SharePoint Online - Store a file
Use the SharePoint Online - Store a file action A tool for building the processes, logic, and direction within workflows. to store a file in a specified SharePoint Online document library.
You can use this action with the SharePoint Online - Get a file action.

SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service hosted by Microsoft that helps organizations share and manage content, knowledge, and applications. You can create sites to share documents and information with colleagues, partners, and customers. For more information about SharePoint Online, see Introduction to SharePoint Online.

A SharePoint site is a website that contains different SharePoint components such as Lists, Document Libraries, Calendars, and Task Lists. SharePoint sites can have one or more pages to display content to the user.
A SharePoint site collection is a collection of SharePoint sites. Each site collection contains a single top-level site and subsites below it.

A SharePoint list used to store a collection of data and organize information.
Add columns for different types of data, such as text, currency, or multiple choice. You can sort, group, format, and filter lists which can include people, links, pictures, dates, and more.

A document library is used to store files that teams can work on together. The default SharePoint Online site and any new sites you create include a document library, and you can create additional document libraries.
For example, you can use a document library on a site in SharePoint Online to store all files related to a specific project.

A document set organizes multiple related documents into a single view where they can be worked on and managed as a single entity. You can create a document set involving different file formats (for example, Word documents, OneNote notebooks, PowerPoint presentations, Visio diagrams, excel workbooks, and so on).
When a document set content type is added to a library, users can create new instances of the document set in the same way that they create a single document. For more information, see Introduction to Document Sets article.

Variables allow you to store and manipulate data and files in your workflows. They can be created by start events, forms, tasks, workflow actions, or automatically created when a workflow is run. See Variables.

You can start a workflow whenever a new or updated file is detected (example: Box - New file), upload files on start or at any point in the workflow, generate documents from tagged templates, send and receive files via email, and manipulate files. File handling can be set up in your workflow start event The connector and event for triggering the workflow to run, including required configuration. An example is Box - New file, which triggers the workflow to run when a new file is uploaded to the specified folder. and actions A tool for building the processes, logic, and direction within workflows..
Note: Your tenancy's default file storage location must be configured to hold files for later reference by the workflow. This location is used for uploaded files and for files stored as output from actions.

- Start your workflow when a new or updated file is detected in a service; for example, see Box - New file and Connectors
Store a file reference for use later in the workflow (file share connector start events)
File share connector start events, such as Box - New file, require you to add each start event variable that you want to reference later in the workflow. The variables provided vary by start event. See Connectors.
In the Designer page:
On the canvas, click Start event.
The configuration panel for Start event appears.
Select a connector, from the Start from drop-down list.
Select an event from the Event drop-down list.
The Source section is displayed.
Note: The Source section is available only for some events.
- Click
Add variables.
- Select the predefined variables that you want to add to your workflow.
Note:
To select all variables, click Select All.
If you know the variable and you want to find it faster, type the variable name in the Filter options field.
Click Add.
The Variables dialog box appears, displaying the variables you have selected.
Note: If you want to edit the selection of variables, hover over the variable, click
, and then click Show Details. Edit the variable name in the Name field or click
.
A drop-down list appears, displaying a list of provided variables.
- Upload files when filling in a form from:
- Salesforce, using Nintex Drawloop DocAutomation for Salesforce
- The web or an app
Note: Your tenancy's default file storage location must be configured to hold files for later reference by the workflow.
-
Programmatically upload files for a Component workflow A workflow that can be started from outside the tenancy; the workflow uses the "Component workflow" start event.; see Nintex - Component workflow
Note: Your tenancy's default file storage location must be configured to hold files for later reference by the workflow.

