Required Column Blocks Power Automate Updates: Root Cause and Fix

When a Power Automate flow tries to update a SharePoint list item, it may fail with a generic error or silently skip the update. The root cause is often a required column that the flow does not supply during the update action. This column can be a choice column, a person column, or a custom text column that has its Require that this column contains information setting enabled. This article explains why required columns block Power Automate updates and provides a tested fix to resolve the issue.

Why Required Columns Cause Power Automate Update Failures

SharePoint list columns can be marked as required at the list level. When a column is required, SharePoint enforces that every item must have a value in that column. Power Automate respects this rule. If a flow attempts to update an item without providing a value for a required column, SharePoint rejects the update. The flow may log a generic error such as BadGateway or InvalidRequest, or it may complete without updating the item.

The problem occurs most often when:

• A required column is added to an existing list after the flow was created.
• The flow updates only a subset of columns and does not include the required column.
• The source data (for example, an email or a form submission) does not contain a value for the required column.

Power Automate does not automatically supply a default value for required columns. The flow designer must explicitly map or generate a value for every required column in the target list. If any required column is missing, the update action fails.

How SharePoint Enforces Required Columns

SharePoint tracks required columns at the list schema level. When a column is set to Require that this column contains information, SharePoint validates the column during create and update operations. This validation applies to all access methods: the SharePoint web interface, Microsoft Graph API, and Power Automate connectors. There is no bypass setting in Power Automate that overrides column requirement.

Steps to Fix Required Column Blocking Power Automate

The fix involves identifying the required column and ensuring the flow passes a value for it. Follow these steps.

1. Identify the required column in the SharePoint list
   Go to the SharePoint list that the flow updates. Select the gear icon and choose List settings. Under Columns, look for columns marked with a red asterisk. Click the column name and verify that Require that this column contains information is set to Yes. Note the column name and its data type.
2. Check the flow action that updates the item
   Open the Power Automate flow. Locate the action that performs the update, typically named Update item or Update file properties. Click the action to expand it. Look for the required column name in the action inputs. If the column is missing, you must add it.
3. Add the required column to the update action
   In the update action, click Show advanced options. Click Add new parameter. From the dropdown, select the parameter that matches the required column data type. For example, if the column is a single line of text, select Title or the custom column name. A new input field appears.
4. Provide a value for the required column
   In the new input field, supply a value. If the source data contains a value for this column, use a dynamic content token from a previous action. If the source data does not have a value, use a compose action to create a default value. For example, for a required choice column, set the compose action to output a valid choice value such as Not Specified. Then reference that compose action in the update action.
5. Test the flow
   Save the flow and run a test with an item that previously failed. Check the run history to confirm the update succeeded. If the flow still fails, review the error message. Common errors include Invalid request or The specified column is required. Recheck the column name spelling and data type in the update action.

If Power Automate Still Fails After Adding the Required Column

Power Automate update action uses the wrong column internal name

SharePoint columns have a display name and an internal name. Power Automate sometimes uses the internal name. If the display name contains spaces or special characters, the internal name may differ. To find the internal name, go to the list settings, click the column name, and look at the URL in your browser. The URL contains Field= followed by the internal name. Use that internal name in the Power Automate dynamic content picker by searching for it.

Multiple required columns exist in the list

A list can have more than one required column. Repeat the identification and mapping steps for each required column. If you miss even one required column, the update action fails. To see all required columns at once, use the list settings page and filter by the Required column in the column list.

Flow uses the SharePoint for Office 365 connector instead of the SharePoint connector

Power Automate offers two SharePoint connectors: SharePoint (the standard connector) and SharePoint for Office 365 (the legacy connector). The legacy connector may handle required columns differently. If you are using the legacy connector, switch to the standard SharePoint connector. Delete the existing update action and add a new Update item action from the SharePoint connector.

Item	SharePoint Connector (Standard)	SharePoint for Office 365 (Legacy)
Required column support	Requires explicit mapping	Requires explicit mapping
Internal name handling	Uses display name in picker	May require internal name
Recommended	Yes	No

After switching connectors, reapply the required column value mapping as described in the steps above.

Flow uses a trigger that does not pass the required column

If the flow trigger is When an item is created or When an item is modified, the trigger output may not include the required column if the column was not changed. In this case, use a Get item action after the trigger to retrieve the current item values. Then map the required column from the Get item output to the update action. This ensures the flow always has a value for the required column.

Conclusion

You can now identify required columns in a SharePoint list and map them correctly in a Power Automate update action. Start by checking the list settings for columns marked as required. Then add each required column to the update action using the Add new parameter option. For columns without a source value, use a compose action to supply a default. If the flow continues to fail, verify the column internal name and switch to the standard SharePoint connector. This approach resolves the most common cause of Power Automate update failures related to required columns.