at
    I found a "workaround".
     
    I stopped sharing the file (in case it was shared, covering all my bases)
    Then, I granted "view only" access, to the file, to specific individuals - before creating the sharing link action.
    So, what changed?  
    PERMISSION BEFORE
    There were seven (7) listed under Groups before the permissions were broken.
    PERMISSIONS AFTER
    Only the Site Owners were left under Groups. The individual under People can view.
    The sharing link was created in the workflow.
     
    At the very end of my workflow, I re-established the permissions to the file.
    The Recipients is the SharePoint team's email address.
    Notice that the sharing link, below, is still in "view".
    The sharing link was incorporated into the body of the Approval connector (not the provided item link field). Our goal was to prevent reviewers from editing the workbook that they were reviewing during the approval process. It worked!
     
    It hope you find this helpful!.

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