Running a cloud flow is a critical task that can significantly enhance your performance in PL-900 Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals. A cloud flow in Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) is a flow that’s primarily based in the cloud, as opposed to on-premises scenarios. It allows you to automate various tasks and workflows across multiple applications and services without the need for developer resources.
Understanding of Cloud Flow
Microsoft’s Power Automate is designed to integrate with various other services and software. This includes both Microsoft products (like Excel, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365) and non-Microsoft services (like Twitter, Dropbox, and Mailchimp). By creating a cloud flow, you can automate tasks across these different services.
Here is a high-level breakdown of Power Automate’s cloud flows:
- Automated Flows: These are triggered by an event like a new email arriving, a new record in your database, etc.
- Button Flows: These are manual flows that are triggered by clicking a button.
- Scheduled Flows: These are similar to automated flows, but instead of being triggered by a specific event, they are triggered at set times.
Running a Cloud Flow
To run a cloud flow in Power Automate, you first need to create it. Here is a basic step to create and run a could flow in Power Automate:
- Sign in to Power Automate: Head over to Power Automate’s website and sign in using your Microsoft account.
- Select “Create” option: On the left-hand menu, click on “Create”. Here, you can choose the type of flow you want to make – automated, button, or scheduled.
- Choose your trigger: Depending on the type of flow chosen, you will need to select a trigger. For instance, in an automated cloud flow, you might choose ‘When a new email arrives’.
- Add actions: After selecting the trigger, the next step is to add actions that need to be performed when the trigger condition is met. Actions could be sending a notification, creating a new file, etc.
- Save and Test the Flow: Finally, you can save your flow and test it out to make sure it works correctly.
Best Practices for Using Cloud Flow
- Start Small: If you’re new to Power Automate and creating cloud flows, it’s advisable to start with simple, less complex flows and gradually move on to more complex ones.
- Proper Naming Convention: Ensure your flows are properly named. It will make it easier for you, and others if it’s a shared flow, to identify the flows later.
- Use Comments: When adding actions or conditions, use comments to explain what each action means or why a specific condition is used.
- Error handling: Incorporate error handling in the cloud flows to handle any unexpected issues or failures.
To sum up, the ability to create and run cloud flows can play a significant role in your experience with the Microsoft Power Platform. It allows you to automate mundane tasks, freeing up time for more important activities. The PL-900 Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals exam not only tests your understanding of this functionality but also its application in real-world scenarios.
Practice Test
True or False: Cloud flows in Power Automate are used to automate tasks and business processes.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Cloud flows in Power Automate automate tasks and business processes. They can run manually or be triggered by data events.
What are the types of cloud flows in Power Automate?
- a) Automated, Button, and Schedule
- b) Trigger, Reaction, and Button
- c) Automatic, Manual, and Reaction.
Answer: a) Automated, Button, and Schedule
Explanation: Power Automate offers three different types of cloud flows: Automated flows, Button flows, and Scheduled flows.
True or False: Automated cloud flows can only be triggered manually.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Automated cloud flows start in response to an event, such as the arrival of an email, altering a row in a database, or the presence of a new file in OneDrive.
What is the main purpose of creating a button flow?
- a) To automate tasks
- b) To manually trigger a sequence of events
- c) To schedule tasks at a specific time
Answer: b) To manually trigger a sequence of events
Explanation: Button flows allow users to manually trigger a sequence of events or procedures by hitting a button.
True or False: Scheduled flows are not tied to an event and can run at a certain time.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Scheduled flows are not associated with a specific event, but they are designed to execute at a set time or periodic interval.
What can you use to trigger an automated cloud flow?
- a) A button
- b) A scheduled time
- c) An event in a system or service
Answer: c) An event in a system or service
Explanation: Automated cloud flows are event-driven and get executed when an event occurs in a system or service like SharePoint, Outlook, or Dynamics
True or False: Button flows cannot be shared with others.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Button flows can be shared with other users and run by them.
Where can button flows be run from?
- a) Only from the Power Automate website
- b) From the Power Automate mobile app or the Power Automate website
- c) Only from the Power Automate mobile app
Answer: b) From the Power Automate mobile app or the Power Automate website
Explanation: Button Flows can be run from the Power Automate mobile app as well as from the Power Automate website.
True or False: It is not possible to set up a recurring schedule for cloud flows.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: You can set up a recurring schedule for cloud flows to run at specific intervals of time.
In case of a failure, Power Automate can automatically retry a flow. Is this statement True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: If a flow fails because of a transient issue, Power Automate can automatically retry the flow.
What is the key benefit of running a cloud flow in Microsoft Power Platform?
- a) Code-based solutions
- b) Manual task performance
- c) Process automation
Answer: c) Process automation
Explanation: The key benefit of running a cloud flow in Microsoft Power Platform is to automate repetitive tasks and business processes.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of running a cloud flow in Power Automate?
The purpose of running a cloud flow is to automate business processes and tasks in a variety of scenarios such as sending reminders, moving data between systems, or automating approval workflows.
How is a cloud flow initiated?
A cloud flow can be initiated either automatically triggered based on certain events, manually by a user, or on a defined schedule.
Can cloud flows in Power Automate be shared among users?
Yes, cloud flows can be shared with other users, including those outside of a creator’s organization, as long as they have appropriate permissions.
Which tab in Power Automate allows you to control the frequency and range of a scheduled cloud flow?
The “Recurrence” tab in Power Automate allows you to control the frequency and range of scheduled cloud flows.
What are ‘triggers’ in the context of cloud flows?
Triggers are events that start or initiate a cloud flow. These can be based on updates in data, responses to surveys, or even the arrival of emails.
What is a ‘condition’ in cloud flows?
A ‘condition’ in cloud flows refers to a decision-making step that controls the flow’s actions based on logical comparisons or evaluations.
Can we use cloud flows in Power Automate without coding knowledge?
Yes, Power Automate is a low-code platform that allows users to create cloud flows without any coding expertise.
What is a Power Automate connector in the context of cloud flows?
A Power Automate connector is a proxy or a wrapper around an API that allows the underlying service to talk to Power Automate, Power Apps, and Azure Logic Apps. It provides a way for these services to connect to each other and with data and services.
Can a cloud flow be modified after it has been created?
Yes, a cloud flow can be edited, updated, or modified after creation according to the changing needs of the business process it represents.
Can a cloud flow in Power Automate interact with on-premises data?
Yes, with the on-premises data gateway, cloud flows in Power Automate can interact with on-premises data.
What is the maximum run duration for a single cloud flow execution?
The maximum run duration for a single cloud flow execution is 30 days.
Can I control who can run a cloud flow in Power Automate?
Yes, flow owners can manage run-only user permissions, controlling who can run the flow.
What is an ‘action’ within a cloud flow?
An ‘action’ within a cloud flow refers to the tasks executed after the flow is triggered.
Can cloud flows be used to process and analyze data?
Yes, cloud flows offer data processing and analysis capabilities, and can connect with services like Azure Cognitive Services for advanced analyses.
What is an ‘Instant’ cloud flow in Power Automate?
An ‘Instant’ cloud flow is manually triggered by a user action such as a button click in the Power Automate app or site.
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