SharePoint Document Issues

How to Apply Customized Risk and Issue Lists to Future SharePoint Project Sites

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to automatically apply their customized Risk and Issue lists (which contain meaningful labels instead of generic categories) to all future project sites in Project Online.

Product: SharePoint / Project Online
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating new project sites in Project Online after customizing default lists.
Observed behavior: Default generic category values are applied to newly created sites instead of the customized labels, as there is no built-in way to propagate these customizations automatically.

Before you start

Verify that you have administrative privileges in your Project Online environment and carefully document the exact field names and custom labels you want to replicate.

Solution 1Recommended

Explore Power Automate Workarounds

Since there is no out-of-the-box feature, utilizing Microsoft Power Automate is the most practical way to replicate list structures automatically.

Currently, Project Online does not offer a native method to apply customized Risk and Issue lists to all future sites. However, you can leverage the broader Power Platform to automate site provisioning.

Visit the Power Platform Community

Navigate to the Microsoft Power Platform Community forums to seek advice on site provisioning.

Search for SharePoint List Flows

Search for existing Power Automate flows that copy SharePoint lists from a designated template site to a newly created project site.

Create a Provisioning Flow

Build a Power Automate flow triggered by new project site creation that provisions and updates your custom Risk and Issue lists with the correct category labels.

Solution 2

Submit a Feature Request to the Project Feedback Community

Alert Microsoft to this missing functionality by submitting a request for native out-of-the-box support.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Project Documentation Seamlessly with WPS Office

While SharePoint handles complex site management, WPS Office provides a highly compatible, lightweight, and completely free alternative for creating, editing, and sharing your project's spreadsheets, documents, and presentations.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free office suite.
2. Create a Tracker: Open WPS Spreadsheet to build a customized Risk and Issue tracker template for your team.
3. Save and Share: Save your file in .xlsx format to ensure full compatibility with other team members, regardless of the software they use.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Easily document project risks and issues in customizable spreadsheets.Lightweight software that loads quickly on any desktop or mobile device.Free to use with a familiar, intuitive user interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save a SharePoint project site as a template to keep custom lists?

In older versions of SharePoint, saving a site as a template would preserve list customizations. However, in modern SharePoint and Project Online environments, custom scripts and site templating are often restricted, preventing out-of-the-box propagation of Risk and Issue lists.

What happens to existing project sites if I modify the default Risk and Issue lists?

Customizing the default Risk and Issue lists on a specific site only affects that individual site. It will not retroactively update existing sites or automatically apply to newly created project sites.

Where can I find alternative templates for tracking project risks and issues?

If you are unable to replicate SharePoint lists automatically, you can use spreadsheet templates available in WPS Office or Microsoft Excel to standardize risk and issue tracking across different projects manually.

Document & File Issues