Set a Reminder
Common Use Cases
- Policy renewals: remind 30 days before an expiration date
- Contract deadlines: flag legal contracts before they lapse
- Issues log: nudge on list items or tasks that are due
- Certification tracking: remind before credentials expire
- Wiki upkeep: remind to review Site Pages or news posts
- License renewals: catch software or asset renewals early
Benefits
- No build required: a reminder flow from a single menu
- Lists and libraries: the same feature works in both
- Daily automatic check: the system watches the dates for you
- Direct link: the email opens the item in SharePoint
- Configurable lead time: choose how many days in advance
- Out-of-the-box: native SharePoint, no custom code
Details
- Feature Category: File Management
How It Works
- Launch point: Automate then Set a reminder then your date column
- Name and days: enter a flow name and the days in advance
- Daily evaluation: SharePoint checks the dates once per day
- Email trigger: an alert is sent when an item hits the window
- Behind the scenes: a multi-step Power Automate flow is generated
- Personal flow: it is created under your own account
Limits and Nuances
- Requires a Date column: no Date and Time column, no Set a reminder option
- Personal by default: only the creator receives the emails
- Others need their own: teammates set up their own reminders
- Editing means Power Automate: adjustments happen in the flow editor
- License needed: creating the flow requires Power Automate access
- Member access to create: Edit (Member) permission on the site
Common Questions About Set a Reminder
What is Set a reminder in SharePoint?
Set a reminder is a built-in SharePoint flow that emails you a chosen number of days before a date stored on a list item or document. You start it from the Automate menu, point it at a date column, and set how many days in advance you want the alert. SharePoint then checks daily and sends you an email when an item enters that window, with a link straight to the item.
What do I need before I can set a reminder?
You need three things. First, a custom Date and Time column in the list or library – the reminder points at it, and without one the option does not appear. Second, Edit (Member) access to the site, so you can create the flow. Third, a Power Automate license, because the reminder is generated as a Power Automate flow behind the scenes.
Does Set a reminder work on lists as well as libraries?
Yes. The same Set a reminder option is available in both Microsoft Lists and document libraries, as long as the list or library has a Date and Time column to target. That means you can remind on document metadata such as a policy expiration date, and equally on list items such as an issues log, a contracts register, or tasks with a due date.
Who receives the reminder emails?
Only you. The reminder you create is your own personal Power Automate flow, so the emails go to you and no one else. If teammates also need reminders, they each create their own on the same column, or you edit the underlying flow in Power Automate to send to additional recipients. By default there is no shared, team-wide version.
How do I change the number of days or the email?
The setup screen only asks for a name and the days in advance. To change those later, or to customize the email message, you open Power Automate from the Microsoft 365 app launcher, find the flow under My Flows, and edit it. The reminder is a full multi-step flow, so everything from timing to wording can be adjusted there once you are comfortable in the editor.
When should I use a custom reminder flow instead?
Reach for a custom flow when reminders need to go to a whole team, escalate if ignored, or fire on more complex conditions than a single date – none of which the personal Set a reminder covers. Greg Zelfond, the consultant behind LookBook 365, starts clients on the out-of-the-box reminder wherever it fits, then builds a tailored Power Automate flow only when the reminder genuinely needs to be shared or escalated.