From HR manuals and data protection documents to safeguarding and compliance records, every organisation relies on up-to-date policies and procedures.
But, for many teams, keeping track of when documents need reviewing, who is responsible and what has fallen out of date is easier said than done.
Without clear oversight, review dates slip by unnoticed, outdated information stays live, and compliance risks grow.
Leadership teams are under increasing pressure to stay on top.
A few missed deadlines quickly turn into audit headaches, data protection issues and gaps in accountability.
Fortunately, there’s a simple fix. You don’t need complex systems or developer skills to stay in control.
By using built-in tools in SharePoint and Teams, you can set up automated review dates, colour-coded alerts, and reminder emails – all within minutes.
In this guide, we walk you through how to create an automated document review process that helps your organisation stay compliant, accountable and audit ready.
How to add review dates to SharePoint documents
Start by creating a new date column in your document library.
- Go to the SharePoint document library you would like to add review dates to.
- Select Add column and choose Date and time.
- Name the column Review Date or a name that makes sense for your organisation.
- Tap Save.
You can now assign review dates to individual files – either one at a time or in bulk using the Edit in grid view option. This simple step makes it clear when each document is due for review.
Tip: Colour coded review dates
To make review schedules instantly visible to everyone, you can add conditional formatting to your Review Date column.
This works largely in the same way as conditional formatting in Excel.
- Tap the arrow next to the Review Date column you just created.
- Select Settings, then Format column and choose Conditional formatting.
- Create a rule for when the Review Date is before today (to show overdue items in red).
- Add another rule for when the Review Date is after today (to show current items in green).
- Tap Save.
Now, anyone can glance at the library and instantly see which documents are up to date, which need attention, and where action is required.
How to get email reminders about documents in SharePoint
Manually checking review dates can be time-consuming, especially when policies are spread across departments.
Instead, set up automated email reminders in just a few clicks:
- In your document library, select the three dots (…), then Automate, then Flows.
- Choose Set a reminder.
- Select Review Date as the trigger.
- Specify how long before the due date you’d like to receive a reminder (e.g. two weeks, one month).
- Tap Create.
This creates an automatic reminder ahead of each review date, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks and that your team always has time to act before a policy expires.
How to set document owners in SharePoint
Assigning document owners ensures everyone knows who’s responsible for reviewing and updating each file.
To add this:
- Select Add column and then Person.
- Name it Document Owner or a name that makes sense for your organisation.
- Choose to Show profile pictures to make it visual and clear.
This creates a clear visual representation of the document owners.
Benefits of staying organised with SharePoint libraries
There are so many advantages of using these quick tricks in SharePoint libraries to stay on top of policies and procedures.
Compliance and accountability
With automated review dates, ownership visibility and reminders, your organisation can demonstrate compliance at any time. Everything is traceable, transparent and ready for audit.
Risk reduction
Outdated policies are one of the biggest compliance risks. Automated reminders and visual indicators prevent critical documents from being overlooked or missed.
Operational efficiency
SharePoint’s email automation removes the need for manual tracking and follow-ups, freeing your staff to focus on more meaningful work rather than admin tasks.
Clarity and oversight
Colour-coded statuses and ownership columns give leaders instant visibility of compliance status – perfect for reporting.
Strategic alignment
A well-structured document library supports digital transformation. You can build a scalable, secure and well-governed framework that grows with your organisation.
Build scalable governance into your Microsoft 365
By combining SharePoint’s built-in features with Cloud Design Box’s expertise and exclusive SharePoint Web Parts, organisations can strengthen compliance and reduce manual workload.
Our consultants help teams design scalable, well-governed Microsoft 365 environments that empower staff, protect data and support leadership.
