Cloud Flows: Triggers and Actions

Introduction to Cloud Flows

Cloud Flows are the core of automation within the Microsoft Power Platform. Using a low-code approach, they allow users to create automated processes connecting applications, services, and systems through connectors and business rules. Each flow consists of an initial event (trigger) and one or more subsequent operations (actions).

According to Microsoft’s documentation, Cloud Flows support a wide range of automation scenarios, from simple notifications to complex orchestrations across enterprise systems.

Types of Cloud Flows

• Automated Flows: Automatically triggered by an event, such as the creation or modification of a record in Dataverse.
• Button Flows: Manually initiated by a user, even on mobile devices.
• Scheduled Flows: Executed based on a predefined schedule.
• Desktop Flows: Integrate robotic process automation (RPA) for legacy systems or applications without APIs.

Triggers: The Starting Point

Triggers determine when a Cloud Flow should run. Each connector can offer several types of triggers, based on events, conditions, or manual actions. For the Dataverse connector, for example, the following triggers are available:

• Record created: The flow starts when a new record is created.
• Record updated: The flow is triggered when an existing record is modified.
• Record deleted: The flow runs when a record is deleted.
• Record selected: A manual trigger used for flows initiated from a model-driven app.

For automated flows, triggers act as “watchers” that monitor events in connected services. When the event occurs, the flow begins and proceeds with the defined actions.

Actions: The Operational Blocks

Actions represent the steps executed after the trigger. Each connector offers multiple action types, from saving a record in Dataverse to sending an email or calling an external API.

For the Dataverse connector, common actions include:

• Create record: Creates a new record in a Dataverse table.
• Update record: Updates fields of an existing record.
• Delete record: Deletes a record.
• Get record: Retrieves a specific record to use its data.
• List records: Extracts a set of records based on filtering criteria.

The modern Dataverse connector introduces advanced actions such as:

• Execute a changeset request: Performs multiple create, update, or delete operations in a single transaction.
• Perform a bound/unbound action: Calls a custom action defined in Dataverse.
• Predict: Uses an AI Builder model to generate predictions.
• Relate/Unrelate records: Manages 1:N relationships between tables.

Conditions and Controls in Flows

Real-world automations often require conditional logic. Power Automate provides a comprehensive set of controls to manage flow paths:

• Condition: Evaluates a logical expression and directs the flow based on the result (true/false).
• Switch: Manages multiple branches depending on a value.
• Apply to each: Executes a block of actions for each item in a collection.
• Do until: Repeats actions until a condition becomes true.
• Scope: Groups actions to manage exceptions and repetitions.

These controls enable the creation of complex logic without writing code, maintaining transparency and traceability of operations.

Connectors and Security

Cloud Flows rely on connectors to interact with external applications. There are standard, premium, and custom connectors. Dataverse connectors ensure secure and managed connectivity across Power Platform environments.

Microsoft recommends using the modern Dataverse connector, which automatically updates when the flow is deployed to another environment, avoiding manual reconfiguration. The Dataverse (legacy) connector is deprecated.

To ensure security and compliance, you can define Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies that restrict connector combinations, reducing the risk of sensitive data exposure.

Best Practices for Cloud Flows

For a robust Cloud Flow design, follow these recommended practices:

• Use descriptive names for triggers, actions, and variables.
• Group related actions within Scope for clearer management.
• Handle errors using “Configure run after” and fallback actions.
• Test flows in development environments before deploying to production.
• Monitor executions using Power Automate Analytics and auditing tools.

These guidelines help reduce complexity and improve long-term maintainability of automations.