How to use App Connect with Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a collaborative platform that provides document management and storage system capabilities. App Connect works with SharePoint Online (cloud-based service) and SharePoint Software (SharePoint Server on premises).

The following information describes how to use App Connect to connect Microsoft SharePoint to your other applications.

Supported product and API versions

To find out which product and API versions this connector supports, see Detailed System Requirements on the IBM Support page.

What to consider first

Before you use App Connect Designer with Microsoft SharePoint, take note of the following considerations:

  • To authenticate connection to SharePoint Online by using SAML verification, App Connect does not support two-factor authentication. Before you use App Connect with your Microsoft SharePoint account, make sure that two-factor authentication is disabled for your account.
  • The Microsoft SharePoint connector cannot be used to access personal site collections. To work with personal site collections, you can use the Microsoft OneDrive for Business connector.

Connecting to Microsoft SharePoint

Complete the connection fields that you see in the App Connect Designer Connect > Applications and APIs page (previously the Catalog page) or flow editor. If necessary, work with your Microsoft SharePoint administrator to obtain these values.

To create a connection from App Connect to a Microsoft SharePoint account, complete the following steps.

  1. Open the Connect to Microsoft Sharepoint dialog box by using one of the following options:
    • For your first Microsoft SharePoint connection, click Connect.
    • To add another Microsoft SharePoint connection, expand the Accounts list and click Add a new account.
  2. In the Connect to Microsoft Sharepoint dialog box, select the appropriate Type to connect to.
    • Select SharePoint Online to connect to a Microsoft SharePoint cloud-based service.
    • Select SharePoint Software to connect to a Microsoft SharePoint Server on premises.
  3. If you have selected SharePoint Online, select an Authorization method:
    Authorization method Connection field Description
    BASIC OAUTH Application client ID A unique identifier that is generated after Microsoft Azure app registration to tie requests to specific projects
    Application client secret Application client secret for the unique Application client ID created for a specific project
    OAuth access token Access token that is generated from the Application client ID and Application client secret
    OAuth refresh token Refresh token that is generated from the Application client ID and Application client secret
    SharePoint online URL SharePoint online URL that provides a direct sign-in to the Microsoft SharePoint service; for example, https://anyorganization.sharepoint.com
    Tip: If you're logged in to Microsoft SharePoint in the same browser window as App Connect, App Connect can connect automatically.
    Attention: SAML-based authentication is deprecated in the Microsoft SharePoint connector. To continue to use the connector, configure one of the supported authentication types.
    SAML
    Restriction: To authenticate the connection to SharePoint Online by using SAML verification, App Connect doesn't support two-factor authentication. Before you use App Connect with your Microsoft SharePoint account, make sure that two-factor authentication is disabled for your account or choose the Use the website (OAuth2) option.
    		 SharePoint online URL SharePoint online URL that provides a direct sign-in to the Microsoft SharePoint service; for example, https://anyorganization.sharepoint.com
    Tip: If you're already logged in to Microsoft SharePoint in the same browser window as App Connect, App Connect can connect automatically.
    Site collection path The site collection URL in SharePoint relative to the SharePoint URL; for example, /TeamSite or /sites/mysitecollection
    User name The username for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    Password The password for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    OAUTH 2.0 AUTH CODE SharePoint online URL SharePoint online URL that provides a direct sign-in to the Microsoft SharePoint service; for example, https://anyorganization.sharepoint.com
    Tip: If you're already logged in to Microsoft SharePoint in the same browser window as App Connect, App Connect can connect automatically.
  4. If you have selected SharePoint Software, choose a Version, and then select an Authorization method.
    Authorization method Connection field Description
    BASIC SharePoint on premises host and port SharePoint on premises web application URL that provides a direct sign-in to the Microsoft SharePoint service; for example, https://mysharepointhost:8443
    Site collection path The site collection URL in SharePoint relative to the SharePoint URL; for example, /TeamSite or /sites/mysitecollection
    User name The username for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    Password The password for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    Private network connection Select the name of a private network agent that App Connect uses to connect to your private network. This list is populated with the names of private network agents that are created on the Private networks page. For more information, see Connecting to a private network.
    Attention: The use of NTLM-based authentication is deprecated in the containerized environment.
    NTLM v1    		 SharePoint on premises host and port SharePoint on premises web application URL that provides a direct sign-in to the Microsoft SharePoint service; for example, https://mysharepointhost:8443
    Site collection path The site collection URL in SharePoint relative to the SharePoint URL; for example, /TeamSite or /sites/mysitecollection
    User name The username for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    Password The password for your Microsoft SharePoint account
    Domain The domain that you use to log in to your on-premises SharePoint account
    Workstation Workstation or server name where SharePoint is installed
    Private network connection Select the name of a private network agent that App Connect uses to connect to your private network. This list is populated with the names of private network agents that are created on the Private networks page. For more information, see Connecting to a private network.
  5. Click Continue.

