README.md

Update "Created by" in a Microsoft List

Summary

This Power Automate flow updates the “Created By” field of a Microsoft List item, replacing the account with a specified user based on their email address, using an HTTP request to SharePoint.

Applies to

Compatibility

Authors

Solution	Author
Sharepoint - List - Update Created By	Glynn Pearson

Version history

Version	Date	Comments
1.0.0.0	September 18, 2024	Initial release

Prerequisites

• Microsoft Lists
  • A configured Microsoft List

Minimal path to awesome

Note

My solution uses a flow created within a Solution in Power Automate. You can still achieve the end goal by following the steps below in a dedicated flow. However, if you're not using solutions, I would recommend starting to do so, as there are several benefits, such as running a child flow.

Tip

For more information on Solutions, you can click here.

Steps

1. Sign in to Power Automate.
2. In the left-hand menu, select Solutions.
3. Choose the solution where you want to create the automation, or create a new solution.
4. Create a new automation:

• In the top menu, select New > Automation > Cloud Flow > Instant.

  

• Enter a Flow name. (I called mine "Update Created By". Original, right? 🤓)

• Select Manually trigger a flow as the trigger.

• Select Create.

  

5. Select Manually trigger a flow and add the following inputs:

Type	Name	Description
Text	List Name	Name of the list to update
Number	List ID	List item ID to update
Text	Created By Email	Email address of the person to set as Author
Text	Site Address	Site address of the list

6. Add a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action.

Tip

You can search for "HTTP" in the search box to find this action quickly.

7. Configure the Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action as follows:

• Site Address
  • Select the Site Address dynamic content created in step 5, or enter the relevant SharePoint site address.

Tip

If you want this automation to work dynamically across multiple SharePoint sites, add the Site Address at step 5. Alternatively, you can set this as a fixed value if your use case means the SharePoint site will not change.

• Method

  • Post

• Uri

_api/web/lists/getbytitle('List Name')/items('ID')/validateUpdateListItem

Note

• If you've followed the exact sequence in step 5, you can use Uri-Sample.html without modification.
• If you configured your own inputs in Step 5, adjust Uri.html as needed.

• Body

{
  "formValues":[
  {
    "FieldName": "Author",
    "FieldValue": "[{'Key':'i:0#.f|membership|[email protected]'}]"
  }
  ]
}

Note

• If you've followed the exact sequence in step 5, you can use Body-Sample.json without modification.
• If you configured your own inputs in Step 5, adjust Body.json as needed.

8. Add a Respond to a Power App or flow action.

Tip

Add an Output, with the Type of Text and Value of "Complete" to parse this status back to your previous flow.

9. Save and publish your automation.
10. Select Back at the top left corner of your screen to return to the automation's overview screen.
11. Edit the Run only users

Important

This is to ensure that the automation can be run when using the "Run a child flow" action.

• Select the dropdown arrow below the SharePoint connection.
  • Select a connection to use.
  • Select Save And that’s it! Now, whenever you need to update the “Created By” field in a Microsoft List item, use the Run a Child Flow action, select this automation, and input your dynamic content into the fields you set up in step 5.

Using the solution zip

• Download the .zip from the solution folder
• Within Power Apps Studio, import the solution .zip file using Solutions > Import Solution and select the .zip file you just packed.
• Open the app in edit mode and make sure the data source Data source name is connected correctly.

Using the source code

You can also use the Power Apps CLI to pack the source code by following these steps:

• Clone the repository to a local drive

• Pack the source files back into a solution .zip file:

  pac solution pack --zipfile pathtodestinationfile --folder pathtosourcefolder --processCanvasApps

  Making sure to replace pathtosourcefolder to point to the path to this sample's sourcecode folder, and pathtodestinationfile to point to the path of this solution's .zip file (located under the solution folder)

• Within Power Apps Studio, import the solution .zip file using Solutions > Import Solution and select the .zip file you just packed.

Features

I have several Power Automate flows that create items in various Microsoft Lists within the same SharePoint site using a service account. As a result, these list items have a "Created By" value that reflects the service account's name.

While this is acceptable in some instances, there are cases where I need a specific individual to appear as the author of the item. For example, when a Microsoft Form triggers my flow, I may want the list item to reflect the form responder as the list item author.

This Power Automate flow updates the “Created By” field in Microsoft Lists, replacing the default account with a specified user based on their email address, using an HTTP request to SharePoint.

Help

We do not support samples, but this community is always willing to help, and we want to improve these samples. We use GitHub to track issues, which makes it easy for community members to volunteer their time and help resolve issues.

If you encounter any issues while using this sample, you can create a new issue.

For questions regarding this sample, create a new question.

Finally, if you have an idea for improvement, make a suggestion.

Disclaimer

THIS CODE IS PROVIDED AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, MERCHANTABILITY, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

Post Script

I stumbled onto a Microsoft Community post titled "Update 'Created By' and 'Modified By' fields.", with an answer by Rob Elliott which gave me the idea and framework for my solution.

Acknowledgements

• Rob Elliott