Document library's rules on specific files/folders

Question

I would like to restart the conversation in old post:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5260174/document-librarys-rules-on-specific-files-folders

I was very happy using Alert Me for notifications when something changed in a sub-folder.

Now when we go to the Alert Me tool, we see the message, "Starting July 2026, SharePoint Alerts will be fully retired, and Alerts will stop working."

I did create a Rule not realizing it was for the ENTIRE SharePoint site. In searching for a solution, I came across the previous post above.

Does anyone have an alternative for the Alert Me functionality on a sub-folder.

The Q&A Assist AI helper provided this URL which does not help enough:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/syntex/content-processing-overview

Thank You.

Answer 1

This is extremely inconvenient! The 'alert me' function is used heavily amongst the firm I work in when sharing specific folders with external parties and needing an alert when external party amends/uploads/deletes.

How on earth are we supposed to replicate this with Power Automate?! We need the 'owner' of each folder in a document library to be alerted - doing that in Power Automate is extremely tricky as far as I can see?!

Microsoft you are frustrating thousands of people with this change

Answer 2

I have read the answer posted by Huy-K on 29 July 2025. It still does not explain how to set a rule to apply to a specific folder or sub-folder in the documents list.

Even though the "automate" option only appears when I select a single folder, the rule then applies to every folder in the Documents list.

The part of the answer saying:

"Power Automate: Set up a flow that watches a specific folder path within a document library. You can filter by folder name and file type.

SharePoint Rules: While more limited, you can still create rules tied to specific list or library items. However, folder-level granularity may require Power Automate for full control. "

This is of limited help without a step-by step explanation :

"HOW to create a rule tied to a specific folder" ?????

" HOW to Set up a flow that watches a specific folder path within a document library. " ?????

People might come to this thread with those exact questions, and yet they are not answered here.

Answer 3

What used to be a simple step of adding an alert to a specific folder is now a complicated process of custom crafting the exact same thing. Are the programmers and management responsible for this change proud of their work? Do you think your salary is justified?

An actual answer would be a step by step of how to create a rule that serves the same function as the former feature. How exactly does one specifically identify a single folder that when a new file is added will generate an email to alert me?

Answer 4

Dear @JoeAdamsIT,

Good day! Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

We apologize for any inconvenience you may encounter when using our services/ products. Based on your description, kindly consider the underneath information as a reference:

SharePoint Alerts Retirement Timeline

Microsoft is phasing out SharePoint Alerts in SharePoint Online due to their legacy architecture and limited flexibility. Here's the official timeline:

Date	Change
July
2025	New
tenants can no longer create alerts
July 2025	New tenants can no longer create alerts
September 2025	All tenants lose the ability to create new alerts
October 2025	Alerts expire 30 days after first run; users can manually extend them
July 2026	Alerts will stop working entirely and cannot be extended

Here is the reference:

• SharePoint Alerts retirement - Microsoft Support

Recommended Alternatives

Microsoft recommends transitioning to Power Automate or SharePoint Rules, both of which offer more modern and flexible notification options:

1. Power Automate

• Create custom workflows that monitor specific folders or libraries.
• Trigger notifications via email, Teams, or mobile when files are added, modified, or deleted.
• Supports advanced filtering (e.g., only notify for PDFs in a sub-folder).
• Ideal for complex or enterprise-wide automation needs.

2. SharePoint Rules

• Built-in, no-code solution for simple notifications.
• Easily configured from the list or library UI.
• Best for users who need quick alerts without deep customization.

Sub-Folder Specific Alerts

You mentioned needing alerts for changes in a sub-folder, which was previously possible via "Alert Me." Here's how to replicate that:

• Power Automate: Set up a flow that watches a specific folder path within a document library. You can filter by folder name and file type.
• SharePoint Rules: While more limited, you can still create rules tied to specific list or library items. However, folder-level granularity may require Power Automate for full control.

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