SharePoint: Automatically Copying List Items to Another List

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Introduction

We sometimes need to copy or rather, move items from one list or library to another. Usually such a function is necessary when we need to archive an item, and could come in handy when you come up against the dreaded SharePoint Online 5000 item limit.

This article describes the workflow specific to lists. List copying is only available in SharePoint 2010 style workflows, while document copying is available in both SP 2010 and 2013 workflow formats.

 

​Creating the Lists

In order to copy items from one list to another, we will need two identical lists. In this example, let's create two lists named SendFrom and SendTo

  1. Create a custom list named SendFrom
  2. The list columns should be:

    ​Name

    ​Type
    ​Title ​Single line of text
    ​ArchiveDate Date and Time
  3. Save the list as a template. Name it SendFromTemplate
  4. Create a new list named SendTo and use the list template you just created above

Designing the Workflow

We will create a workflow that copies a list item based on an archive date, then e-mails the person who created the item, and finally deletes the item.

  1. Go to the SendFrom list settings and create a SharePoint Designer workflow

  2. Name the workflow ArchiveSendFrom

  3. Workflow description: Send item older than x days from SendFrom to SendTo

  4. Platform Type: SharePoint 2010 Workflow  

  5. Change the Start Options to include Manual, Created and Changed

  6. Rename Step 1 to something appropriate, such as Send to Archive

  7. Create a local variable named WaitForArchive-Date of the type Date/Time

  8. Insert an Action by selecting Add Time to Date in the Utility Actions group

  9. Change the following:

    1. Click the number 0 and change it to the interval you need
    2. Click minutes and change it to days
    3. Click the first date and change it to Current Item:ArchiveDate by clicking the fx button and selecting the ArchiveDate field
    4. Click on Variable date and change it to the WaitForArchive-Date variable that you've created Note: Change the above parameters to shorter intervals for testing, such as 5 minutes rather than days.

  10. Add a Pause: then Pause until Variable: WaitForArchive-Date

  11. Insert a condition if necessary

  12. Create the following actions:

    then Email Current Item:Created By

    then Copy item in Current Item to SendTo

    then Delete item in Current Item

  13. Save and publish the workflow