[BUG] Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate with Service Principal creates duplicate documents folder and list views

[dbritta]

Reporting an Issue or Missing Feature

I'm reporting a bug/issue.

Context

We use Azure Functions to automate site creation. To ensure that all created site are configured in the same way, we configured manually a model site, created a template from that model and apply the template during automated site creation in Azure Function. We execute the functions with Service Principal, using user credentials is not an option, as we use MFA.

Expected behavior

After template application the target site should be correctly configured as defined in model site / template.

Actual behavior

For sites with other LCID than 1033 Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate creates duplicate documents folder and duplicate list views in documents and in site pages when executed with Service Principal. Details see below under steps. When executed with real user, it works as expected.

Steps to reproduce behavior

Create a template file: This describes only sample steps to repoduce the issue, real template has a lot more configurations.

1. Create a Communication Site using PnP with LCID 1033 New-PnPSite -Type CommunicationSite -Title TestModelEN -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestModelEN -LCID 1033
2. Open new site
3. Create two new site columns (Managed Metadata)
4. Create two new site content types (one for site pages / one for documents) in one new group
5. Add both site columns to both new content types
6. Add the content type for pages to the /site pages/ and allow only to use this new one
7. Allow content type in /Shared Documents/
8. Add content type for documents in the /Shared Documents/, change order to allow using only the new one content type
9. Disallow the content type usage
10. Connect to site using PnP Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestModelEN -ClientId $ClientId -ClientSecret $ClientSecret
11. Exporte the Site Template using PnP Get-PnPSiteTemplate -Out "masterTemplate.xml"

Create new Communication Sites with other LCID: New-PnPSite -Type CommunicationSite -Title TestSiteDE -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE -LCID 1031 New-PnPSite -Type CommunicationSite -Title TestSiteDE -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE2 -LCID 1031

Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate:

1. with Service Pricipal as we use in Azure Function Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE -ClientId $ClientId -ClientSecret $ClientSecret Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate -Path "./masterTemplate.xml" --> leads to described issue

2. with real user executed in PowerShell to compare the results Connect-PnPOnline -Url https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE2 -UseWebLogin Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate -Path "./masterTemplate.xml" --> works as expected

Issue details

Following details are wrongly configured

1. Duplicate documents folder

• Path of first folder: https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE/Freigegebene%20Dokumente
• Path of second folder: https://####.sharepoint.com/sites/TestSiteDE/Shared%20Documents

2. Wrong list view in first documents folder List view (AllItems.aspx) does not contain the added colums

3. Duplicate list view in second documents folder

• First list view (AllItems.aspx) does not contain the added colums
• Duplicate list view (AllItems1.aspx) contains the added colums

4. Duplicate list view in Site Pages For every list view:

• First list view does not contain the added colums
• Duplicate list view contains the added colums

What is the version of the Cmdlet module you are running?

PnP.PowerShell 1.5

Which operating system/environment are you running PnP PowerShell on?

• [ ] Windows
• [ ] Linux
• [ ] MacOS
• [ ] Azure Cloud Shell
• [X] Azure Functions
• [ ] Other : please specify

[gautamdsheth]

@dbritta - You mentioned in the issue that you are using PnP PS 1.5.0 , can you please update to the latest 1.9.0 release , check and let us know ??

[dbritta]

@gautamdsheth - I updated to PnP.PowerShell 1.9.0 and tried again, but result is the same.

[github-actions[bot]]

This issue is stale because it has been open 14 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 5 days

[veronicageek]

@dbritta - Please update to the latest release and reopen is the issue persists.

However please note you will need PS 7.2 or later to benefit from the improvements. PS5 support has been dropped in the new release.