Archive SharePoint Library Documents

When you often need to move documents from one SharePoint library to another, it is useful to create a SharePoint workflow that handles the process for you. In a new Tips article on the kalmstrom.com website I describe how to create a workflow that moves expired files to an Archive library.

 Archive instead of delete
When you have used a SharePoint library for a while, it tends to be difficult to overview because the files have become too many. All of them probably don't have to be there, but maybe you don't want to delete them either. Then it is a good idea to archive files that are no longer used in a separate library. There they will still be available if needed, but they will not burden the library or libraries your team normally uses.

Libraries instead of folders
Generally I recommend subsites and SharePoint libraries instead of one big library with a lot of subfolders.
SharePoint search will work better that way, especially when you also use tags and metadata, and the navigation will be easier.

Archiving workflow
In the demo below, which is also included in the Tips article, I show how to create a SharePoint workflow that moves files in a document library to a separate Archive library.

The workflow is run automatically each time a file is changed, but the file is only archived when it has the status "Expired". In those cases the workflow will first copy the file to the Archive library and then delete it from the original library.

Archive list items
SharePoint lists are often filled even quicker than libraries, and as I told you in an earlier blog post we will soon release a tool that archives list items. Just as with library documents you may also archive SharePoint list items with a workflow, and I have earlier created two demos on how to do that.

The first  "Archive SharePoint list items" tutorial was published in the beginning of 2011, and it was of course intended for the 2010 version of SharePoint. Later I also recorded a demo for SharePoint 2013, and now they are both gathered in a Tips article about how to archive SharePoint list items.

Suggestions are welcome
The immediate reason for the first Tip about archiving in SharePoint was that users of the kalmstrom.com issue tracking solution HelpDesk OSP asked for it. HelpDesk OSP converts Outlook e-mails into SharePoint list items, and when there were many e-mails converted each day an archiving workflow was needed.

When subscribers of kalmstrom.com Solutions need demos we do our best to give them a solution even if the problem is not directly connected to our product. In those cases we add the tutorial to the Tips section of the kalmstrom.com website, so that more people can make use of it.



Currently there are 76 tips articles on the kalmstrom.com website, so this tip about archiving library documents is just one of many. You are welcome to browse among them!


By Peter Kalmstrom
CEO and Systems Designer
kalmstrom.com Business Solutions