Manual triggers, as the name suggests, require explicit user intervention to initiate. They are flexible to customize and can be initiated directly from the flow website. These are useful when you have an operation that doesn’t necessarily need to run all the time but want to run on demand.
For instance, consider a scenario where your flow accesses a Sharepoint list and retrieves its items. With a manually-triggered flow, you can manually initiate the flow whenever you want to pull the data.
manual.onButtonSelect ()
Scheduled Triggers
Scheduled triggers allow you to define a flow that will run at a specific time, starting from a given date. For example, this feature can be utilized to check a particular SharePoint library every day at a specific time to check if a new item has been added.
It is important to bear in mind that The time of recurrence must be indicated in seconds, is always in correlation with UTC, and is defined using the ISO 8601 format.
schedule.recurrence {
frequency : 'day'
interval : 1
}
Automated Triggers
Automated Triggers start the flow based on an event without any manual intervention. This could be an email receipt, an item is added to a SharePoint list, or a row is modified in Excel. These triggers are beneficial for automating regular tasks which require minimal human intervention.
For example, an automated trigger can be utilized to start a flow whenever an item is added in a SharePoint list.
triggers.whenItemIsCreated ()
Selected Triggers
Selected triggers are action-based and are initiated when a particular item or row is manually selected, and a specific action is chosen in Power Automate. For example, for a selected row in a SharePoint list, you can start a flow with a Custom action. The ability to implement actions in response to user input is what makes Selected triggers handy.
Consider a scenario where your flow is set up to send an email to a particular user whenever a specific item is selected.
triggers.onSelectAction ()
Event-based Triggers:
Event-based triggers are initiated when a specific event occurs in a cloud-based service or application like Dynamics 365, SharePoint, or Twitter. These triggers will initialize your flow as soon as the specified event happens. For example, a trigger that starts a flow when a new mail arrives in Outlook is an Event-based trigger.
triggers.when_a_new_email_arrives ()
Mastering the use of these triggers can streamline your operations and automate workflows. However, it’s also crucial to understand that different situations call for different trigger types. Therefore, for any professional aiming to clear the PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer exam, digging deep into cloud flow triggers and their practicality in various scenarios is integral. Understanding and choosing the appropriate trigger can lead to more efficient and well-tuned flows.
Practice Test
True or False: Schedule, Manual and Event are different types of cloud flow triggers.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: These are some of the classic types of triggers in Power Automate – Schedule triggers begin a flow on a schedule, manual triggers require human interaction to begin and event triggers start a flow when an event occurs.
True or False: You can run a flow manually by adding a button control to a Canvas app.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Manual flows can be started manually by a user, for example, by clicking a button on a mobile device or in a Canvas app.
Which trigger type should you use when you want to start a flow based on changes that occur in your data source?
- A. Schedule
- B. Manual
- C. Event
Answer: C. Event
Explanation: Event triggers start a flow when an event occurs, such as when data changes in your source system.
True or False: In Power Automate, you cannot trigger a flow when a new item is created or modified in a SharePoint list.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Power Automate supports numerous triggers for SharePoint, including those for when items are created or modified in a list.
The Manual trigger type is also known as ________.
- A. On-demand
- B. Conditional
- C. Scheduled
Answer: A. On-demand
Explanation: Manual triggers, which require human action to initiate the flow, are also referred to as on-demand triggers.
True or False: You can create a flow that automatically runs daily at a specific time with the help of a Schedule trigger type.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Schedule triggers in Power Automate allow users to execute flows at specific times or regular intervals.
Which of these is not a trigger type for cloud flows in Power Automate?
- A. Instant
- B. Manual
- C. Series
- D. Scheduled
Answer: C. Series
Explanation: “Series” is not a categorized trigger type in Power Automate. The main types of triggers are Instant, Manual and Scheduled.
True or False: Microsoft Power Automate supports the creation of flows that are triggered by events in Dynamics
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Power Automate works seamlessly with Dynamics 365, and you can create flows that trigger based on events in Dynamics
Multiple choice multiple answers: The instant cloud flow trigger type can include which of these triggers?
- A. When a new email arrives
- B. When a new item is created in SharePoint
- C. When a flow button for mobile is selected
Answer: A. When a new email arrives, C. When a flow button for mobile is selected
Explanation: Both, ‘when a new email arrives’ and ‘when a flow button for mobile is selected’, fall under the category of an instant trigger type in cloud flows.
To manually run flows for selected rows in any view or run-on-demand in model-driven apps, which type of cloud flow trigger is used?
