Answered

Updating a word document using document properties across two libraries

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by Peace-In

The initial plan was to populate a word document using SharePoint library columns and update file properties. This works great on one of my templates that uses one library.

The challenge appeared when I created the next template (a large word document that has lots of document property plain text controls in it). When I was setting up the library to populate all of these controls, I maxed out the number of columns so I created another library with the remaining required columns with the intent of updating the file properties in the first library then saving a copy in the second library and updating the file properties again. The problem is that on the second update file properties, it removes all of the first library's file properties.

I have tried ticking the 'remove content control when contents are edited' but that doesn't work. How do I populate this overly large template using the two libraries?

(I can't use premium connectors due to my company's IT security restrictions.)

Categories:

Building flows

I have the same question (0)

All responses (4)

Answers (1)

Sort by

David_MA 14,956 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

It would be more helpful if you can show a screen shot with the configuration of both update properties actions rather than a screen shot that just shows the flow worked. Without seeing how you've configured the two actions, one can only guess what the problem is. Are you limiting the columns in both actions through specific views to show the different fields that need to be updated? If not, create two views with only the fields that need to be updated in each action.

How many columns of metadata have you added to your document library? It must be a lot to encounter this issue. I've never had this issue with a document library and only with lists. Even with lists, this doesn't usually become a problem until the list has more than 100 fields.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Peace-In 16 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Edit - It appears that the word document properties are not updated until it is opened in the desktop app, so I'm essentially copying a blank template to the second library. I've added check out/check in actions to see if that helps but it doesn't. I'm open to suggestions!

Thanks for your reply, the first library has lots of columns although I haven't counted them. Here are the screenshots of the update properties actions, given I'm maxed out at 3 attachments, I'll have to do a couple of posts :(

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Peace-In 16 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

last lot of attachments :)

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Verified answer

David_MA 14,956 Super User 2026 Season 1 on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Thank you! The screen shots have helped a lot to understand the problem. It appears you are using a Word document with document property controls that are linked to the columns in two SharePoint document libraries. These types of controls can only stay connected to one library at a time.

When your flow updates the file properties in Library A, the Word controls link themselves to Library A’s columns. But when you later copy that same file into Library B and run another “Update file properties” action, Word automatically drops the connections to Library A and reconnects everything to Library B instead. Since Library B doesn’t have the same columns, the values coming from Library A are cleared out.

So the issue isn’t your flow, it’s that Word can’t keep metadata connections from two different libraries. As soon as the file is saved in Library B, the controls re‑link and the original values are lost.

To avoid this, the template needs to use only one library’s metadata, or the document property controls need to be changed to plain text controls filled by other Word action (Populate a Microsoft Word Template).

Was this reply helpful? Yes No