Move File rather than copy in Azure Data factory

Question

In Data Factory you can copy a file but Im thinking, is data factory the best thing to use if you are going to move a file from one area to another?

Is Logic Apps a better solution to go for if you are going to simply move a file?

Answer 1

Hi @DebbieEdwards-1726,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A Platform.

With the delete activity in Azure data factory, this can be added to copy activity and once file is copied, it can be deleted from source. The same can be achieved in Logic App using a trigger. The option to use depends on use case. If it is simply moving a file without any transformations, loading and reporting of the data in it and it needs to be automated, logic app would be good to use.

Hope this helps! Do let us know for further questions.

Answer 2

You could see "Delete files after completion" setting in Copy activity in ADF. This way, files will be moved to target.

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Answer 3

I fully agree. This should be a standard activity in ADF. Not only because of the timestamp, but also because you could move folders within milliseconds instead of within hours.
But I have seen solutions arould using Azure Functions doing so. Those can be triggered out of ADF.
To be honest, I have not tried that so far, because I have shifted my focus to Databricks, which is much better suited for transforming our data. There I can use python libraries to move files.

Answer 4

It's kinda insane that a simple operation like this doesn't exist in ADF in 2021.

Answer 5

i don't see this "delete files" option in ADF, for any of the "file path types"