Discover the Key Triggers in Power Automate: Streamlining Workflow Automation

In Power Automate, triggers are the events or conditions that initiate the execution of a flow. They act as the starting point or entry point for your automated workflows. When a trigger event occurs, Power Automate is alerted, and the flow is triggered to begin executing the defined set of actions.

Power Automate flows can be initiated through three distinct trigger types:

Automated or Event-Driven Triggers:

These triggers are based on specific events or actions that occur in connected systems or applications. When the defined event occurs, such as receiving an email, a new record in a database, or a file being added to a folder, the flow is automatically triggered and starts executing. This type of trigger allows you to respond to events in real-time and automate processes based on those events.

Instant or Manual Triggers:

Instant triggers are those that allow you to manually start a flow whenever you need it. For example, you might have a button on a Power Apps form that, when clicked, triggers the flow to perform certain actions. Manual triggers give you control over when the flow should run, allowing you to initiate it on-demand.

Scheduled Triggers:

Scheduled triggers enable you to set up a flow to run at specific intervals or on specific dates and times. You can define a schedule, such as running the flow every hour, every day at a specific time, or every week on a certain day. Once the scheduled time arrives, the flow is automatically triggered and starts executing. Scheduled triggers are useful for automating recurring tasks or processes that need to run at regular intervals.

In summary, automated or event-driven triggers start flows based on specific events or actions in connected systems, instant or manual triggers allow you to manually start a flow when needed, and scheduled triggers automatically initiate flows at predefined intervals or specific dates and times. Understanding these triggers helps you design workflows that respond to events, provide on-demand automation, and perform recurring tasks at scheduled intervals.