Can we allow a user with Create Only permission (without Edit or Delete) to submit a list item and attach files

Question

We have a scenario where we want to allow users to submit items but without been able to edit them or delete them. we only want admin users to be able to edit and delete the submitted items. so for this i created a new Permission Level, which is a copy of the built-in contribute permission, but i uncheck these 3 highlighted check-boxes:-

the issue i am facing is that users with this custom permission level can create a new list item, but they can not attach files to it, where the attachment control will be hidden, as follow. here is the create form for users with this custom permission level:-

unlike the admins which have an attachment control:-

any advice on this please? how we can allow users with this custom permission level to attach files?

Answer 1

This is a known behavior in SharePoint sites. Adding attachments to the list items is considered as edit/update operation because when you will click save button, SharePoint will first create a list item and then attachments will be added to that particular list item (hence update operation).

So, users will need edit items permissions to add attachments to the SharePoint list items.

Possible workarounds?:

1. You can grant edit items permissions on list to your users and then break item permissions on item creation using Power automate to grant read permissions to normal users & full control to admin users.
2. Create separate list for storing attachments (with lookup from your main list & edit items permissions to users).
3. Use document library to upload the documents and use lookup column from your list to create relationship between list and library.

Similar threads:

1. Add an attachment to Sharepoint list in new item (permission level is without edit option)
2. Permission level problem for attachment

Answer 2

I understand what you're saying, this is a known issue from a long time ago, and there is no other way to allow users with this custom permission level to submit attachment files.

The only way to implement the option that the user can submit new items and upload attachments (without Edit or Delete) is through the Power Automate.

Reference: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/add-an-attachment-in-new-item-permission-level-is/61ed98b9-062e-4083-88c5-3cb2fce82c9d

As a possible workaround, you may use Power Automate to set users' permission on the added item to OnlyAddItem permission after they add the item automatically each time. So after that, they have no permission to edit the item and edit the attachment. However, they have permission to attach the files when they add a new item in the list. You can also create another flow for them to update the attachment files if they want to do that. They can submit a form to request to change the attachments and then the flow can send an email to them to let them upload the updated files to a new library.

Reference: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/add-an-attachment-to-sharepoint-list-in-new-item/f8d3eb18-b7c6-40c6-955b-453e57fea91c