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How to Create a Microsoft Lists Alert for a Specific Lookup Value

Rana Garcia Oct 14, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to send an alert notification based on a specific value selected in a Microsoft Lists lookup column.

How to Create a Microsoft Lists Alert for a Specific Lookup Value

Product: Microsoft Lists
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Setting up a conditional alert for a lookup column, which is not natively supported by built-in Microsoft Lists rules.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Lists built-in alerts fail to support conditions for lookup columns, requiring a workaround to trigger notifications only when a selected lookup value matches a specific target item.

Before you start

Ensure you have an active Microsoft 365 subscription with access to Power Automate, and verify the internal name of your Microsoft Lists lookup column.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate to Create a Conditional Flow

Build a custom Power Automate flow to bypass built-in List alert limitations by using an expression to check the lookup column value.

Since Microsoft Lists default alerts cannot natively parse lookup column objects, Power Automate provides the flexibility to extract the lookup value and compare it against your desired condition before sending a notification.

Create a new automated flow

Open Power Automate and create a new custom flow. Select the 'When an item is created or modified' trigger and connect it to your specific Microsoft List.

Check if the lookup column is empty

Add a 'Condition' step to ensure the lookup column contains a value. Use an expression similar to: empty(triggerOutputs()?['body/Your_Lookup_Column_Name/Value']) is equal to false.

Compare the lookup value

Inside the 'If yes' branch, add a secondary condition to compare the lookup value or its ID with your target item (for example, verifying if the value equals 'Item 3').

Add the notification action

In the matching branch of your condition, add a notification action, such as 'Send an email (V2)' or 'Post a message in Teams', to alert the appropriate users.

Use Power Automate to Create a Conditional Flow

Internal Column Names: Make sure to use the correct internal column name in your Power Automate expression (e.g., replacing spaces with '_x0020_') to prevent execution errors.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I set up an alert for a lookup column directly in Microsoft Lists?

Microsoft Lists' default alert rules only support basic text, number, and choice columns. They cannot natively parse the nested objects or referenced IDs that lookup columns use, which is why Power Automate is required.

How do I find the correct internal name for my lookup column in Power Automate?

You can find the internal column name by navigating to 'List Settings' in Microsoft Lists, clicking on your specific lookup column, and checking the 'Field=' parameter at the very end of the page URL.

Can I send the alert to Microsoft Teams instead of email?

Yes. In the final step of your Power Automate flow, you can replace the email action with the 'Post a message in a chat or channel' action to send the notification directly to Microsoft Teams.

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