SharePoint Document Issues

How to Email the SharePoint Item Creator When an Item Changes

Steve K Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to set up an automated email notification that alerts the original creator of a SharePoint or Microsoft Lists item whenever that item is updated or modified by someone else.

How to Email the SharePoint Item Creator When an Item Changes

Product: SharePoint / Power Automate
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Automating status updates and notifications for team members collaborating on a shared list or document library.
Observed behavior: The built-in Rules feature in SharePoint and Microsoft Lists has limited capabilities and does not natively support emailing the dynamic 'Created By' user upon modification.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary permissions to create and manage Power Automate flows for your target SharePoint site or Microsoft List.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Power Automate Flow for Notifications

Use Microsoft Power Automate to build a custom flow that triggers upon item creation or modification and sends an email specifically to the original creator.

Since built-in SharePoint list rules cannot reliably target the original creator dynamically, Power Automate provides a robust solution. By linking a trigger to an email action, you can extract the 'Created By' email address natively from the item's metadata.

Access Power Automate

Navigate to the Power Automate portal (make.powerautomate.com), click on 'Create' in the left-hand menu, and select 'Automated cloud flow'.

Set up the Trigger

Name your flow and search for the trigger 'When an item is created or modified' under SharePoint. Select it and click 'Create'. Choose your Site Address and List Name from the dropdown menus.

Add the Email Action

Click 'New step' and search for 'Send an email (V2)'. Select the Office 365 Outlook connector action for sending emails.

Configure the 'To' Field

Click inside the 'To' field and select 'Add dynamic content'. Find and select the 'Created By Email' token from your SharePoint trigger.

Customize and Save

Fill in the Subject and Body of your email, inserting dynamic content like 'Title' or 'Modified By DisplayName' as needed. Click 'Save' and test the flow by modifying an item in your SharePoint list.

Create a Power Automate Flow for Notifications

Need More Advanced Automation?: If you encounter complex scenarios or need advanced flow assistance, consider posting your setup details in the Microsoft Power Platform Community.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use built-in SharePoint list rules to email the creator?

No, the built-in Microsoft Lists or SharePoint Rules feature has limited options and currently does not natively support emailing the dynamic 'Created By' user when an item changes. You must use Power Automate to achieve this.

How can I prevent the flow from running endlessly if the flow itself updates the item?

If your Power Automate flow includes an action that updates the item (which retriggers the flow), you need to add Trigger Conditions in the flow settings to ignore updates made by the service account or specify conditions under which the flow should run.

Where can I get help if my Power Automate flow fails to send emails?

You can check the flow's Run History in the Power Automate dashboard to identify specific error codes. For deeper troubleshooting and advanced flow assistance, post your question with screenshots in the Microsoft Power Platform Community.

Document & File Issues