SharePoint Document Issues

How to Create a Scheduled Document Review Workflow in SharePoint

Rana Garcia Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to set up an automated, recurring workflow in SharePoint to review documents, assign reviewers, and track completion statuses.

How to Create a Scheduled Document Review Workflow in SharePoint

Product: SharePoint and Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating recurring document reviews, tracking review statuses, and identifying overdue tasks.
Observed behavior: A fully functional automated system that sends approval requests, tracks completion statuses in a list, and manages overdue reviews.

Before you start

Ensure you have list creation permissions in your target SharePoint site and access to Power Automate through an active Microsoft 365 subscription.

Solution 1Recommended

Set up a Document Review Workflow using SharePoint and Power Automate

This solution uses native Microsoft 365 tools to create a tracking list and an automated approval flow to handle recurring document reviews.

By combining a SharePoint list with a scheduled Power Automate cloud flow, you can fully automate the process of requesting approvals, updating document statuses, and notifying users.

Create a SharePoint Tracking List

Open your SharePoint site and create a new list. Add columns for the Document Name, Assigned Reviewer (Person or Group column), Due Date (Date and Time column), and Review Status (Choice column with options like Pending, Approved, Overdue).

Set up a Scheduled Flow in Power Automate

Navigate to Power Automate, click 'Create' on the left menu, and choose 'Scheduled cloud flow'. Set your desired recurrence frequency (e.g., weekly or monthly) to check for upcoming or overdue document reviews.

Configure the Approval Request

Add a 'Get items' action to fetch documents from your SharePoint list that need review. Inside an 'Apply to each' loop, add a 'Start and wait for an approval' action. Map the 'Assigned To' field to the reviewer's email and include a link to the document in the details.

Update Status and Send Notifications

Add a Condition control to check the approval outcome. Use the 'Update item' action to change the document's Review Status in SharePoint based on the response. You can also configure an email notification action to alert users about incomplete or overdue reviews.

Set up a Document Review Workflow using SharePoint and Power Automate

Partner Assistance: If you require complex sequential approvals or hands-on implementation, consider reaching out to a certified Microsoft partner through the AppSource partner directory.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I attach documents directly in the Power Automate approval request?

Yes, Power Automate allows you to include document attachments directly within the approval email. You can achieve this by fetching the file content from SharePoint using the 'Get file content' action and appending it to the 'Start and wait for an approval' action.

How do I handle sequential document approvals in SharePoint?

For sequential approvals, you can chain multiple 'Start and wait for an approval' actions in Power Automate. Once the first reviewer approves the document, the flow can proceed to the next action to request approval from the second reviewer in the sequence.

What should I do if my document review workflow fails to send notifications?

Check the flow run history in Power Automate to identify any failed steps. Ensure that the 'Assigned To' column in your SharePoint list contains valid user email addresses and that your Office 365 Outlook connection within Power Automate is properly authenticated.

Document & File Issues