ISO 27001 • ISMS • Microsoft 365
Automate ISO 27001 Evidence Reminders in SharePoint (Power Automate)
Turn monthly evidence collection into a routine. Assign owners. Send reminders. Escalate overdue items. Keep a clean audit trail.
Monthly evidence collection is where many ISO 27001 programs lose time.
People forget. Owners change. Evidence lands in random folders.
Then the audit is “next week.”
The fix is simple: automate evidence reminders in SharePoint using Power Automate so evidence collection becomes routine, not a scramble.
What you’ll build in this guide
- Assign owners to every evidence item
- Send reminders on a schedule (email or Teams)
- Escalate overdue evidence automatically
- Create an audit-friendly record of completion
Quick answer (for fast readers and AI search)
- Create an Evidence Register (SharePoint List) with:
owner, frequency, due date, evidence link, and status.
- Build a Scheduled Power Automate flow that:
checks due/overdue items, sends reminders, escalates late items, and updates fields.
- Store evidence in a consistent SharePoint library and link each register item directly to its folder.
Why automated reminders matter for ISO 27001
Auditors want to see consistent operation of controls not a one-time evidence dump.
Automated reminders help you prove evidence is collected over time, owners are defined,
overdue items are managed, and the ISMS is running continuously.
It also saves time. Most teams waste hours chasing evidence through chat threads and email chains.
Automation turns that work into a repeatable system.
1
Build your Evidence Register in SharePoint
Create a SharePoint List called “ISO 27001 Evidence Register”.
Keep it simple. The list is your control center.
Core columns
- Evidence Item (single line text)
- Control/Process (choice)
- Owner (person)
- Backup Owner (person) (optional)
- Frequency (Monthly / Quarterly / Semiannual / Annual)
- Next Due Date (date)
- Status (Not Started / In Progress / Complete / Overdue)
Links & tracking
- Evidence Location (hyperlink to SharePoint folder)
- Last Collected Date (date)
- Last Reminder Sent (date/time)
- Escalation Level (None / Level 1 / Level 2)
Tip:
Keep evidence locations consistent. Don’t link to someone’s OneDrive.
2
Set rules for “Next Due Date” (so it runs itself)
Evidence reminders work best when Next Due Date is predictable.
The simplest rule is triggered when an owner marks an item Complete.
Completion rule (recommended)
- Set Last Collected Date = Today
- Calculate Next Due Date based on Frequency
- Reset Status to Not Started (or keep Complete until next cycle)
Monthly → +1 month
Quarterly → +3 months
Semiannual → +6 months
Annual → +12 months
3
Create the Power Automate reminder flow
Use a Scheduled cloud flow.
Daily checks are best because they catch due dates and overdue items automatically.
Trigger
- Recurrence: Daily
- Time: 9:00 AM (example)
Friendly reminder cadence
- Due in 7 days → gentle reminder
- Due in 2 days → stronger reminder
- Overdue → escalation path
Reminder message template (copy/paste)
Subject:
ISO 27001 Evidence Due – [Evidence Item]
Body:
Hi [Name], this evidence is due on [Date].
Please upload it here: [Evidence Location Link]
Once uploaded, mark the item as “Complete” in the Evidence Register.
Want this prebuilt inside Microsoft 365?
4
Add escalation (so overdue evidence doesn’t disappear)
Escalation is what makes the system audit-proof.
If evidence is overdue, it must trigger a second path.
Simple escalation model
- Level 1: overdue by 3 days → owner + backup owner
- Level 2: overdue by 7 days → owner + manager (or ISMS lead)
Weekly ISMS summary (recommended)
- Overdue items (with owners)
- Items due next week
- Completion rate
Auditors love this because it proves management oversight.
5
Track completion the auditor-friendly way
When evidence is uploaded, you want proof it was collected on time, stored properly, and reviewed (if required).
Keep tracking lightweight.
Minimum tracking
- Last Collected Date
- Next Due Date
- Status
Better tracking
- Reviewed By (person)
- Review Date (date)
- Notes (short text)
Common mistakes (avoid these)
- Reminder messages without a direct evidence link — always include the SharePoint folder link.
- Too many reminder types — start with due soon, due now, overdue.
- Evidence stored in multiple places — centralize one library and link from the register.
- No escalation — overdue evidence must trigger a second path.
FAQ
Can Power Automate handle recurring ISO 27001 evidence reminders?
Yes. A scheduled flow can check due dates daily, send reminders, escalate overdue items, and update tracking fields.
Should reminders be email or Teams?
If your teams live in Teams, use Teams. If you want a formal audit trail in mailboxes, use email. Many organizations use both.
How do we keep evidence secure?
Use least-privilege SharePoint permissions. Owners access their area. Auditors get time-bound read-only access.
Ready to automate evidence reminders in your ISMS?
If you want to stop chasing evidence and start running an audit-ready system in Microsoft 365,
our ISMS SharePoint Solution can help you build the register, automate reminders and escalations,
and stay ready year-round.
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