The Need:
An easy way to copy/paste SharePoint List items to reduce repetitive data entry
Two Solutions:
- "Edit in grid view" (multiple rows)
- "Clone Item" Flow (single row)
"Edit in grid view" is good for list owners and managers.
Depending on your permission settings for your list, "Edit in Grid View" might not be available to all users. If you have access to this option, you can use existing list functionality; you do not have to create a separate Microsoft Flow to add multiple items.
This is an especially good option when you are pre-populating a list from an Excel document. You might do this when you have decided to give up a shared Excel document for a SharePoint list, or when you need to move information from one SharePoint list to another. NOTE: You cannot paste across and down at the same time. It will not copy across columns. You have to copy/paste column by column.
The "Edit in grid view" option appears at the top of a list, next to the "+New" button.
Any collumn that is autopopulated by SharePoint (ID, Created by, Created date) will be read-only. In this example, the first user input column is "Title," and that is where we will start the copy/paste.
Copy columns from your Excel document one at a time. If you have rules on your list that will affect the data you want to enter on the list, clean it up in Excel. For example, if you have a choice column, ensure that all the choices on your Excel list are included on the SharePoint column. Make sure people's names are formatted the same way that they appear in your organization's Office 365 user group.
It is not necessary to add multiple items at the bottom of your list. Click "+ Add new item" to open a new row, and paste into that row. SharePoint will create as many new items/rows as needed. Paste column by column until all your data is on the list. You can also click on the bottom right corner of a cell and drag down to new cells to copy one cell of information in the cells beneath it. In the example below, we dragged the "Moana" cell down and copied "Moana" into a new item/row below. Click "Exit grid view" to save your changes.
NOTE: Editing in grid view may affect flows that are triggered by "controlled or modified." It will save all your changes at once
If you have entered data that is not valid for the list, SharePoint will not let you exit. There will be a small "i" in a circle at the left of invalid rows, and an error message to help you identify what information needs to be corrected. Errors range from date formats to choices not allowed to trying to add a name that isn't in the Office 365 library.
"Edit grid view" works with existing items on a list, too. From grid view, you can filter on a column to show just the items you need to update. This is helpful for batch updates. Perhaps someone has left the department and you need to reassign work; edit in grid view, filter on on the old person's name, and update the rows to show the new task assignees. Or maybe you have a choice that has changed names and you need to update the items with the old name. Edit in grid view, filter on the old name, correct it once at the top, and then drag/copy all the way down.
Create a Microsoft Flow to clone/add items to a list
Any user with access to a list can create a personal productivity flow to "copy/paste" items to a list. This may be useful to people who frequently request the same type of support, and only have to change a title field or a person column. It is laborious to re-enter almost all the same information. In Excel you can copy/paste a row and then update only a few cells; with the flow below you can do the same for a SharePoint list.
Step 1: Create a new "Instant Cloud Flow."
The trigger will be "For a selected item (SharePoint)." Name it whatever will help you find it later. If you forget to name it at the creation stage, you can edit the title when you add the rest of the steps.
Step 2: Use the flow from the list directly.
Go to the list, select the item, and choose your flow from the Automate menu. You may have to refresh the list if your flow is new. A "Run flow" window will open on your screen; click the "Run flow" button when it appears. The first time you do this you might be treated to some extra sign-in windows, but it should remember you after that. Your cloned item will be the latest item on the list; you can find it quickly by sorting dates or ID numbers. Click on the title of the new item to edit and save the fields that need to be updated.
Step 3: Share with a coworker!
You can always show a coworker how to build this flow from scratch, but depending on your position in this department or process, you might just add a group of names as users to the flow. That way, they can run it when they use the list with no special effort.
Access your Flow details page from the My flows menu. If you have no co-owners (you have not shared this flow with anyone), then it will be a "Cloud flow." The "Run only users" box is to the right. Click "Edit" to add names of people who need the clone automation for the list. You can add groups, too.
Users will have to log into to their flow the first time they use it the same way you did. They may have to refresh the list to see the flow on their Automate menu.
A note on two texts:
Need multiple copies for big jobs? Check out House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds. Caveat: Its scope is vast and it will make your head spin.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Clones on a personal scale! Such lovely friendships. Caveat: Horror and crying, once you catch on.
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