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Fix Power Automate Flow Succeeds But Outlook Attachment Not Created in SharePoint

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a Power Automate flow that successfully triggers but fails to copy an Outlook email attachment to SharePoint because the attachment is locked during a security scan.

Product: Power Automate, Outlook, SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating the extraction of Outlook email attachments and saving them as items or files in a SharePoint list or document library.
Observed behavior: The Power Automate flow reports a 'Succeeded' status, but the attachment is missing in SharePoint because it was temporarily unavailable due to a mandatory email security scan.

Before you start

Before modifying your flow, confirm whether your organization enforces Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) or similar security scans on incoming Outlook emails, as this often temporarily blocks access to attachments.

Solution 1Recommended

Add a Delay or Configure Retry Policies in Power Automate

Implement a delay action or retry policy to wait for the Outlook security scan to finish before attempting to access the attachment.

When an email arrives, security systems like Microsoft Defender for Office 365 scan the attachments. If Power Automate tries to grab the attachment during this scan, it gets an empty or locked payload. Adding a slight delay allows the scan to complete.

Open Flow in Power Automate

Log in to Power Automate, go to 'My flows', and select the specific flow that handles your Outlook to SharePoint automation.

Add a Delay Action

Click the '+' icon between the email trigger and the 'Create file' action in SharePoint. Search for and add the 'Delay' action. Set it to wait for 2 to 5 minutes.

Adjust Retry Policy (Alternative)

Alternatively, click the three dots (...) on your 'Create file' SharePoint action, go to 'Settings', and configure a custom Retry Policy to try multiple times if the initial fetch fails.

Consult the Community for Advanced Help

If standard delays do not resolve the issue, post your specific flow structure to the dedicated Microsoft Power Automate Community for tailored advice from Microsoft engineers.

Security Scan Duration: Security scans typically take 1 to 3 minutes to process attachments. Adjust your delay time based on your organization's average email delivery lag.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Power Automate flow show 'Succeeded' even though the attachment is missing?

Power Automate often registers a step as 'Succeeded' if the action itself executes without a hard system error, even if the payload (like an attachment temporarily locked by a security scan) was empty or inaccessible at the exact moment of execution.

How long should I set the delay for Outlook security scans?

Generally, a delay of 2 to 5 minutes is sufficient for Microsoft Defender or other ATP scans to complete their analysis and release the attachment for Power Automate to process.

Can I trigger the flow only after the security scan is complete?

Currently, standard Outlook triggers in Power Automate fire as soon as the email arrives in the inbox. You must manually handle the scan duration by using 'Delay' actions or retry configurations within your flow logic.

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