Error Applying Retention Label to SharePoint Document Library Using PnP PowerShell

Question

Error Applying Retention Label to SharePoint Document Library Using PnP PowerShell

Rahul 25

Hi Community,

I'm trying to apply a retention label to a SharePoint Online document library using PnP PowerShell. Here's the command I'm using: Set-PnPRetentionLabel -List $libraryName -Label $retentionLabel -SyncToItems $true

Before this we were able to apply label by using same script.

However, I’m encountering the following error: Set-PnPRetentionLabel: Value cannot be null. Parameter name: Empty correlation Guid I've verified that both $libraryName and $retentionLabel are correctly populated. Has anyone encountered this issue before or can suggest what might be causing it?

I have also find a bug reported on here as well : Get-PnPLabel / Set-PnPLabel started throwing error after running fine for 2+ years · pnp/powershell · Discussion #5021 · GitHub

Thanks in advance for your help!

JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:13:47.4+00:00

I have this same issue, its been failing for a few weeks now. We've had this scirpt running for 3 years now and never had an issue before
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:24:06.09+00:00

@JHerschel If you wants to apply Retention label on item level then you can use:
Set-PnPRetentionLabel -List "Demo List" -ItemIds @(1,2,3) -Label "My demo label"

This is working in my case, even I am able to use: Reset-PnPRetentionLabel -List "Demo List"

But if i am trying to set retention on Document library level then only I am getting the mentioned error.

Also, I am trying to set wrong retention label which is not existing then I am getting correct error saying This Label is not exist.

Please let me know your findings for the same.
Sagar Srivastava 5 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:28:20.4033333+00:00

Interesting issue! Looks like a tricky one with that null correlation GUID. If anyone in the community has tackled something similar with Set-PnPRetentionLabel, now’s a great time to jump in and share your insights. Let’s put our heads together and crack this—PnP PowerShell pros, your hustle could really help here! 💪 #CommunityPower
JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-17T14:38:51.11+00:00

Thanks Ruhal, yes, I have the same results, but we have a script that sets the retention policy on a library for newly created SharePoint sites (connected to Teams), so I need to set on the library itself
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-18T05:35:31.5233333+00:00

any breakthrough if you have find?
Michael Karam 5 Reputation points

2025-07-22T00:02:41.5466667+00:00

Same issue for me - does anyone know if Microsoft has logged this as a bug?
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-22T09:04:17.99+00:00

I have logged a bug on GitHub PnP Community for the same:
https://github.com/pnp/powershell/issues/5027

If anyone get any solution, then let us know.
Yen Chan 5 Reputation points

2025-07-22T13:39:54.6+00:00
I'm experiencing the same thing too. Our scripts uses the direct Graph API endpoint PATCH /drives/{drive-id}/items/{item-id}/retentionLabel. Some of the things we've tried include:

turning the computer off and on

updating VSCode

uninstall and reinstall Microsoft.Graph module

revoke and reassign the application Files.Read.All delegated permissions

retest with a different Entra ID account

All of which still yielded the same error.

Here's the interesting part: Our use cases involves bulk applying the retention label to hundreds of thousands of documents and folders via a foreach loop. We've run a sample test with 1,000 items and 14/1,000 passed (>1%). There is nothing inherently different about these 14 items - they are virtually identical with the rest. In an attempt to recreate this anomaly, we would remove the retention label via the DELETE method and re-run the same script for these items, only for them to fail the second time.
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-23T06:07:19.4066667+00:00

Hello Yen,

Yesterday, there was some issue at Microsoft end due to this Graph API was not working properly. I was also facing the issue while trying to get All Document library under any SharePoint Site. I was getting Null Value but today I was able to get without make any changes in my code.

So, you can also check your issue of Graph API it is resolved or not.

But still we have the issue to apply Retention Label through PnP Script.

I have logged a MS ticket to further check this issue at Microsoft end. Issue is seems related to SharePoint.
Deepak Namdeo 51 Reputation points

2025-07-24T08:13:39.29+00:00

I am facing same issue. I have develop console utility by using csom C# and below is my code. Earlier it was working perfectly fine but from last week I am encountering issue.

var applyToExistingItems = true;

SPPolicyStoreProxy.SetListComplianceTag(clientContext, listRootFolder.ServerRelativeUrl, "Permanent (100 Years)", false, false, applyToExistingItems);

clientContext.ExecuteQuery();

Error:

Do you have any idea why working code stopped working.

I appreciate your help in advance!
JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-24T12:08:50.8066667+00:00

Hello Deepak and others. yes, I had a script running fine for over 3 years and it started failing 2 weeks go. I submitted a ticket with Microsoft and urged them to submit/list as a bug.
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-25T12:22:40.9833333+00:00

Hello All,
We have received response from MS and they confirmed that issue is from Microsoft end and They are working on it to rollout the fix to affected tenant. You can open your MS ticket then you can ask them to add you Tenant details for this fix roll out.

