SharePoint Document Issues

How to Filter SharePoint Alerts by the User Who Made a Change

Nimra Malik Sep 25, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to configure document library notifications that only trigger when specific authorized individuals modify a document.

How to Filter SharePoint Alerts by the User Who Made a Change

Product: SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up targeted email notifications to track when a select group of authorized users updates shared files in a document library.
Observed behavior: Built-in SharePoint alerts send notifications for all modifications indiscriminately and lack a native filtering option to isolate changes made by specific users.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to Microsoft Power Automate with your Microsoft 365 account and possess the necessary edit permissions for the target SharePoint document library.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Filter Alerts by Modifier

Since native SharePoint alerts cannot filter notifications by the modifying user, creating a custom Power Automate flow is the recommended method to set user-specific notification rules.

Power Automate allows you to intercept the modification event in SharePoint, read the properties of the user who made the change, and apply conditional logic before sending an email alert.

Create a New Automated Flow

Log into Microsoft Power Automate, click on 'Create' in the left sidebar, and select 'Automated cloud flow'. Name your flow and select the trigger 'When a file is created or modified (properties only)' under SharePoint.

Configure the SharePoint Trigger

In the trigger settings, select your SharePoint 'Site Address' from the dropdown and choose the specific 'Library Name' you want to monitor.

Add a Condition Block

Click 'New step' and choose 'Condition'. In the first value field, select 'Modified By Email' (or 'Modified By DisplayName') from the dynamic content list. Set the operator to 'is equal to' and enter the email address of the specific user you want to track.

Set Up the Email Notification

Inside the 'If yes' branch, click 'Add an action' and select 'Send an email (V2)'. Enter your email address in the 'To' field, and customize the Subject and Body using dynamic content (like File Name and Time) to provide context for the alert.

Save and Test the Flow

Click 'Save' at the top right. To verify it works, have the specified user make a minor change to a document in the library and confirm that you receive the customized email notification.

Use Power Automate to Filter Alerts by Modifier

Advanced Scenarios: If you need to check against a large list of approved users, consider maintaining an Excel table or SharePoint list of authorized emails and using an 'OData Filter Query' or an array variable in your flow instead of a basic condition.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Edit Your SharePoint Documents Easily with WPS Office

While configuring complex SharePoint alerts requires Microsoft's ecosystem, opening and editing those shared documents doesn't have to be expensive. WPS Office is a lightweight, completely free alternative that offers comprehensive compatibility with Microsoft Office formats, allowing you to edit synced SharePoint files smoothly.

1. Sync or Download Your Files: Use OneDrive to sync your SharePoint document library to your local PC, or manually download the files you wish to edit.
2. Open with WPS Office: Launch WPS Office, click on 'Open' from the main dashboard, and navigate to your synced SharePoint folder.
3. Edit and Save: Edit your document with advanced formatting tools. When you hit save, the changes will automatically sync back to your SharePoint library.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I filter native SharePoint alerts by user without using Power Automate?

No, SharePoint's default 'Alert Me' feature only allows you to set broad alerts for any changes, new items, or changes to items you personally created. It does not natively support filtering notifications based on specific modifying users.

Why am I receiving multiple emails from my Power Automate flow for a single edit?

If your flow triggers on 'When a file is created or modified', it will run every time an auto-save action occurs. You can reduce noise by adding trigger conditions in the flow settings so it only runs when specific metadata or versions change.

Do I need a premium license to use Power Automate for SharePoint alerts?

No, basic SharePoint triggers and standard Office 365 Outlook email actions are included in most standard Microsoft 365 business licenses and do not require an additional premium Power Automate subscription.

Document & File Issues