Permission & Access Issues

How to Lock a SharePoint List Item After Power Automate Approval

WPS Editor Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to lock a SharePoint list item to prevent any further edits after an incident investigation approval process is completed.

How to Lock a SharePoint List Item After Power Automate Approval

Product: SharePoint and Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing incident investigations where forms are submitted, approvals are collected via Power Automate, and the final record must remain uneditable.
Observed behavior: The SharePoint list item remains editable by default after the approval process, requiring an automated flow to change permissions and make the item read-only.

Before you start

Ensure you have Site Owner or Full Control permissions on the SharePoint site, as modifying item-level permissions via Power Automate requires elevated privileges.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Standard SharePoint Connector Actions to Restrict Access

This is the most reliable method for locking a SharePoint item. It utilizes built-in Power Automate actions to remove existing edit rights and grant read-only access once the approval is finalized.

By default, SharePoint list items inherit permissions from the parent list. To lock an individual item, you must break this inheritance and assign unique permissions.

The standard 'Stop sharing' action handles the inheritance break automatically, making it easy to convert an item to read-only for standard users.

Set up the Trigger and Approval

Open Power Automate and create a flow triggered by 'When an item or a file is modified'. Add a 'Start and wait for an approval' action and configure it to route to the required investigation managers.

Add a Condition for Approval

Add a 'Condition' block to check if the 'Outcome' of the approval is equal to 'Approve'. All locking actions will be placed in the 'If yes' branch.

Stop Sharing the Item

In the 'If yes' branch, add the SharePoint action 'Stop sharing an item or a file'. Select your Site Address, List Name, and use the dynamic content 'ID' from your trigger. This removes edit access for site members and visitors.

Grant Read-Only Access

Add the 'Grant access to an item or a folder' action. Select your Site and List, map the Item ID, and input the email addresses of the users who need to view the locked record. Set the 'Roles' dropdown to 'View' (Read-only).

Use Standard SharePoint Connector Actions to Restrict Access

Retained Admin Access: Site Owners and Administrators will automatically retain their Full Control access even after the 'Stop sharing' action is executed.

Solution 2

Break Role Inheritance via HTTP Request

Use this advanced method if you need highly granular control over which specific SharePoint permission levels are assigned or removed during the lockdown process.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Lightweight Office Suite?

While complex SharePoint list automation and Power Automate workflows require the Microsoft ecosystem, WPS Office provides a highly efficient, lightweight, and free alternative for your daily document, spreadsheet, and presentation tasks.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for your operating system.
2. Install WPS Office: Run the downloaded installer and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set up the software.
3. Open and Edit Files: Launch WPS Office to instantly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office documents without format loss.

Completely free and lightweight office suite for Windows, Mac, and LinuxFully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx)Familiar ribbon user interface ensuring a seamless, zero-learning curve migrationBuilt-in advanced PDF toolkit for easy document sharing, editing, and signing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I lock a SharePoint list item manually without using Power Automate?

Yes. You can manually restrict access by selecting the list item, clicking 'Manage Access', selecting 'Advanced', stopping inheritance, and removing edit permissions for specific users or groups.

Will 'Stop sharing' remove Site Owners' access to the list item?

No, the 'Stop sharing an item or a file' action in Power Automate safely removes permissions for standard members and visitors, but Site Owners and Site Collection Administrators will retain their full control access.

Do I need a premium Power Automate license to change SharePoint permissions?

No, standard SharePoint actions like 'Stop sharing an item or a file' and 'Grant access to an item or a folder' are included in the standard Microsoft 365 licensing and do not require a premium Power Automate license.

Can I make specific columns read-only instead of the whole item?

SharePoint does not natively support column-level security. To make only specific fields read-only after an approval, you would need to customize the list form using Power Apps to conditionally disable inputs based on the item's status.

Document & File Issues