Copy a file to another library or Send To location

You can use the Send To command to copy a file to a different library, and then manage the different copies of a source file after they are created. The Send To command has two functions. You can use it to copy a file to another library, and Site owners or library managers can specify a custom Send To destination for a library, so that this destination appears on the drop down list of the command in the ribbon.

What do you want to do?

Learn how the Send To command works

Copy a file to a destination that you specify

Copy a file to a predefined destination

Update copies of a file

Update copies from the source file

Update copies from the Manage Copies page

Change the settings for a copy to make it prompt for updates

Unlink a copy from its source file

Delete a file copy

Learn how the Send To command works

You can use the Send To command to copy a file to a different library, and then manage the different copies of a source file after they are created. The Send To command has two functions. You can use it to copy a file to another library and Site owners or library managers can specify a custom Send To destination for a library, so that this destination appears on the drop down list of the command in the ribbon.

By using the Send To command, you can copy files from the library in which they were created to another library. When a file is copied in this way, the copy maintains a relationship with its source file, and you can choose to update this copy with any changes that are made to the source file. Additionally, if the copy and its source file share common columns or fields, these columns or fields are also updated when the copy is updated.

The Send To command makes it easy for people in an organization to share information with other teams or to publish information to a central location. For example, a marketing team might save working drafts of its market research publications to a document library on its departmental team site. When these market research documents are completed, the team can use the Send To command to copy these documents to another document library that is accessible to marketers in the field and other teams within a company. When a marketing team member uses the Send To command to copy a document to this destination, he or she can choose to be prompted to update any existing copies whenever the source document is checked in. If appropriate, the marketing team member can then choose to update any existing copies whenever the source file is updated.

The Send To command makes it easier to maintain files across libraries and sites in an organization because when files are copied by using the Send To command, the server tracks the relationship between the source file and all of its copies. Users can view and manage all copies of an item centrally from the Manage Copies page, where they can see which copies prompt for updates, change update settings for copies, update the copies, or create new copies.

Note:  If you need to copy files to a site that either has forms authentication enabled or is a secure site (for example, a site with a URL that begins with https://), you must add the copy destination to the list of trusted sites in your browser.

Top of Page

Copy a file to a destination that you specify

You can use the Send To command to copy a file to a library that you specify. You must have the Contribute permission level for the library to which you want to copy the document.

1. Make note of the URL for the SharePoint library to which you want to copy the file. Make sure the library exists, and that you have write permissions to the library.

2. Navigate to the site containing the library for which you want to copy a file.

3. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

4. Select the file you want to copy.

5. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click the arrow next to Send To, and then click Other Location.

6. In the Destination section, under Destination document library or folder, type the URL for the SharePoint library to which you want to copy the document. For example, to copy to a specific document library or to a folder within a document library type the following syntax:

   • <http://servername/sitename/libraryname >

   • <http://servername/sitename/libraryname/foldername>

7. If you want to rename the copy of the document, under File name for the copy, type a new name.

8. In the Update section, do either of the following:

   • If you want to be prompted to update any copies when new versions of the source file are checked in from the browser, click Yes.

     If you select this option, the copy that you create will be marked as a copy that prompts for updates, and it will be updated whenever you choose to update existing copies of a source file.

     Note:  If you check in files from a program that is compatible with SharePoint technologies, such as Microsoft Office Word 2010, you will not be prompted to update copies in the client program.

   • If you want to be alerted when the source file is updated, select the Create an alert for me on the source document check box.

     Note:  You will not receive e-mail alerts when the source file is updated unless e-mail is enabled on the server. If you are not sure if e-mail is enabled on the server, contact your administrator.

9. Click OK, click OK again, and then when the copy operation completes, click Done.

Top of Page

Copy a file to a predefined destination

If a Send To destination is already specified for your library, you can copy files from this library to another library by using the Send To command.

1. Navigate to the site containing the library for which you want to copy a file.

2. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

3. Select the file you want to copy.

4. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click the arrow next to Send To , and then click the name of the destination to which you want to copy the document or item.

   Note:  If you do not see the name of a Send To destination, it could mean that a Send To destination is not specified for this library or that you do not have the Contribute permission level for the destination library.

5. If you want to rename the copy of the file, in the Destination section, under File name for the copy, type a new name.

6. In the Update section, do either of the following:

   • If you want to be prompted to update any copies when new versions of the source file are checked in from the browser, click Yes.