- A. Schedule
- B. Modern-driven
- C. UI flow
Answer: C. UI flow
Explanation: UI flow is a manual trigger that can be initiated on demand or for selected rows in model-driven apps.
True or False: You can create a flow that runs based on an event trigger in a third-party app like Dropbox or Gmail.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Power Automate allows you to create flows that are triggered by events in various third-party apps including Gmail and Dropbox.
The automated cloud flow trigger type begins with which event?
- A. When a record is created
- B. When a user presses a flow button
- C. At a specified time
Answer: A. When a record is created
Explanation: Automated cloud flows are initiated by event triggers which could be when a record is created, updated or deleted.
True or False: Schedule triggers are not limited to a specific action to initiate the flow at a specific time.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Schedule triggers are used to start a flow at a specific time or date and are not dependent on any specific action.
Event triggers run based on which of these events?
- A. When an email arrives
- B. When a new record is created
- C. Both (A) and (B)
Answer: C. Both (A) and (B)
Explanation: An event trigger starts a flow when a specific event occurs. This could be when an email arrives in an inbox or when a new record is created in a database.
How many trigger types in total are present to make cloud flows in Microsoft Power Automate?
- A. 4
- B. 2
- C. 3
Answer: C. 3
Explanation: In Microsoft Power Automate, there are three types of triggers available to create cloud flows – Manual, Schedule, and Event.
Interview Questions
What are triggers in the context of Microsoft Power Automate?
Triggers are events that cause a flow to run in Microsoft Power Automate. They are the starting point of any flow. Different types of triggers can occur in response to various events, including the arrival of an email, a change in a data source, or a specific time or interval.
What is a Scheduled trigger in Power Automate and when would you use it?
A Scheduled trigger is a type of trigger in Power Automate that starts a flow based upon a specified schedule. You can set the schedule to be anything like a certain time each day, week, month, or even hour. It is useful for repeated tasks such as sending daily reports or reminders.
What is an Instant trigger in Power Automate?
An Instant trigger, also known as a button trigger, is a type of trigger in Power Automate which starts a flow when an action is manually initiated by a user. For instance, if a provided button in a flow is clicked.
What is an Automated trigger?
An Automated trigger is a type of trigger in Power Automate that starts a flow in response to an event occurring. This could be an event that takes place in a related app or system, such as when a specific type of email is received, when a new item is added to a SharePoint list, or any change in a particular data source.
How many types of triggers are available within Power Automate?
Power Automate primarily has three types of triggers: Instant triggers (manual), Automated triggers (based on an event), and Scheduled triggers (based on a predefined schedule).
Are there any predefined templates available for using triggers in Power Automate?
Yes, Microsoft Power Automate offers predefined templates for various categories of flows, including flows with different types of triggers. These templates offer a convenient starting point for users who want to automate a process without having to set up everything from scratch.
Can we use multiple triggers in one flow in Power Automate?
No, each flow in Power Automate only works with a single trigger. However, multiple actions can be added in response to a single trigger event.
Is it possible to manually trigger a flow?
Yes, manual triggering is possible using Instant triggers in Power Automate. These are used in scenarios where you want your flow to run only when manually prompted.
How does Power Automate respond if the trigger event does not occur?
If an event that is supposed to trigger a Power Automate flow does not occur, the flow simply will not run until the event occurs.
How do you specify a condition for an automated trigger in Power Automate?
In Power Automate, you specify a condition for an automated trigger in the trigger configuration settings. You detail the specific event or change that should trigger the flow.
What needs to be done if a trigger is not working in Power Automate?
If a trigger is not working in Power Automate, you can try testing the trigger, checking its configuration settings, or verifying that the event or condition that should activate the trigger is actually occurring.
Can a trigger’s schedule be modified once it has been set in Power Automate?
Yes, the schedule of a Scheduled trigger can be modified after it has been set. The user must go to the flow’s details and edit the trigger’s settings.
How can I check the history of a specific flow’s run in Power Automate?
In Power Automate, you can check the history of a flow’s run by going to the flow’s details and checking the Run History section.
Can Power Automate be triggered by external events outside the Microsoft ecosystem?
Yes, Power Automate can be triggered by external events outside the Microsoft ecosystem provided the necessary APIs and webhooks are set up properly.
Can I trigger a flow on a Power Automate desktop from a cloud flow?
Yes, you can trigger a Power Automate Desktop flow from a cloud flow. This is often used for automating UI interactions on the workstation from the cloud.
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