Version History Issues

How to Automatically Save Weekly Versions of a SharePoint Document

Khadija Khan Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to maintain weekly records of changes for a shared SharePoint document while the team continuously edits it.

How to Automatically Save Weekly Versions of a SharePoint Document

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A team is collaborating on a shared document and requires weekly backups or version snapshots for auditing and record-keeping.
Observed behavior: The team needs a reliable method to retain previous weekly copies without disrupting ongoing edits to the main collaborative document.

Before you start

Ensure you have the appropriate permissions (at least Edit or Design rights) in your SharePoint site to manage library settings and create Power Automate flows.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable SharePoint Version History for Automatic Tracking

Use SharePoint's built-in versioning to automatically preserve previous versions whenever the document is edited and closed.

SharePoint Version History is the simplest way to track changes. It automatically creates a new version when someone edits and closes the file, ensuring you always have a historical record without manually copying files.

Access Library Settings

Navigate to your SharePoint document library, click the Settings (gear) icon in the top right corner, and select 'Library settings'.

Open Versioning Settings

Click on 'More library settings' (if applicable in your view), then select 'Versioning settings' under the General Settings section.

Enable Document Versioning

Under 'Document Version History', select 'Create major versions' and specify the number of versions to retain to save storage space. Click 'OK' to apply the changes.

Enable SharePoint Version History for Automatic Tracking

Version Restoration: Once enabled, you can easily view or restore previous versions by clicking the three-dot menu next to the document and selecting 'Version history'.

Solution 2

Create a Weekly Power Automate Flow to Copy Files

Set up an automated workflow to copy the document to a separate backup folder on a weekly schedule.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit and Collaborate Seamlessly with WPS Office

While you use SharePoint and Power Automate to manage file versions and backups, WPS Office serves as an excellent, lightweight alternative for actually writing and editing those shared documents. It handles standard Office formats flawlessly without the heavy subscription costs.

1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free installer for your operating system.
2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Office and open your downloaded SharePoint documents directly to start editing.
3. Save and Sync: Save your changes locally. When synchronized back to your SharePoint folder, version history will automatically capture your updates.

Full compatibility with Microsoft Office formats, including .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx.Familiar user interface that requires zero learning curve for seamless migration.Lightweight installation that opens large collaborative documents quickly.Robust built-in tools for tracking changes, adding comments, and managing local file versions.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Does SharePoint Version History take up my site's storage quota?

Yes, each saved version counts against your total SharePoint site storage limit. It is highly recommended to limit the number of major versions retained in the Library Settings to optimize your storage capacity.

Can I see who made changes to a specific version of a document?

Absolutely. By clicking the three-dot menu next to a document and selecting 'Version history', you can see the name of the user who modified the file along with the exact date, time, and file size for every version.

How do I restore a previous weekly version if the current document is corrupted?

Open the document's 'Version history' from the context menu in your SharePoint library, hover over the date of the version you want to revert to, click the dropdown arrow, and select 'Restore'. This will make the older version the current active document.

Why did my Power Automate flow fail to copy the weekly file?

Flows typically fail during file copies if a file with the exact same name already exists in the destination folder and the 'Overwrite' setting is not enabled, or if the flow creator lacks permissions to the destination SharePoint library. Check the flow's run history for the specific error code.

Document & File Issues