     If you select this option, the copy that you create will be marked as a copy that prompts for updates, and it will be updated whenever you choose to update existing copies of a source file

     Note:  If you check in files from a program that is compatible with SharePoint technologies, such as Microsoft Office Word 2010, you will not be prompted to update copies in the client program.

   • If you want to be alerted when the source file is updated, select the Create an alert for me on the source document check box.

     Note:  You will not receive e-mail alerts when the source file is updated unless e-mail is enabled on the server. If you are not sure if e-mail is enabled on the server, contact your administrator.

7. Click OK, click OK again, and then when the copy operation completes, click Done.

Top of Page

Update copies of a file

There are two ways that you can update copies of an item:

• From a source file, you can use the Send To command to update existing copies of an item.

• From any copy of an item, you can go to the Manage Copies page, view all existing copies, and then select which ones you want to update.

Top of Page

Update copies from the source file

1. Navigate to the site containing the library containing the source file.

2. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

3. Select the file for which you want to update copies from the source file.

4. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click the arrow next to Send To , and click Existing Copies.

   Note:  The Existing Copies command appears only if you chose to be prompted for updates when you initially used the Send To command to copy this source file to another location.

5. In the Destinations section, under Copies, select the check boxes for the copies that you want to update, and then click OK.

6. Click OK, click OK again, and then when the update operation completes, click Done.

Top of Page

Update copies from the Manage Copies page

1. If a file was copied to one or more different libraries, you can update all of the different copies from one location on the Manage Copies page, which is accessible from any copy of an item.

2. Navigate to the site containing a library that contains a copy of the source file for which you want to update copies of a file.

3. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

4. Select the file for which you want to update copies.

5. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click Go to Source Item.

6. Click Manage Copies.

7. To update all copies that already prompt for updates, click Update Copies.

8. In the Destinations section, under Copies, select the copies that you want to update, and then click OK.

   Note:  If you want to update copies that are listed on the Manage Copies page under Copies that do not prompt for updates, first you must change the update settings for these copies. For more information about how to do this, see the section, Change the settings for a copy to make it prompt for updates.

9. Click OK, click OKagain, and then when the update operation completes, click Done.

Top of Page

Change the settings for a copy to make it prompt for updates

If you created a copy of a file by using the Send To command and you did not choose to be prompted for updates, this copy cannot receive updates from the source file. However, you can change this setting and make the copy available for updates.

1. Navigate to the site containing the library for which you want to copy a file.

2. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

3. Select the file for which you want to update copies.

4. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click Go to Source Item.

5. Click Manage Copies.

6. Click Edit next to the item, and then click Yes under Prompt the author to send out updates when the document is checked in? in the Update section.

7. Click OK.

Top of Page

Unlink a copy from its source file

To completely remove any links between a source file and its copy, unlink the source file and its copy in both of the following ways:

• Unlink a copy from its source so that the copy no longer retains its connection to a source file. If you do this, the source file retains a connection to the copy, and the copy can still be updated if someone chooses to update existing copies of the source file.

• Remove the link to a copy from the source file so that the source file no longer updates the copy.

To remove the copy from the list of copies that can be updated from the source file:

1. Navigate to the site containing the library for which you want to copy a file.

2. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

3. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Copies group, click Go to Source Item.

4. Click Manage Copies.

5. Click Edit next to the copy that you want to unlink from the source file.

6. Click Remove Link, and then click OK.

To remove the copy's link to its parent source file:

1. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Manage group, click Delete, and then click OK.

2. Return to the library that contains the copy that you want to unlink from the source file.

3. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Manage group, click View Properties.

4. At the top of the page, click Unlink, and then click OK.

Top of Page

Delete a file copy

Note:  If you want to completely delete an item that is a copy of another item, first you must ensure that this item is removed from the source file's list of items to update. Otherwise, the item may be recreated whenever someone chooses to update any existing copies of the source file. It is also recommended that you unlink the copy from its source file. After you have completely unlinked the source file and its copy, you can delete the copy.

1. Unlink the source file and its copy. See the previous section, Unlink a copy from its source file.

2. Navigate to the site containing the library for which you want to delete the file.

3. Click the name of the library on the Quick Launch, or click Site Actions , click View All Site Content, and then in the appropriate libraries section, click the name of your library.

   Note:  A SharePoint site can be significantly modified in appearance and navigation. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.

4. In the ribbon, click the Documents tab, and then in the Manage group, click Delete.

Top of Page