Getting and updating SharePoint list items with required columns

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Posted on by KS-22061817-0

I am trying to create a Power Automate flow where edits to List A will make the same updates in List B for attestation purposes. List B has all the same columns as A but with a few extra required columns where site admins must fill out as attestation responsibilities.

My current flow:

When an item is created or modified in list A
Condition:
1. If list B contains the item -> get item in list B and updates it
2. If list B doesn't contain the item -> it creates the item in list

The issue is that the get items connector fails if the item has blank required columns. I have tried using column validation instead but then that will cause the update item connector to fail instead.

I have tried having the Power Automate flow make the column not required, update the item and then make it required again but I believe that will leave too many gaps for the columns to not be required.

Is there a workaround to this where I can make the columns required for the users filling out the form but not for Power Automate?

Thank you

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Pstork1 69,651 Most Valuable Professional on at

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Your only real choice is to remove the required column settings from the items in list B. The one way to then make the columns required without interfering with Power Automate is to use a custom Power Apps Integrated form for data entry. You can then add logic to the form that will prevent users from saving the form if any of the "required" columns aren't filled in, but without setting the required flag in the column themselves. By building it into the logic of the form you can require the column entries without impacting the use of the list in Power Automate.

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11manish 3,991 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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For your current design, I would use:

List A → Power Automate → List B → Attestation

with attestation columns optional at the SharePoint schema level, plus form/process validation to require them before the attestation can be completed.

I would not temporarily change required columns to optional, perform the update, and then change them back. It is unnecessary and introduces avoidable

reliability and governance problems.

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