22 August 202612 min read

Send SMS from Dynamics 365 & SharePoint with Power Automate

Learn how to trigger SMS messages automatically from Dynamics 365 records and SharePoint list changes using Power Automate and the DataFlows SMS API. No custom code required.

If your sales, service, or operations teams work inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 and SharePoint, chances are someone on the team is still copying phone numbers out of a record and sending a text manually from their own mobile. It works, but it does not scale, it is easy to forget, and there is no record of what was sent or when.

Power Automate lets you close that gap without writing custom code. By connecting Dynamics 365 or SharePoint to the DataFlows SMS API through a Power Automate flow, you can trigger a text message the moment a record changes status, a document is approved, or a list item is updated.

In this guide, we will walk through what this kind of automation actually is, why it matters for Australian businesses running on the Microsoft stack, and how to build working flows for both Dynamics 365 and SharePoint using Power Automate and DataFlows.

SMS automation from Dynamics 365 and SharePoint is the practice of triggering text messages directly from changes inside Microsoft's business applications, without a developer writing custom integration code. A Power Automate flow watches for an event, such as a new opportunity, an updated case, or a modified SharePoint list item, and when that event happens, the flow calls an SMS provider like DataFlows to send a message to a phone number stored in the record. The flow can pull details from the record itself, such as a customer's name, a due date, or an order reference, and insert them into the message text. Because everything runs through Power Automate's visual designer, the process does not require a software developer. Teams already using Dynamics 365 for customer relationship management or SharePoint for document and list management can add SMS notifications as another automated step in an existing business process.

Why It Matters for Australian Businesses

A large share of mid-sized and enterprise businesses in Australia run their CRM on Dynamics 365 and store internal documents, approvals, or operational lists in SharePoint. Email is still the default channel for updates, but it is slow to be noticed. SMS messages are typically read within minutes, which matters when a customer is waiting on a quote, a technician needs to be dispatched, or an internal approval is time-sensitive.

Building this kind of automation with custom code usually means involving a developer, maintaining a separate script, and hoping nobody breaks it during the next system update. Power Automate removes that dependency. Business analysts and operations staff can build and adjust these flows themselves, and because DataFlows is an Australian SMS provider, messages route through local infrastructure with local support if something needs troubleshooting.

Key Benefits

No-code automation: flows are built visually in Power Automate, so IT does not need to write or maintain custom integration scripts.

Faster response times: customers and staff see a text message within minutes, compared to emails that can sit unread for hours.

Centralised records: because the trigger comes from Dynamics 365 or SharePoint, the same system already used for record-keeping stays the source of truth.

Reduced manual admin: staff no longer need to manually text customers about status changes, approvals, or reminders.

Consistent messaging: every message follows the same template, so wording and tone stay consistent across the team.

Real-time triggers: flows fire the moment a record or list item changes, rather than on a batch schedule.

Scales with your business: the same flow structure handles ten messages a day or several thousand, without extra manual effort.

Common Use Cases

Before building a flow, it helps to see where this kind of automation fits into a real business process. A few patterns come up repeatedly across Dynamics 365 and SharePoint deployments in Australia.

Sales pipeline updates: when an Opportunity in Dynamics 365 moves to "Proposal Sent" or "Closed Won", a flow can text the assigned sales rep or the customer directly, rather than relying on someone to remember to follow up.

Field service dispatch: when a Case or Work Order is assigned to a technician in Dynamics 365, an SMS can go straight to their mobile with the job reference and location, cutting out a phone call from the dispatcher.

Document approvals in SharePoint: when an approval list item changes to "Approved" or "Rejected", the requester gets a text immediately instead of waiting for someone to check their email.

Maintenance and facilities requests: a SharePoint list tracking maintenance tickets can text the assigned contractor as soon as a new request is logged, and text the original requester when the status changes to "Complete".

Booking and roster confirmations: a SharePoint bookings or roster list can trigger a confirmation SMS the moment a shift or appointment row is created or changed.

Each of these follows the same underlying pattern: a record or list item changes, a condition narrows down which changes matter, and DataFlows sends the message. Once you have built one flow, adapting it to a new use case is mostly a matter of changing the trigger table or list and the message text.

