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File Approval History Retained but desire is to not retain it

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Posted on by Spartan

When a file is copied from SharePoint into a new folder with a different name it seems to keep it's approval history. It's indicating it is "Approved" even though the newly copied file is not yet approved. In document history, it shows a new version 1.0 but it also shows it as approved on that version, even though it was not yet approved. The copy method was to upload it into the new folder from the old folder from a OneDrive synched location of a SharePoint Documents list with a file name change. When the same file is uploaded with a name change from a local share drive location it saves as a new file with no approval history. Is there a way to allow a file to be copied in SharePoint or from a synched folder where the old file retains it's approval history and the new file resets to a Pending approval status?

I wasn't able to find an answer from various searches and I really appreciate any feedback anyone can offer.

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v-litu-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @Spartan,

You can use the Copy file action to approach it, for example:

Original File:

Flow:

Result in SharePoint:

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Lin Tu
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

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Spartan 2 on at

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Copying using flow or manual will create a file as version 1.0, but it still seems to show as "Approved" in version history under version 1.0 and also in an approve, reject, or pending field in SharePoint Documents. I was thinking of a file save trigger to change the field and approval status, but it seems to change both files as it seems to see both as one instance. Ideally what I want is the ability to copy as a new file instance so that the newly copied file can be re-routed with flow for a approval and the previous file remains as it was as approved, rejected or pending. If I upload the file from a non-O365 source it does seem to load it as a new instance, but doing this rather than simply copying the file from one folder to another is not a good solution.

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v-litu-msft Microsoft Employee on at

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Hi @Spartan,

I guess the Approval column is the custom column you created, right? So the status of the Approval column will copy from the original file.

What I am testing column is the default Approval column, and it won't copy the status of the approval, there are steps that how to open the feature:

Go to the library for which you want to require approval.

Click Settings, Library Settings.

If you don't see these menu items, click Library on the ribbon, and then click

Library settings in the Settings group

Under General Settings, select Versioning settings to open the Versioning Settings page.

In the Content Approval section, select Yes in answer to the Require content approval for submitted items? In the Document Version History section, specify whether you want SharePoint to create versions when a file is edited. You can also choose to limit the number of versions that are retained.

In the Draft Item Security section, determine which users can see draft items in the document library.

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ Lin Tu
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

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Zcehajic 2 on at

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Dear All,
I am not sure that is the same issue, in my case 'Request Sign-off' approved document (file) . After approval, file being downloaded and modified (content and rename) . Again uploaded has the same status approved as 'original' file ? Could this behavior be changed ?

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