- Generate documents from tagged templates using Generate document
- Send and receive files via email; for example, see Assign a task
- Manipulate files in services (see Connectors):
- Get, store, move, copy, or delete files using file share connector actions A workflow action that performs a basic operation through a connected system, such as Salesforce or Box., such as Box - Move a file
- Get and attach files in Salesforce
- Get and store files in SharePoint
- Signatures: Get and store signed documents using DocuSign or Adobe Sign.
-
Store a file for use later in the workflow
For example, store any email attachments received by the task assignee.
In the Designer page:
- On the design canvas, click the action you want to configure.
-
Find the output field for storing the file or set of files.
For example, to store attachments received in task assignee email replies when they may attach multiple files, use the Assign a task Multiple file attachments option for the Store output field.
- In the output field, do one of the following:
Select a variable.
For output storing multiple files, select a collection variable. For output storing a single file, select a file variable.
Note: Your tenancy's default file storage location must be configured to hold files for later reference by the workflow.
Specify a file path.
You can use any combination of text and variables, beginning with the root folder. If available, use the folder browse icon
on the right of the path field to navigate to the folder and any subfolders that you want, and then edit the path as desired to include variables and different text.
Availability of variable or path options for storing files varies by action. See Connectors and Workflow actions.
-
Reference a stored file
For example, reference the new Box file that started the workflow to attach it to a task email notification or reference an image received by the task assignee to generate an invoice document.
Note: Your tenancy's default file storage location must be configured to hold files for later reference by the workflow. This location is used for uploaded files and for files stored as output from actions.
In the Designer page:
- On the design canvas, click the action you want to configure.
- Find the field where you want to reference the stored file.
- In this field, do one of the following:
Select the file variable associated with the stored file.
For example, select the variable for the new Box file that started the workflow or select the variable storing Multiple file attachments output from a task action.
Specify the file path where the file is stored.
You can use any combination of text and variables, beginning with the root folder. If available, use the folder browse icon
on the right of the path field to navigate to the folder and any subfolders that you want, and then edit the path as desired to include variables and different text.
View example
Both a file variable and a file path are used in the example image below for the Dropbox Business - Copy a file action. A file variable is selected for Source and a file path is specified for Destination.
The variables "CountryVariable" and "Program" insert the values into the file path as determined by earlier workflow logic (in this case, fields in a submitted form). For example, if the person submitting the form selects Australia for country and specifies Inspire2017 for program, then the resulting file path is "/SpecialProgramNDAs/Australia/Inspire2017NDA.docx."
Availability of variable or path options for referencing files varies by action and field. See Connectors and Workflow actions.
Configure the SharePoint Online - Store a file action
The steps required to configure the action are given below. The SharePoint Online - Store a file action fields and settings table describes all the required and optional configuration fields.
Important: Before inserting variables in the action configuration, you must manually type or select the values and populate other dependent fields in order to retrieve the output data. Once configured, you can insert variables to the required fields.
-
Add the action to the workflow and open the configuration panel.
- Find the action in the SharePoint Online action group in the action toolbox.
or
Type the action name in the Search field at the top of the action toolbox.
- Drag the Store a file action to the designer canvas.
- Click the action to open the configuration panel.
- Select a Connection to connect to the SharePoint Online site.
Only the connections created with the List and libraries authentication method will be available in the drop-down list.
For more information about authentication methods for SharePoint Online connections, see Connectors.
-
In the drop-down list for Connection, select Add connection.
A new window is displayed to enter connection details.
- Type a Connection name.
- Type the SharePoint Online tenant URL.
- Click Connect.
- Select an account.
- In the Connection permissions window, do one of the following:
- Add Owners and Users and click Save permissions.
- Click Cancel if you don't want to assign other owners or users.

The entered URL is validated for uniqueness. If credentials are not stored in the browser for the selected connector service, then you are prompted for credentials. If credentials are stored you are prompted to select an account to use.
The Connection permissions window is displayed to assign owner and user permissions to the connection.
- In the File field, insert a variable to specify the file you want to store.
- Type the SharePoint site URL that has the document library you want to store the file in and click Retrieve libraries.
Example: https://domain.sharepoint.com/sites/hr
All the document libraries in the specified site are displayed in the Document library field drop-down list.
- Select the Document library in which you want to store the file.
- Select Yes or No in Overwrite file to specify if you want to overwrite if a file with the same name exists in the destination document library.
SharePoint Online - Store a file action fields and settings
Important: Before inserting variables in the action configuration, you must manually type or select the values and populate other dependent fields in order to retrieve the output data. Once configured, you can insert variables to the required fields.
Section | Field | Description | Variable types |
---|---|---|---|
(unlabeled) |
SharePoint Online connection to access the SharePoint Online site to use for the action. To refresh the available connections, click |
(n/a) | |
Source file | File |
The file to store in a SharePoint Online document library. Click + Insert or click on the field to Open the Insert variables window and select the file variable. |
File |
Destination location |
SharePoint site URL |
The URL of the SharePoint Online site containing the document library you want to use. To retrieve the libraries for the SharePoint site URL, type the SharePoint site URL and click Retrieve libraries. Example: https://domain.sharepoint.com/sites/hr |
Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection |
Document library |
The document library you want to store the file in. When you specify the SharePoint Online site URL, the document libraries in the selected site will be available to select from in the Document library drop-down list. |
Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection | |
Folder path |
The path for the location of the file. Example: /documents/drafts Note:
|
Text, Decimal, Integer, Boolean, DateTime, Collection | |
Overwrite file |
Select Yes or No to specify whether you want to overwrite any existing file that has the same name in the destination.
|
Boolean | |
Output | Result |
Stores the result of the action in an object with the following variables:
|
Object A variable that groups several related variables of any type into a hierarchical structure. Objects can contain other Objects. |