Fix SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflow Not Deleting Old Files
Question details
Users are experiencing an issue where a SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow triggers correctly upon document creation but fails to execute the action to delete the older, previous file.
- Product
- SharePoint Server 2013
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Automating document version control or cleaning up directories using SharePoint Designer workflows in an on-premises server environment.
- Observed behavior
- The workflow starts without errors when a new document is added, but the specific step designed to delete the previous file fails, leaving outdated documents in the library.
Ensure you have Site Collection Administrator privileges to modify workflow logic and view detailed library permissions in SharePoint Designer.
Verify Workflow Configurations and Library Permissions
Check the workflow's internal logic, target item references, and account permissions to ensure it has the proper authority to delete files in the library.
In many cases, file deletion failures in SharePoint workflows stem from incorrect item references (pointing to the new file instead of the old one) or insufficient permissions granted to the workflow service account.
Launch SharePoint Designer 2013, connect to your on-premises site, and navigate to the specific list workflow that is failing to delete the file.
Review the 'Delete Item in...' action. Ensure the item reference is strictly pointing to the ID or URL of the previous file, and not accidentally referencing the 'Current Item'.
Verify that the account executing the workflow has 'Delete Items' permissions on the target document library. If necessary, wrap the deletion action inside an 'App Step' to elevate workflow permissions.
Navigate to the library settings in your web browser and ensure there are no strict retention policies, records management rules, or required check-outs preventing automated file deletion.
Seek Assistance in the SharePoint Server Community
If standard troubleshooting does not resolve the issue, consult the official SharePoint Server community, as on-premises environments often have unique configuration constraints.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my SharePoint workflow say 'Access Denied' when trying to delete a file?
This usually occurs when the account running the workflow does not have the necessary 'Delete Items' permission level in the target SharePoint library. To fix this, you may need to grant the workflow elevated permissions by utilizing an App Step.
Can a SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow delete files located in another site collection?
By default, SharePoint Designer workflows are scoped to the site where they are created. To interact with or delete files in a different site collection, you typically need to construct a REST API call using the 'Call HTTP Web Service' action.
Does WPS Office integrate with SharePoint for document editing?
Yes, you can easily open and edit documents stored on SharePoint directly using WPS Office by syncing the SharePoint library to your local device via OneDrive, or by utilizing standard WebDAV network drive connections.
