How to Create Rules on a SharePoint List (Step by Step)

Someone changes a request to Approved, and nobody notices for three days. A small rule on the list would have emailed the right person the moment it happened.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to create SharePoint list rules that send emails, remind people before a due date and fill in a column for you, all without Power Automate.

Quick answer: Open the list, select … (More) > Integrate > Rules, pick a trigger such as An item is modified, fill in the underlined parts and select Create. The rule is on right away.

What You Need Before You Start

• A modern SharePoint list or library (rules also work in Microsoft Lists and Teams).
• At least Contribute permission on that list.

My sample is a list called ESP Rules Equipment Requests with five requests, a Status column, an Amount in USD and two date columns. If you’re new to lists, start with what a SharePoint list is and how it works.

Step 1: Open the Rules Page

1. Open the list in the browser.
2. Select … (More) at the end of the command bar.
3. Point to Integrate, then select Rules.

On a list with no rules yet, SharePoint opens Create a rule with four triggers:

Step 2: Email Someone When a Status Changes

This is the rule I use most. Select An item is modified, then build the sentence:

1. Select Choose a column and pick Status.
2. Set the condition to is (enter a value) and pick Approved.
3. Next to send an email to, pick Created By so the requester gets the email.
4. Optionally add a custom message (type / to insert a column).
5. Select Create.

The email comes from no-reply@sharepointonline.com. To make Approved stand out in the list too, add conditional formatting to the Status column.

Step 3: Remind People Before a Due Date

Create another rule and select A date approaches. Mine reads “2 days before Needed By, send email to Created By.”

This trigger has no custom message, and Microsoft allows only two date rules per list. For more reminders, send due-date emails with Power Automate instead.

Step 4: Set a Column Value Automatically

In an An item is modified rule, switch send an email to to set the value.

My rule says: if Status is Completed, set Completed On to Today (relative). Use Add column to set a second column in the same rule.

I set the Standing desk request to Completed in the edit form, and Completed On showed 11/3/2026 a minute later:

Step 5: Turn Off, Edit or Delete a Rule

Go back to … > Integrate > Rules. Now it opens Manage rules (up to 15 rules per list).

• Turn off: select the On toggle. The rule stays saved but stops running.
• Edit: select the rule, change the underlined parts and select Save.
• Delete: open the rule and select Delete rule at the bottom.

Cheat Sheet: SharePoint List Rule Triggers

Trigger	Example on my list	Actions
An item is modified	Status is Approved	Send an email or set the value
A new item is created	New equipment request	Send an email
An item is deleted	A request is removed	Send an email
A date approaches	2 days before Needed By	Send an email (max 2 per list)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Looking for Rules on the command bar. It’s under the … (More) menu > Integrate.
• Watching the wrong column type. My currency (Amount) and multi-line (Notes) columns never appeared in the column picker.
• Updating items by script. My PowerShell edit didn’t fire the rule, but the same edit in the form did. When it must always run, use a Power Automate flow that sends the email.
• Missing permission. An error on Create usually means you lack Contribute; check the list permissions.

Do Rules Replace SharePoint Alerts?

Yes, for most people. Microsoft stopped new alerts for all tenants in January 2026 and turned existing alerts off from July 2026, pointing users to rules or Power Automate.

Anything with branching or approvals belongs in a flow, such as an email when a list item is deleted

Next Steps

Rules work the same way in the Lists app. If you’re unsure which one your team uses, read Microsoft Lists vs SharePoint lists.

A few more ways I keep SharePoint lists tidy and useful:

• Add Comments to SharePoint List Item (Modern Experience)
• SharePoint Lookup Column: How to Create and Use It (Step by Step)
• SharePoint Calculated Column Date Formulas (With Examples)
• SharePoint List Calendar View: [Filter, Color Coding & Conditional Formatting]

Frequently Asked Questions