This article explains how to build a Microsoft Flow that will send notifications to your phone when you receive emails from specific individuals. Functionality is same as the VIP email notification in Apple Mail. The flow is useful for anyone using email clients other than Apple Mail (e.g., MS Outlook)

Steps to create Microsoft Flow for VIP notifications

This article explains how to build a Microsoft Flow that will send notifications to your phone when you receive emails from specific individuals. Functionality is same as the VIP email notification in Apple Mail. The flow is useful for anyone using email clients other than Apple Mail (e.g., MS Outlook)

TL;DR

Three key steps involved

1. Download the Microsoft Flow package from my Github repo or from this blog
2. Import and configure Microsoft Flow in your Microsoft 365 account
3. Install Power Automate app on your phone and login to receive notifications

Step 1: Download the Microsoft Flow (Power Automate) package

Click here to download Flow package (VIPmailnotification.zip) from Github repo OR

Click here to download Flow package (VIPmailnotification.zip) from this blob

Note: To avoid Safari browser automatically unzip the file, uncheck open safe files after downloading under Preferences > General

Step 2: Import and configure the VIP email notification flow

1. Login to Microsoft Flow using your work or school account
2. Go to My Flows, select Import

3. Select Upload and select the .zip file downloaded in Step 1
4. Select Import

5. In the Related resources section, click on Select during import in the Notifications option

6. If Notifications are already configured, select it and Save
7. If not already configured, select Create New, which will open a new browser tab/window

8. Select New connection

9. Search for Notifications and select + to create this connection

Note: Use the search at the top right hand corner of the page. Not the search for helpful resources in the middle

10. Go back to the Import flow tab where you will be able to see this new Notifications connection

11. Select and Save

12. Click on Select during import under Office365 Outlook connection option in Related resources

13. If Outlook connection is already configured, select it and Save

14. If not already configured, select Create New, which will open a new tab

15. Select New connection

16. Search for Office 365 Outlook and select + to create this connection

Note: Use the search at the top right hand corner of the page. Not the search for helpful resources in the middle

17. Login using your Microsoft 365 account, for the Inbox you want to monitor

18. Go back to the Import flow tab where you will be able to see this new Notifications connection

19. Select and Save

20. Once the above connections are selected correctly, select the highlighted Import option

21. It should now display Flow is imported successfully

22. Select open flow, select Show Advanced options under When a new email arrives

23. Under From, specify the email addresses of your VIPs (also add one of your personal email IDs for testing)

24. Save the Flow
25. Go to My Flows, select the new VIP mail notification flow, click on ellipsis and turn on the flow

Step 3: Install Power Automate app on your phone

1. Open App store on your phone and download Microsoft Power Automate
2. Open the app and login using the account where Flow is configured
3. You should now be able to see the newly created flow here

Send a test mail from the personal email IDs added in Step 2 for testing Note: Ensure Notifications for Power Automate app is turned on in your device settings

Good Luck…

Sajith Venkit