To obtain the connection values for Microsoft SharePoint, see Obtaining connection values for Microsoft SharePoint.

Tip:

Before you use the account that is created in App Connect in a flow, rename the account to something meaningful that helps you to identify it. To rename the account on the Applications and APIs page, select the account, open its options menu (⋮), then click Rename Account.

To connect to a Microsoft SharePoint endpoint from the App Connect Designer Applications and APIs page for the first time, expand Microsoft SharePoint, then click Connect. For more information, see Managing accounts.

General considerations

Before you use App Connect Designer with Microsoft SharePoint, take note of the following general considerations:

  • (General consideration) You can see lists of the trigger events and actions that are available on the Applications and APIs page of the App Connect Designer.

    For some applications, the events and actions depend on the environment and whether the connector supports configurable events and dynamic discovery of actions. If the application supports configurable events, you see a Show more configurable events link under the events list. If the application supports dynamic discovery of actions, you see a Show more link under the actions list.

  • (General consideration) If you are using multiple accounts for an application, the set of fields that is displayed when you select an action for that application can vary for different accounts. In the flow editor, some applications always provide a curated set of static fields for an action. Other applications use dynamic discovery to retrieve the set of fields that are configured on the instance that you are connected to. For example, if you have two accounts for two instances of an application, the first account might use settings that are ready for immediate use. However, the second account might be configured with extra custom fields.

Post connection considerations

  • (Restriction) When you use the actions in the List items object, you can view the following column types in App Connect:
    • Integer
    • Text
    • Note
    • Date and time
    • Choice
    • Boolean
    • Number
    • Currency
    • Hyperlink
    • Computed
    • GUID
    • Multi choice
    • Calculated

Events and actions

Microsoft SharePoint events

These events are for changes in this application that trigger a flow to start completing the actions in the flow.

Note: In containers, only local accounts can be used for these events.

Show more configurable events: Events that are shown by default are pre-configured by using optimized connectivity. More items are available after you configure events that can trigger a flow by polling this application for new or updated objects.

Microsoft SharePoint actions

Your flow completes these actions on this application.

Object Action Description
Files Create file Creates a file in a SharePoint
Delete file Deletes a file from SharePoint
Download file Download a file
Rename file Renames a file
Retrieve files Retrieves a file from SharePoint
Share file Shares a file with other users or groups
Update file Updates the content of a file
Folder items Retrieve folder items Retrieves folder items from SharePoint
Folders Create folder Creates a folder in a SharePoint
Delete folder Deletes a folder from SharePoint
Retrieve folders Retrieves folders from SharePoint
Update folder Updates the welcome page of a folder
List item attachments Create list item attachment Creates a list item attachment in SharePoint
Delete list item attachment Deletes a list item from SharePoint
Download list item attachment Downloads a list item attachment
Retrieve list item attachments Retrieves a list item attachment from SharePoint
Update list item attachment Updates the content of a list item attachment
List items Create list item Creates a list item in SharePoint
Delete list item Deletes a list item from SharePoint
Retrieve list items Retrieves list items from SharePoint
Update list item Updates a list item in SharePoint
Lists Create list Creates a list in SharePoint
Delete list Deletes a list from SharePoint
Retrieve lists Retrieves lists from SharePoint
Update list Updates a list in SharePoint
Permissions Retrieve permissions Retrieves permissions for a SharePoint site
Search Search files Search files in SharePoint
Shared links Retrieve shared links Retrieves shared links from SharePoint
Sites Delete site Deletes a site from SharePoint
Retrieve sites Retrieves sites from SharePoint
Update site Updates a site in SharePoint
Users Retrieve users Retrieves users from SharePoint

Examples

Dashboard tile for a template that uses Micrososft Sharepoint
Dashboard tile for a template that uses Micrososft Sharepoint
Dashboard tile for a template that uses Micrososft Sharepoint

Use templates to quickly create flows for Microsoft SharePoint

Learn how to use App Connect templates to quickly create flows that complete actions on Microsoft SharePoint. For example, go to the Discover pGe and search for Microsoft Sharepoint.

Learn more

Dashboard tile for a template that uses Micrososft Sharepoint