How to Update SharePoint Columns Without Version Change in Power Automate

When I was working on a Document Management System, I noticed that every time a column was updated in a SharePoint document library, it automatically created a new version of the item. In my case, this wasn’t necessary because I was only updating metadata fields and didn’t want to increase the version count.

After some searching, I found one approach using an HTTP request to update the column without triggering a new version.

In this tutorial, I will tell you how you can update SharePoint columns without a version change in Power Automate.

Update SharePoint Columns Without Version Change in Power Automate

For this example, I have a SharePoint Document Library (Controlled Documents) with:

• Document Number column -> stores DMS-YY-ID-Version for reference
• Version column -> stores the version separately

Now, I want to create a Document number when a file is created and update the Version column silently without increasing the SharePoint item’s version count.

Now follow the steps below:

1. Open Power Automate, create an automated cloud flow with a trigger (When a file is created (properties only)). Select your SharePoint site and document library.

2. Add a Compose action and provide the expression below:

concat('DMS-',formatDateTime(utcNow(),'yy'),'-',triggerBody()?['ID'],'-',triggerBody()?['{VersionNumber}'])

2. Then add a Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action from sharePoint Connector with the below parameter:
   • Site Address: Provide the Site URL dynamic content.
   • Method: GET
   • URI:

_api/web/lists/GetByTitle('<ListName>')/items(<ItemID>)/validateUpdateListItem

3. Header:

{
  "Accept": "application/json;odata=verbose",
  "Content-Type": "application/json;odata=verbose"
}

4. Body:

{
    "formValues":[
	{
	    "FieldName": "DocumentNumber",
	    "FieldValue": "@{outputs('Compose')}"
	}
    ],
"bNewDocumentUpdate": true
}

In Power Automate, click the Save button at the top right corner. Go to your SharePoint Document Library. Upload a new file (or create one).

Here you can see the version number (1.0). Once the flow runs successfully, check the Document Number and Version column.

Document Number updated according to your Compose expression (DMS-25-1-1.0). The Version column was silently updated without creating a new SharePoint item version.

This way, you can update SharePoint list/library columns without a version change in Power Automate.

You may also like the following tutorials:

• SharePoint List Title Column
• SharePoint Editorial Card Web Part
• Content Approval in SharePoint
• SharePoint Column Validation Formula Examples
• SharePoint Online Number Column without Comma