1 answer

Your answer

JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:13:47.4+00:00

I have this same issue, its been failing for a few weeks now. We've had this scirpt running for 3 years now and never had an issue before
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:24:06.09+00:00

@JHerschel If you wants to apply Retention label on item level then you can use:
Set-PnPRetentionLabel -List "Demo List" -ItemIds @(1,2,3) -Label "My demo label"

This is working in my case, even I am able to use: Reset-PnPRetentionLabel -List "Demo List"

But if i am trying to set retention on Document library level then only I am getting the mentioned error.

Also, I am trying to set wrong retention label which is not existing then I am getting correct error saying This Label is not exist.

Please let me know your findings for the same.
Sagar Srivastava 5 Reputation points

2025-07-17T13:28:20.4033333+00:00

Interesting issue! Looks like a tricky one with that null correlation GUID. If anyone in the community has tackled something similar with Set-PnPRetentionLabel, now’s a great time to jump in and share your insights. Let’s put our heads together and crack this—PnP PowerShell pros, your hustle could really help here! 💪 #CommunityPower
JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-17T14:38:51.11+00:00

Thanks Ruhal, yes, I have the same results, but we have a script that sets the retention policy on a library for newly created SharePoint sites (connected to Teams), so I need to set on the library itself
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-18T05:35:31.5233333+00:00

any breakthrough if you have find?
Michael Karam 5 Reputation points

2025-07-22T00:02:41.5466667+00:00

Same issue for me - does anyone know if Microsoft has logged this as a bug?
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-22T09:04:17.99+00:00

I have logged a bug on GitHub PnP Community for the same:
https://github.com/pnp/powershell/issues/5027

If anyone get any solution, then let us know.
Yen Chan 5 Reputation points

2025-07-22T13:39:54.6+00:00

I'm experiencing the same thing too. Our scripts uses the direct Graph API endpoint PATCH /drives/{drive-id}/items/{item-id}/retentionLabel. Some of the things we've tried include:

turning the computer off and on

updating VSCode

uninstall and reinstall Microsoft.Graph module

revoke and reassign the application Files.Read.All delegated permissions

retest with a different Entra ID account

All of which still yielded the same error.

Here's the interesting part: Our use cases involves bulk applying the retention label to hundreds of thousands of documents and folders via a foreach loop. We've run a sample test with 1,000 items and 14/1,000 passed (>1%). There is nothing inherently different about these 14 items - they are virtually identical with the rest. In an attempt to recreate this anomaly, we would remove the retention label via the DELETE method and re-run the same script for these items, only for them to fail the second time.
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-23T06:07:19.4066667+00:00

Hello Yen,

Yesterday, there was some issue at Microsoft end due to this Graph API was not working properly. I was also facing the issue while trying to get All Document library under any SharePoint Site. I was getting Null Value but today I was able to get without make any changes in my code.

So, you can also check your issue of Graph API it is resolved or not.

But still we have the issue to apply Retention Label through PnP Script.

I have logged a MS ticket to further check this issue at Microsoft end. Issue is seems related to SharePoint.
Deepak Namdeo 51 Reputation points

2025-07-24T08:13:39.29+00:00

I am facing same issue. I have develop console utility by using csom C# and below is my code. Earlier it was working perfectly fine but from last week I am encountering issue.

var applyToExistingItems = true;

SPPolicyStoreProxy.SetListComplianceTag(clientContext, listRootFolder.ServerRelativeUrl, "Permanent (100 Years)", false, false, applyToExistingItems);

clientContext.ExecuteQuery();

Error:

Do you have any idea why working code stopped working.

I appreciate your help in advance!
JHerschel 45 Reputation points

2025-07-24T12:08:50.8066667+00:00

Hello Deepak and others. yes, I had a script running fine for over 3 years and it started failing 2 weeks go. I submitted a ticket with Microsoft and urged them to submit/list as a bug.
Rahul 25 Reputation points

2025-07-25T12:22:40.9833333+00:00

Hello All,
We have received response from MS and they confirmed that issue is from Microsoft end and They are working on it to rollout the fix to affected tenant. You can open your MS ticket then you can ask them to add you Tenant details for this fix roll out.

Answer 1

Rahul 25

Hello All,

Seems like MS rolled out fix to our Tenant and now our PnP script and C# code is working fine today.

You can also check if in your tenant it is working or not. If not connect with MS to roll out this fix.

Yen Chan 20 Reputation points

2025-07-29T00:07:57.1766667+00:00

Hi Rahul, thanks for the update. Confirming that it's also working on my end via the Graph API endpoint PATCH /drives/{drive-id}/items/{item-id}/retentionLabel

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Error Applying Retention Label to SharePoint Document Library Using PnP PowerShell

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