Adding attachments from one list item to another in a different list

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Posted on by JBass21

Hello!

I am trying to design a flow that will take items created in one list (People Support), determine if they are assigned to a particular person, and if so, create an item in a new list with some of the same information, including attachments. Everything is working except the attachments. I've gone back and forth with Copilot and had it at least adding attachment file names for a while, but I kept getting errors or the files wouldn't load when you clicked on them. Can anyone help me get the actual file content to add as an attachment?

Thanks!

Attachments Power...

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11manish 3,347 on at

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The issue is that SharePoint attachments are not returned as file content by default. The Get attachments action only returns metadata (file name, ID, etc.). To copy the actual attachment, you must retrieve its binary content and then add it to the new list item.

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JBass21 15 on at

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Thank you! Do you know the language I need to put in the "Get attachments" item to retrieve the binary content?

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Valantis 6,778 on at

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Hi @JBass21,

Get attachments returns metadata only. To get the actual file, you need the Get attachment content action right after it.

The pattern inside your Apply to each loop:

1. Get attachments (on the source list item) - gives you the list of attachment names
2. Apply to each over those attachments
3. Get attachment content - set Site Address to your source site, List Name to People Support, Id to the item ID, File Identifier to item()?['ID'] from the Get attachments output
4. Add attachment - set Site Address to destination site, List Name to new list, Id to the new item ID, File Name to item()?['FileName'], File Content to the Body output from Get attachment content

The key is step 3 - that's where the binary content is retrieved. Without it you only have the name, which is why the files won't load when clicked.

Best regards,

Valantis ✅ If this helped solve your issue, please Accept as Solution so others can find it quickly.

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