This post is part of a series where we examine the advantages and disadvantages of a document approval process, and then build an example automated solution with SharePoint and PowerAutomate.
Posts in this series:
- Should you automate your document approval process?
- Building a basic document approvals automation with SharePoint and PowerAutomate
In a previous post, Building a basic document approvals automation with SharePoint and PowerAutomate, one of the resources required for our example document approvals solution is a SharePoint Communications Site known as the Published Documents Repository.
In this post we show the steps to create that repository.
Solution resources and actors
Based on our solution design, we need:
- To create a SharePoint Communications site which will be known as the Published Documents Repository.
- The new site shall be owned by user, Lynne, ensuring she has write access to the site and its contained Document Library.
- All other users shall have read access to the site.
Create the Published Documents Repository
To create the Published Documents Repository SharePoint Communications site, as user, Lynne, sign in to Microsoft 365 and launch the SharePoint web app.
In the SharePoint web app, click the Create site button
Select Communication site
For this example, we’ll keep things simple and use the Blank template for the new SharePoint Communications Site.
Confirm that we want to create a new site using the Blank template.
On the next screen we set the name of the new SharePoint Communication Site.
In our example we name the site, D022 Published Documents Repository.
At Watford Consulting, we often use a common prefix when naming resources created for demonstration purposes. This helps with identifying those resources we may want to clean up later. In this case we are using the prefix, D022.
Next we select the language to use for the new site.
In this case we leave the default language selected and then click the Create site button.
Once the site creation process completes, the browser will navigate to the new Published Documents Repository.
Grant read-access to Everyone
With the Published Documents Repository SharePoint Communication Site created, we now need to grant read access to all users within our organisation.
All users within the Microsoft 365 organisation are represented by the Everyone except external users group.
Next we make sure that we are only granting Read access to the Everyone group.
Ensure the Send email option is unchecked and then click the Share button.
Create the folder for published Finance documents
For our example, we’ll create folders as the target location for the documents published by authoring groups.
To create the Finance authoring group’s folder, access the Documents library on the Published Documents Repository SharePoint site, click the New button and choose Folder.
Enter the folder name, Finance, and click the Create button.
Conclusion
In this blog post we have created a SharePoint Communications site, named Published Documents Repository, to support our Document Approvals and Publication Solution.
The Published Documents Repository (PDR) is owned by user, Lynne, but Everyone has read access. This means that only Lynne can upload documents to the PDR, but all users can read those documents.
