Mastering this concept provides app makers with the ability to automate processes, saving time and minimizing manual interventions in operations.
What are Cloud Flows?
Cloud flows, a part of the Power Automate, offer a low-code approach to workflow automation. It allows users to design and set up workflow parameters, enabling seamless communication and interaction among various services and applications. This broad scope makes it an integral aspect of the Microsoft Power Platform.
Triggering Cloud Flows
A trigger in cloud flows lets a flow determine when to begin its functions. A trigger can be as basic as a manual button for user-invoked flows or a pre-configured event like a new data entry in a database or an incoming email.
Types of Triggers
Primarily, there are three types of triggers used for cloud flows:
- Automated: These triggers initiate the cloud flow in response to an event.
- Instant: A user initiates these triggers manually.
- Scheduled: These triggers run flows based on a preset schedule.
| Trigger Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Automated | Starts when a specific event happens |
| Instant | Starts manually by a user |
| Scheduled | Starts at preset times |
Example: Setup an Automated Trigger
Let’s take an example of creating an automated flow that triggers when a new item is added in SharePoint List:
- On the Power Automate homepage, click on “Create”.
- Select “Automated Cloud Flow”.
- Under “Choose your flow’s trigger”, select “When an item is created” from SharePoint.
- Select the SharePoint Site Address and List Name where to trigger the flow.
- Add the desired actions to be performed when the trigger conditions are met.
- Save the flow.
This flow will trigger whenever a new item is created in the specified SharePoint List, automating whatever action you have set up accordingly.
Example: Create a Scheduled Trigger
Here is how to create a cloud flow with a scheduled trigger:
- On the Power Automate homepage, click on “Create”.
- Select “Scheduled Cloud Flow”.
- Enter a name for your flow and set your schedule (start time, time zone, repeat frequency), click “Create”.
- Add the actions that you want to be performed according to the schedule.
- Save the flow.
Such a scheduled flow gives you the power to automate tasks at specific times and according to a certain frequency, whether it’s hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly.
In conclusion, understanding how to configure triggers for cloud flows is essential for app makers. It allows for more efficient and effective automation of tasks through the use of Microsoft’s Power Automate. Triggers provide the flexibility and control required to view and manage a flow in a convenient and effective manner. With suitable knowledge of these triggers, the app making process becomes greatly streamlined.
Practice Test
True or False: Triggers for cloud flows are not able to be scheduled.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Cloud flows can indeed have scheduled triggers. This allows the flow to execute at a specified time without user intervention.
What are the types of triggers that can be configured for cloud flows?
- a) Scheduled triggers
- b) Automated triggers
- c) Instant triggers
- d) None of the above
Answer: a) Scheduled triggers, b) Automated triggers, c) Instant triggers
Explanation: Microsoft Power Platform enables you to configure three types of triggers for cloud flows: scheduled, automated, and instant triggers.
True or False: Instant triggers require user intervention to carry out a flow.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Instant triggers require a user action to start the flow. For example, a button click can act as an instant trigger to start a flow.
Multiple automated triggers can be configured for a single cloud flow. True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Only one automated trigger can be configured for one cloud flow. If multiple triggers are required, multiple flows need to be created.
What kind of trigger would be best for a daily report generation flow?
- a) Automated trigger
- b) Scheduled trigger
- c) Instant trigger
- d) None of the above
Answer: b) Scheduled trigger
Explanation: A scheduled trigger would be ideal for a task that needs to happen daily at a certain time, like report generation.
True or False: A cloud flow can be manually triggered by a user even when it’s configured with an automated trigger.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: An automated trigger starts the flow automatically when the specified criteria or event occurs. A manual trigger is not available in this case.
You can use Power Automate’s UI flows to record and automate the playback of a user’s actions. True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: UI flows in Power Automate allow you to automate the playback of manual tasks within applications.
Can user interactions in web apps be recorded and automated using UI flows?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: a) Yes
Explanation: Power Automate’s UI flows offer the ability to automate interactions with web and desktop applications.
True or False: You can trigger flows based on the outcome of earlier processes.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The outcome of earlier processes can indeed be used to trigger flows.
Is it possible to test flows in the Power Platform?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: a) Yes
Explanation: Power Platform allows for testing of flows to ensure they are working as expected.
While configuring cloud flows through Power Automate, data can be automatically extracted from files and emails. True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Automated flows in Power Automate can automatically extract data from files and emails as per the defined trigger conditions.
Are triggers for cloud flows limited to Microsoft services only?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: b) No
Explanation: Triggers for cloud flows are not limited to Microsoft services. Various non-Microsoft services are supported as well.
True or False: A cloud flow with an instant trigger can be manually started from the Power Automate mobile app.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: You can manually trigger a cloud flow from the Power Automate mobile app by using the ‘Button’ widget.
Can we use Dynamic content in Cloud Flows?
- a) Yes
- b) No
Answer: a) Yes
Explanation: You can use Dynamic content in Cloud Flows to make flows respond to changes in the input data.
True or False: You can change the trigger of a cloud flow after creating it.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: You can change the configuration, including the trigger, of a cloud flow after you have created it.
Interview Questions
What is a trigger in the context of cloud flows in Microsoft Power Platform?
A trigger is an event that causes a cloud flow to start running.
What are some examples of triggers you can configure for cloud flows in Microsoft Power Platform?
Some examples of triggers include receiving an email, adding or modifying a record in a database, or clicking a button in a Power App.
What is a recurrence trigger used for in Microsoft Power Platform?
A recurrence trigger is used to start a cloud flow at regular intervals, which you can specify. This can be done daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly.
Can you configure more than one trigger for a single cloud flow in Microsoft Power Platform?
No, currently, a cloud flow can only contain one trigger. But, you can define multiple conditions within a single trigger to control the flow action.
Can Microsoft Power Platform support time-dependent actions in cloud flows?
Yes, using the Delay action or Delay Until action in a flow, users can configure time-dependent actions.
How can you trigger a cloud flow based on a change in data?
You can set data change triggers in a cloud flow by specifying an entity and a condition. When the data in that specified entity changes and meets the condition, it triggers the cloud flow.
What can you use to trigger a cloud flow when an email arrives?
The ‘When a new email arrives’ trigger can be used to start a cloud flow when a new email arrives in the mailbox.
What specific event-based triggers are available in Microsoft Power Platform?
Specific event-base triggers may include ‘When an object is created’, ‘When an object is modified’ or ‘When an object is deleted’.
How does a manual trigger work in a cloud flow?
A manual trigger allows the user to start the cloud flow manually at will, instead of waiting for a specific event or condition.
What trigger would you use for a cloud flow that you want to run at a pre-defined time each day?
The ‘Recurrence’ trigger would be used to start a cloud flow at a pre-defined time each day. You can simply specify the specific time interval as daily at the desired time.
Can you trigger a cloud flow based on an event that happens in another cloud flow?
Yes, this can be achieved by the use of HTTP trigger in one flow and an HTTP action in the second flow.
How can the ‘Button’ trigger be used in a power app?
A ‘Button’ trigger can be used in a power app to initiate a flow on the click or tap of a button.
Can you pause and resume a Recurrence trigger in a cloud flow?
No, it’s not supported to pause a recurrence trigger. However, you can turn off and turn on the cloud flow.
Can you prevent a cloud flow from running during specific times?
If a flow has a continuous trigger like Recurrence, you can add a condition to check the current date and time, then control what happens next.
Is it possible to pass parameters to a cloud flow with a manual trigger?
Yes, it is possible to pass parameters to a cloud flow with a manual trigger. This is done by defining the parameters in the Inputs field of the manual trigger.
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