For businesses and professionals, sending recurring emails for regular updates, newsletters, or reminders can be a time-consuming task. But with Microsoft's Power Automate—a tool that helps automate tasks across applications—you can set up an email to be sent automatically each month, at a specific time, from either your Gmail (Google Workspace) or Outlook (Microsoft 365) account. Power Automate is included with most Microsoft 365 subscriptions. This guide will take you through the steps for both options so you can streamline your communications, saving time and ensuring consistency.
Why Automate Your Monthly Emails?
Automated emails can help your business stay on track with recurring communications. Whether it’s monthly updates, client check-ins, or internal reminders, automating your emails ensures they’re sent consistently. With Power Automate, you can configure everything to run on schedule with just a few clicks, reducing repetitive work and lowering the chances of forgetting important communications.
Option 1: Setting Up an Automated Monthly Email with Gmail (Google Workspace)
If your business uses Google Workspace and Gmail for email, you can set up your automated monthly email using Power Automate. Follow these steps to get started:
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Connect Gmail to Power Automate
Open Power Automate and log in with your Microsoft account.
In the left menu, go to “Data” > “Connections”.
Click “New Connection” and select Gmail from the options.
Follow the prompts to sign in to Gmail and grant permission for Power Automate to send emails.
Step 2: Create a Scheduled Flow for Monthly Emails
On the Power Automate home page, select “Create” on the left side.
Choose “Scheduled cloud flow” (a task that runs at a set time).
Name your flow (e.g., “Monthly Update Email”).
Set up the timing:
Frequency: Choose the relevant frequency (i.e. “Month”).
Interval: Set this to “1” so it repeats every week or month.
Day/Time: Pick the day and time for the email (e.g., 1st of the month at 9:00 AM).
Step 3: Configure the Email
After setting the schedule, click “New step”.
Search for “Gmail” and choose “Send an email (Gmail)”.
In the email setup:
To: Enter the recipient’s email address.
Subject: Add your email subject.
Body: Write the main content of your email. Since it will be the same each month, keep it general. If you want to make updates later, you can always edit it.
Step 4: Save and Test the Flow
Click “Save” to finalize your flow.
Use “Test” to make sure the email sends correctly. Testing ensures everything is ready for your scheduled monthly emails.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust as Needed
In Power Automate, go to “My flows” to view and manage your automated workflows.
You can see if your flow ran successfully, adjust the email content, or change the schedule if needed.
Option 2: Setting Up an Automated Monthly Email with Outlook (Microsoft 365)
If your business uses Outlook for email, you can also set up an automated monthly email using Power Automate.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Access Power Automate
Go to Power Automate (https://powerautomate.microsoft.com) and log in with your Microsoft account.
If you’re new to Power Automate, set up your account for access.
Step 2: Create a Scheduled Flow for Monthly Emails
From the Power Automate home page, select “Create” in the left menu.
Choose “Scheduled cloud flow”.
Name the flow (e.g. Monthly Reminder Email).
Set up the timing:
Frequency: Choose the relevant frequency (i.e. “Month”).
Interval: Set this to “1” so it repeats every week or month.
Day/Time: Pick the day and time for the email (e.g., 1st of the month at 9:00 AM).
Step 3: Configure the Email Content and Recipients
After setting up the schedule, click “New step” to define the action.
In the search box, type “Outlook” and select “Send an email (V2)”.
In the email setup:
To: Enter the recipient’s email address.
Subject: Add your email subject.
Body: Write the main content of your email. Since it will be the same each month, keep it general. If you want to make updates later, you can always edit it.
Tip: To personalize the email, you can use dynamic content (Power Automate variables), like adding the month.
Step 4: Save and Test the Flow
Click “Save”.
Use the “Test” feature to make sure the email sends as expected.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust as Needed
Go to “My flows” to see if your flow has run correctly or needs adjustments.
If changes are needed, you can edit the flow, email content, or schedule anytime from this screen.
Tips for Both Gmail and Outlook Setups
Regularly Update Recipients: Review and update your email list as needed to keep it current.
Edit Content as Needed: You can always go back and update the email content if the message changes over time.
Troubleshoot with Power Automate: If you see an error message or if the email doesn’t send as expected, Power Automate often provides suggestions on how to fix the issue.
Final Thoughts
By setting up automated emails in Gmail or Outlook using Power Automate, you save time and ensure consistent communication with your team, clients, or customers. Automated emails can make it easier to maintain regular touchpoints, improve operational efficiency, and reduce the chance of missing important updates.
Try setting up your automated email today and see how much easier it makes your monthly tasks!
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