Forum Discussion
Get file versions into Excel
I have a SharePoint library which I am exporting into a query IQY file so Excel can maintain and make use of a local list of files in the library and their parameters / metadata. This library has to use the mandatory check-out/in process with version control.
I see for some reason it's not possible to include the file version number in the IQY. I have tried using a calculated field, but that doesn't get updated when the file version is updated.
I need to find a way of "looking up" the current version of files in my SharePoint library from my Excel workbook. I also really need the "release date" which should be the date of approval, but I am currently using the last modified date as a "close enough" alternative. Main issue is the version#, which is a deal breaker if not retrievable.
Any help is appreciated.
Guy
Get into the Library Settings full interface of your doc lib so you see 'Columns' and 'Views'. Find the 'All Documents' view and open it. Add the system-maintained column 'Version' to your columns in whatever position you like. Should have value of your minor/major revisions version number.
As for 'release date' or 'date of approval' metadata, you should add two columns: "Approval" (yes/no) and "Approval Date" (DateTime). Then attach a PowerAutomate flow (Integrate > PowerAutomate > Create A Flow. I have not used PowerAutomate enough to go step by step. Someone else might. Your flow will involve an item ("row") being modified as the trigger, and your action will be on Approval being set yes ("true"). you will specify the site of your doc lib, then the name of the doc lib. You then have to specify for the action those two parameters and more items such as the Approval Date the column you want to modify and using a function that gets the date and time NOW (I think it uses 'utcnow()') to fill that column value. That means your user only has to approve, and the datetime gets filled in on the click. If you're proficient on PowerAutomate already, then it's a couple of minutes for you on this. If not, then longer for all the reading you may need to do to find out why PA is not prompting you with things that make sense in populating values.