Step-by-Step: Building the Flows

Below are two common patterns: sending SMS from a Dynamics 365 record change, and sending SMS from a SharePoint list update. Both use the DataFlows action inside Power Automate, so the setup steps are similar once you understand the pattern.

Sending SMS from a Dynamics 365 Record Change

Choose the trigger "When a row is added, modified or deleted" from the Microsoft Dataverse connector, and select the table you want to watch, such as Opportunities or Cases.

Set the scope and filter so the flow only runs on relevant changes, for example when a Case's status reason changes to "Resolved" or an Opportunity moves to "Won".

Add a condition step if you only want the SMS sent under specific circumstances, such as when a mobile phone field is not blank.

Add the DataFlows Send SMS action from the DataFlows connector, and connect your DataFlows account when prompted.

Map the dynamic fields into the message, pulling the contact's mobile number into the recipient field and inserting details like their name or the case reference into the message text.

Save and test the flow by updating a test record in Dynamics 365 and confirming the SMS arrives as expected.

Sending SMS from a SharePoint List Update

Create a new automated flow and choose the SharePoint trigger "When an item is created or modified."

Point the trigger at your site and list, for example an approvals list, a bookings list, or a maintenance request list.

Add a condition so the flow only fires on the change you care about, such as a Status column changing to "Approved" or "Ready for Pickup."

Add the DataFlows Send SMS action and map the phone number column from the SharePoint list into the recipient field.

Personalise the message using dynamic content from other columns in the same list item, such as a reference number or a location.

Save, test, and publish the flow, then monitor the first few real runs in the flow's run history to confirm everything maps correctly.

When you connect the DataFlows action in Power Automate for the first time, you will need an API Token to authorise the connection. You can generate one from the Developer section of your DataFlows dashboard, then paste it into the connector when Power Automate asks you to sign in.

How DataFlows Helps

DataFlows provides the SMS layer that sits behind these flows. The

Power Automate integration gives you a ready-made Send SMS action, so you are not building or maintaining an HTTP request inside your flow. It works the same way whether the trigger is a Dynamics 365 record or a SharePoint list, because in both cases the flow is simply calling DataFlows with a phone number and a message.

For teams that also use Microsoft Teams alongside Dynamics 365, DataFlows' Microsoft Teams integration can complement these flows by posting internal notifications alongside the outbound SMS, so staff and customers are updated through the right channel at the same time.

Beyond the Send SMS action itself, DataFlows gives you Sender IDs so recipients see a recognisable business name instead of a random number, Virtual Numbers if you want two-way replies routed back into a flow, and Contact Lists to keep your Dynamics 365 or SharePoint contacts organised for broader SMS Campaigns when you need to message a group rather than trigger on a single record.

If a customer replies to a message triggered from a Dynamics 365 record, a Virtual Number lets that reply come back into an inbox your team can monitor, or feed into a separate Power Automate flow that logs the response against the original record. This turns a one-way notification into a genuine two-way conversation, without asking the customer to call in or reply to an email.

For businesses running higher volumes, such as a facilities team managing hundreds of maintenance tickets or a sales team with a large active pipeline, DataFlows' Bulk SMS and SMS Automation features sit alongside the Power Automate connector, so the same account handles both record-triggered messages and larger scheduled campaigns without needing a second SMS provider.

Best Practices

Get consent before automating: make sure the phone numbers stored in Dynamics 365 or SharePoint belong to people who have agreed to receive SMS updates.

Filter your triggers carefully: a broad trigger with no condition can send messages on changes nobody intended, so scope it to the exact status or field change that matters.

Keep messages short and clear: state what changed and, if relevant, what the recipient needs to do next.

Test in a non-production environment first: run the flow against test records or a test list before pointing it at live data.

Monitor delivery: check DataFlows delivery reports periodically to catch failed sends caused by invalid numbers or formatting issues.

Avoid odd-hour sends: if a record can be updated at any time, consider adding a delay or schedule check so messages do not land in the middle of the night.

Conclusion

Connecting Dynamics 365 and SharePoint to SMS through Power Automate turns a manual, easy-to-forget task into a reliable automated step in your existing business processes. No custom code, no separate script to maintain, and no more chasing staff to send a text that a workflow could have handled automatically.

Sign up at dataflows.com.au to get your API Token and connect the DataFlows action in Power Automate, or explore the Power Automate integration page for more detail on setting up your first flow.