While working on Power Automate, one of my clients had a specific requirement for an approval process. They wanted the ability to send approval requests to people outside their organization, something the Approvals connector doesn’t directly support.
After exploring various options, I discovered a simple yet effective solution: using the Send email with options action from the Office 365 Outlook connector. This approach allows you to create approval-like workflows where recipients within and outside your organization can respond via email.
In this tutorial, I will tell you about Send an email with options action in Power Automate and how to send an approval request without using the Power Automate approvals connector.
Power Automate Send an Email With Options Action
The Send an Email with Options action in Power Automate is used to send an email to a recipient, which includes interactive options for the recipient to choose from. These options are provided as buttons within the email, allowing the recipient to directly select an option (like Approve, Reject, Yes, No, etc.) from the email.
Power Automate Send an Email with Options action accepts Parameters:
Required Parameters:
- To: Specify the recipient’s email address (or multiple addresses, separated by semicolons). This is where the email will be sent.
- Subject: The subject of the email.
- User Options: A list of comma-separated options for the recipient to select.
- Attachments: The name of the file attachment.
- Name – The Attachment name (Required if you add an attachment).
- Content – The Attachment content (Required if you add an attachment).
Optional Parameters:
- Header Text: The text appears as a header in the body of the email.
- Selection Text: The text that prompts users to make a selection.
- Body: The body content of the email.
- Importance: Sets the priority level of the email (Low, Normal, High).
- Use only HTML message: Determines if only HTML formatting should be used in the email.
- Hide HTML message: If set to Yes, hide the email body and only show the message card with options.
- Show HTML confirmation dialog: If set to Yes, show a confirmation dialog after the recipient selects an option.
- Hide Microsoft footer: If set to Yes, remove the Microsoft footer (“Powered by Microsoft”) from the email.

Example-1: [Send Approval Request Without Using Approvals Connector in Power Automate]
Suppose you want to create an approval flow for an employee leave application. When an employee applies for leave, the HR manager must approve it, and the employee should receive an email notification after the approval.
I created a SharePoint list using the column below and the data types for this example.

Let’s see how to create it:
1. Create an automated cloud flow. Give the flow name and select the trigger When an item is created. Also, provide the Site Address and List Name.

2. Then add Send an Email with Options action to send an email to the manager’s email and provide the below parameters:
- To: Select the manager’s email address from dynamic content.
- Body: Provide the below email body:
Dear @{triggerBody()?['Manager/DisplayName']},
@{triggerBody()?['EmployeeName/DisplayName']} has applied for leave with the following details:
- **Start Date:** @{formatDateTime(triggerBody()?['StartDate'], 'dd/MM/yyyy')}
- **End Date:** @{formatDateTime(triggerBody()?['EndDate'], 'dd/MM/yyyy')}
- **Leave Type:** @{triggerBody()?['LeaveType/Value']}
- **Reason:** @{triggerBody()?['ReasonforLeave']}
Regards,
HR Team
- Hide HTML message: Set to Yes to ensure the email does not display duplicate content.
- Subject:
Leave Approval Request for @{triggerBody()?['EmployeeName/DisplayName']}
- User Options: Enter Approve and Reject as the response options.

3. Now, we will add the Condition action to check whether the leave request is approved or Rejected.
In this Condition action, select the body/SelectedOption (from Send an Email with Options action) value equal to Approve.

4. Under True condition, select Send an email (V2) action.
- To: Take Employee Email from dynamic content.
- Subject: Provide a subject line for a mail.
- Body: Enter a detailed description of the mail and take dynamic content.

5. Under the False condition, take the Send an email(v2) condition and set the parameters as To, Subject, and Body as shown in the screenshot below:

Now click on Save and run the Flow manually. Once the flow runs, add an item to the SharePoint list.

Then, the manager gets the approval request from both Outlook. Check the screenshot below.

If the manager approves the request, the employee receives an email that your request has been approved.

Example-2: [Collect Feedback for Sessions via Email in Power Automate]
Suppose you manage an employee training program, and each batch includes multiple sessions. You want to collect feedback from attendees after each session. Now, I want Power Automate to automatically send emails with feedback options (Good, Average, Poor) to attendees based on the batch they attended. Their responses will be recorded in a SharePoint list called “Session Feedback.”

1. In the Power Automate, click the Instant Cloud flow, enter the Flow name, and choose the trigger flow (i.e., manually trigger a flow).

2. Add the Get items action and provide below parameters:
- Site Address: Select the SharePoint site where the Session Feedback list is located.
- List Name: Select the Session Feedback list.

3. Then add Send an Email with Options action to send an email to the Attendee’s email and provide the below parameters:
- To: Select the Attendee’s email address from dynamic content.
- Body: Provide the below email body:
Hello,
Thank you for attending the session @{item()?['SessionTitle']} in Batch @{item()?['BatchName']}.
We’d appreciate it if you could take a moment to provide your feedback. Select an option below:
- Subject:
Share Your Feedback for @{item()?['SessionTitle']}
- User Options: Add Good, Average, Poor.
It will automatically add a For each action.

4. Inside each action, add the Update item action and provide the below parameters:
- Site Address: Select the SharePoint site where the “Session Feedback” list is located.
- List Name: Select the “Session Feedback” list.
- Id: Use the ID field from dynamic content (ensure the correct list item is updated).
- Date: Use the following expression to set the current date:
formatDateTime(utcNow(),'dd/MM/yyyy')
- Feedback: Use the Selected Options dynamic content (captures the feedback selected by the attendee).

Now, click save and run the flow manually. Then, all attendees get an email like the screenshot below:

When one attendee provides feedback, it will move to the next attendee. After all attendees respond, the SharePoint list will be updated.

Conclusion
In this tutorial, I covered how to use the Send an Email with Options action in Power Automate to create approval-like workflows and collect feedback without relying on the Approvals connector. I explained its parameters and shared two practical examples: creating a leave approval process where managers can approve or reject leave requests and automating feedback collection for training sessions, with responses recorded in a SharePoint list.
One limitation of using the Send an Email with Options action for approval workflows is that the approver cannot provide comments or additional feedback while responding. Here, I used inside-the-organization people email. You can use outside-organization people’s email.
Related Power Automate tutorials:
- Power Automate Leave Request Approval
- Copy Files in Power Automate
- Send an Email with Attachments from Local Folder using Power Automate
- Start and Wait for an Approval in Power Automate
- Expense Reimbursement and Approval using Power Automate
I am Bijay a Microsoft MVP (10 times – My MVP Profile) in SharePoint and have more than 17 years of expertise in SharePoint Online Office 365, SharePoint subscription edition, and SharePoint 2019/2016/2013. Currently working in my own venture TSInfo Technologies a SharePoint development, consulting, and training company. I also run the popular SharePoint website EnjoySharePoint.com