In this guide, you’ll learn how to copy a document’s metadata into SharePoint when converting it to a PDF.
Here’s how to copy metadata:
- Copy either all metadata or only the selected fields.
- Copy metadata to files in different folders or site collections.
- Change the content type to either the source file, destination file, the default content type for the library, or a specific named content type.
- Copy the content of the Author, Created, and Modified fields by explicitly specifying these field names. This information isn't copied when the default option to copy all fields is enabled. It isn't possible to copy the Editor field, as it's always overwritten by the workflow.
Copying Metadata Using a SharePoint Designer Workflow
To insert a new activity into a workflow, click Action in the SharePoint Designer workflow editor and select the Copy MetaData action. This inserts the following workflow step.
The parameters are largely self-describing and use the same format as all our other workflow activities.
this document — The source document to copy the metadata from. For most workflows, selecting the current item will suffice, but some scenarios may require the lookup of a different item.
this file — The path and file name to copy the metadata to. Ensure the path doesn’t include the host name, e.g.
http://your site/….fields — By default, the content of all fields is copied to the destination file. However, if you wish to copy only specific fields, then the field names can be specified in this list. You can separate fields using line breaks,
,’ or;, and you can use both internal and display field names.Content Type — While copying metadata, you have full control over the content type of the destination file. The following options can be specified:
- (source) — The content type of the source file is copied to the destination file. Please include the round brackets.
- (target) — The content type of the destination file isn’t modified and remains as it was before the copy operation. Please include the round brackets.
- (default) — The default content type for the document library is applied to the destination file. Please include the round brackets.
- Name of Content Type — The destination file is set to a specific, named content type. Please do not use round brackets around the name of the content type.
List ID — The ID of the file the metadata was copied to. This can be used later in the workflow to perform additional tasks on the file, such as performing a checkin or checkout.
List Item ID — The ID of the list that holds the file the metadata was copied to.
Similar to our other workflow activities, this new copy metadata facility is both simple and powerful and works in legacy MS SharePoint versions, as well as in MS SharePoint 2019.
