How to auto separate MS Lists uploads into separate Sharepoint folders using Power Automate?

Dear Lissa,

Thanks for your updates.

You can just change the Filter Array part in the flow screenshots in my reply above as follows to see the result.

Filter Array:

replace(item()?['DisplayName'],'_',' ') contains Category Blue.

Welcome to share any updates at your convenience.

Thank you for your effort and time.

Sincerely

Cliff | Microsoft Community Moderator

That's great news! Thank you so very much for that information! As mentioned, I'm new to Power Automate so I'm not entirely sure how to create conditions but knowing it's possible is a great start. I guess I'll have to quickly research a how-to on that. Thank you!

Dear Lissa,

Thanks for your updates and kindness.

Yes, I think that it is possible.

You can just use the condition if File name with extensions contains Category Blue in the Condition action or the Filter Array action to let the flow filter the files and move them to the corresponding folder.

Welcome to share any updates at your convenience.

Thank you for your effort and time.

Sincerely

Cliff | Microsoft Community Moderator

Hello,

Thank you so much for this information! I'm new to Power Automate and the details you've provided are so helpful and informative.

What I'm attempting to do is gather employee data using MS Forms, collect the responses in MS Lists and save the file attachments in a SharePoint document library.

Here's the problem and why I initially tried to create multiple file attachment columns in MS Lists (until I realized it was not possible). The files that my colleagues will be uploading all have the same file extensions but belong to different categories. I want to extract those files from MS Lists and save them in a document library folder according to the category the file belongs to.

If Power Automate only recognizes the file extension and file name, is it possible to set this up using the first characters in the file name?

For example, say there are 3 attachments from different respondents with file names:

1. Category_Blue_Jane
2. Category_Blue_Jon
3. Category_Blue_Jen

Can Power Automate detect these files by the first characters of the file names and place them all in a folder that has been created (example: 📂 Category Blue)?

Dear Lissa,

As Power Automate can only get list attachment file extensions and file names, you can only category the attachments via the file name or file extensions not other metadata automatically.

If you want to category the file via other metadata, you may use PowerApps to customize a form and then use a flow to category the attachments. But you need to buy the PowerApps licenses to all users who are using the custom PowerApps forms.

Here is an example which can be done by a flow to category the Word files to the Word File folder in a document library.

File Attachments

Now let the flow to grab the w.docx file to the Word File Folder in Document Library 1.

Flow is as follows.

If you need to category other file extensions, add other filter arrays in the flow.

Result:

Thanks for your understanding.

Sincerely

Cliff | Microsoft Community Moderator