Introduction
Imagine this: a new document lands in your team’s SharePoint library. Within seconds, an approval request is sent to the manager, metadata is updated, and a Teams notification pings the group — all without a single line of code.
That’s the power of Power Automate + SharePoint.
Whether you’re a citizen developer, SharePoint admin, or business analyst, combining these two Microsoft 365 tools lets you automate repetitive tasks, enforce governance, and boost productivity.
In this first part of our two-blog series, we’ll explore:
- Triggers – What starts your flow when something happens in SharePoint
- Standard Actions – The pre-built building blocks for reading, creating, updating, and managing SharePoint content.
In Part 2, we’ll go deep into the advanced Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action and unlock every SharePoint REST API call available. Stay tuned!
Prerequisites
- Access to a SharePoint site (modern recommended)
- Power Automate license (free tier works for most triggers/actions)
- Basic understanding of SharePoint lists and libraries
Let’s dive in.
Section 1: Understanding SharePoint Triggers
A trigger is the event that launches your cloud flow. In SharePoint, most triggers react to changes in lists, libraries, or site events.
Pro Tip: Use “properties only” triggers when you don’t need file content — they’re faster and avoid size limits.
Full List of SharePoint Triggers
| Trigger Name | Description | Key Inputs | Key Outputs | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For a selected file | Manually start flow from a file in SharePoint (button in UI). | Site, Library | File Name, ID, Link | User-initiated actions (e.g., “Start approval”) |
| For a selected item | Manually trigger from a list item. | Site, List | Item ID, column values | Custom buttons in lists |
| When a file is classified by a Microsoft Syntex model | Fires when Syntex AI classifies/extracts data. | Site, Library | File + extracted fields | AI-driven automation |
| When a file is created (properties only) | New file in library → returns metadata only. | Site, Library | File ID, Name, Created By | Metadata workflows |
| Old version; no subfolder support. | Site, Folder | File properties | Migrate to non-deprecated | |
| When a file is created or modified (properties only) | Most popular — reacts to create/update. | Site, Library | All column values | Sync metadata, notifications |
| Limited to one folder level. | Site, Folder | File properties | Avoid in new flows | |
| When a file is deleted | Triggers on file delete (recycle bin aware). | Site, Library | File ID, Deleted By | Audit, cleanup |
| When a site has requested to join a hub site | Hub site association request. | — | Request details | Hub site governance |
| When an item is created | New item in a list. | Site, List | All fields | Task lists, forms |
| When an item is created or modified | Create or update in list. | Site, List | Full item data | Most common list trigger |
| When an item is deleted | Item removed from list. | Site, List | Item ID | Requires site admin |
| When an item or a file is modified | Fires only on updates (not creates). | Site, List/Library | Current values | Change tracking |
Warning: Deprecated triggers still work but won’t receive updates. Migrate to newer versions.
Example: Auto-Tag New Files with “When a file is created (properties only)”
Scenario: When a contract is uploaded to Contracts Library, set Document Type = Contract and notify legal team.
Steps:
- Trigger: When a file is created (properties only)
- Site: https://abc.sharepoint.com/sites/Contracts
- Library: Contracts
- Action: Update file properties
- Set Document Type = Contract
- Set Status = Pending Review
- Action: Send an email (V2) to legal@abc.com
Bonus: Add condition: if file name contains ‘NDA’ → route to special approver.
Section 2: Exploring Standard Actions
Once your flow is triggered, actions do the work. The SharePoint connector includes 40+ standard actions for files, items, permissions, and more.
We’ve grouped them into logical categories for easier navigation.
Full List of Standard SharePoint Actions
File Operations
| Action | Description | Key Inputs |
|---|---|---|
| Create file | Upload new file | Site, Library, Name, Content |
| Get file content | Download file binary | File ID |
| Get file content using path | By relative URL | File Path |
| Update file | Replace file content | File ID, New Content |
| Delete file | Move to recycle bin | File ID |
| Copy file | Copy to another library | Source/Dest, File ID |
| Move file | Move (not copy) | Source/Dest |
| Check out file | Lock for editing | File ID |
| Check in file | Unlock + version | File ID, Comment |
| Discard check out | Revert changes | File ID |
| Get file metadata | Size, ETag, etc. | File ID |
| Get file properties | All column values | Item ID |
| Update file properties | Change metadata | Item ID, Fields |
Folder & Structure
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Create new folder | /Folder/Subfolder |
| Copy folder | Recursive copy |
| Move folder | Recursive move |
| List folder | Get files in folder |
| List root folder | Top-level items |
List Item Operations
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Create item | New list item |
| Get item | By ID |
| Get items | With filter/sort/top |
| Update item | Partial or full |
| Delete item | To recycle bin |
| Set content approval status | Approve/Reject |
Attachments
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Get attachments | List all |
| Get attachment content | Binary |
| Add attachment | Upload |
| Delete attachment | By ID |
Permissions & Sharing
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Grant access to an item or folder | Add user/role |
| Create sharing link for a file or folder | Anyone/Org/People with link |
| Stop sharing an item or a file | Revoke all external |
Site & List Management
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Get lists | All lists |
| Get all lists and libraries | Combined view |
| Get list views | View definitions |
Hub Sites
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Approve hub site join request | Accept |
| Join hub site | Finalize |
AI & Advanced
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Generate document using Microsoft Syntex (preview) | AI templates |
| Update file properties using AI Builder | Auto-classify |
Example: Automated Document Approval Flow
Goal: New file → start approval → update status → notify.
Actions Used:
- When a file is created (properties only)
- Start and wait for an approval
- Update file properties (x2)
- Post message in a chat or channel
Common Pitfalls & Best Practices
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| File size > 100 MB | Use “properties only” triggers |
| Permission errors | Run flow as site owner or use “Run only users” wisely |
| Throttling (429 errors) | Add delays, limit concurrency |
| Deprecated actions | Search & replace in existing flows |
| Dynamic content missing | Use ItemId from trigger to get full file |
Conclusion & Next Steps
You now have a complete map of SharePoint triggers and standard actions in Power Automate.
Here’s your action plan:
- Build one flow today using When a file is created (properties only) + Update file properties.
- Explore templates: Search “SharePoint” in Power Automate templates.
- Audit old flows: Replace deprecated triggers.
Ready for more power?
In Part 2, we’ll unlock the Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action and show you how to call any SharePoint REST API — including batch requests, cross-site operations, and custom permissions.
Subscribe to get Part 2 as soon as it drops!
Resources
What will you automate first? Drop a comment below with your idea — let’s inspire each other! 🚀
Part 2 Coming Soon: “SharePoint REST APIs with HTTP Actions in Power Automate”
Leave a comment