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How to Set Up Hashtag Notifications in Viva Engage

Guest Writer Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to receive notifications whenever a specific hashtag is used in a Viva Engage community.

How to Set Up Hashtag Notifications in Viva Engage

Product: Viva Engage
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Tracking specific topics or keywords in a Viva Engage community by receiving automatic alerts.
Observed behavior: Viva Engage lacks a built-in feature to alert standard users or administrators when a specific hashtag is posted.

Before you start

Ensure that your Viva Engage community is connected to a Microsoft 365 group and that you have permission to create workflows in Power Automate.

Solution 1Recommended

Set Up Email Alerts Using Power Automate

Use Microsoft Power Automate to track new Viva Engage messages and send automated email alerts when a specific hashtag is used.

Since Viva Engage does not have native hashtag alerts, you can create a custom workflow. This solution requires the target community to be connected to a Microsoft 365 group.

Create a new automated cloud flow

Configure the Viva Engage trigger

Search for and select the Viva Engage (Yammer) trigger named 'When a new message is posted in a group'. Select your target community from the dropdown list.

Add a condition to check for the hashtag

Add a 'Condition' action. Set it to check if the 'Message body' from the trigger contains the specific hashtag you want to track (e.g., #marketing).

Configure the email notification

In the 'If yes' branch, add the 'Send an email (V2)' action. Enter your email address and customize the subject and body to include the message content and a link to the original post.

Save and test your flow

Click 'Save' at the bottom. Post a test message with the hashtag in your Viva Engage community to ensure the email alert triggers successfully.

Set Up Email Alerts Using Power Automate

Microsoft 365 Group Requirement: This method only functions properly if the Viva Engage community is integrated with a Microsoft 365 group, as it relies on group messaging data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can a community admin set up native hashtag alerts in Viva Engage?

No, even for community administrators, Viva Engage currently does not offer built-in, automated notifications for specific hashtags. A workaround like Power Automate is required.

Does this Power Automate workaround work for private communities?

Yes, as long as the private community is connected to a Microsoft 365 group and the account creating the Power Automate flow has access permissions to that specific group.

Can I send notifications to a Microsoft Teams channel instead of an email?

Yes. In your Power Automate flow, you can replace the 'Send an email' action with a 'Post a message in a chat or channel' action using the Microsoft Teams connector.

Will I be notified of older posts that used the hashtag before I set up the flow?

No, the Power Automate trigger only activates for newly posted messages from the moment the flow is turned on and successfully running.

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