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How to Prevent Duplicate SharePoint Items in Power Automate Approval Flows

Nimra Malik Oct 19, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to stop a Power Automate flow from creating multiple identical destination items in a SharePoint list when processing multiple approvers.

How to Prevent Duplicate SharePoint Items in Power Automate Approval Flows

Product: Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating an automated approval workflow that copies approved items from a source SharePoint list to a destination SharePoint list using multiple approvers.
Observed behavior: The flow creates a new duplicate destination item for every single approver because the 'Create item' action is nested inside an 'Apply to each' loop that iterates over the approvers.

Before you start

Review your current flow structure and identify exactly where the 'Create item' action is placed. Note whether it is sitting inside a nested loop tied to the 'Approvers' array.

Solution 1Recommended

Move the Create Item Action Outside the Approver Loop

Use this solution to quickly fix the flow by repositioning the item creation step so it only runs once per source item, rather than once per approver.

When an action is placed inside a nested 'Apply to each' loop that processes a list of approvers, Power Automate will run that action for every person in the list. To prevent duplicate SharePoint items, the creation step must be shifted out of the approver-specific loop.

Locate the nested loop

Open your flow in the Power Automate editor and expand your main 'Apply to each' loop to find the nested loop (e.g., 'Apply to each 5') that processes your approvers.

Reposition the Create item action

Click and drag the 'Create item' action out of the nested approvers loop, placing it into the parent loop (e.g., 'Apply to each 4') immediately following the approval outcome condition.

Verify dynamic content

Click on the 'Create item' action and ensure that all mapped fields use dynamic content from the original source item, rather than output from the nested approver loop.

Move the Create Item Action Outside the Approver Loop

Flow Execution Fix: Moving the action ensures that one approved source item yields exactly one item in the destination list, completely independent of the total number of approvers.

Solution 2

Restructure the Flow with an Upfront 'Get Items' Action

Rebuild the flow logic from the top down to retrieve source items first, evaluate approval status, and only copy the item if approved.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Power Automate loop run multiple times?

An 'Apply to each' loop executes its contained actions for every item in a provided array. If your loop is processing an array of three approvers, any action inside it—such as 'Create item'—will execute exactly three times.

How can I filter SharePoint items before looping in Power Automate?

Use the SharePoint 'Get items' action and configure the 'Filter Query' field with OData expressions (for example, 'Status eq Pending') to restrict the items retrieved before entering the 'Apply to each' loop.

Where should the 'Create item' action be placed after a multi-person approval?

The 'Create item' action should be placed in the 'If yes' branch of your overall approval condition, strictly outside of any nested loops that iterate through the individual approvers.

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