Get started with triggers

A trigger is an event that starts a cloud flow. For example, you want to get a notification in Microsoft Teams when someone sends you an email. In this case, receiving an email is the trigger that starts this flow.

Power Automate offers connectors to services such as SharePoint and Outlook. Most connectors offer prebuilt triggers that you can use to start your flows. Here's a partial look at the triggers that Office 365 Outlook connector provides by default.

Learn more about triggers in this quick video:

Choose the right trigger

Triggers can be started instantly or manually, on a schedule, or automatically when an external event occurs, such as when an email arrives. The following table lists some common trigger scenarios and the type of flow you should create.

Trigger scenario	Flow type
Run a cloud flow with a tap of a button on your mobile device to remind your team to join the daily team meeting. You can trigger these flows manually from any device.	Instant/manual
Run a cloud flow on a schedule, for example, to send a weekly project report. Choose when (date and time) and frequency (monthly/daily/hourly, and more). Learn more in Run flows on a schedule.	Scheduled
Create a cloud flow that performs tasks automatically after an event occurs, for example, a cloud flow that notifies you by email when someone tweets with a keyword you specify. Learn more in Create a cloud flow from scratch.	Automated

Replace the trigger in an existing cloud flow

When you replace a trigger in an existing flow, the new trigger must be the first step of the flow.

You work with triggers in the designer. Power Automate allows you to use either the new designer or the classic designer to configure your cloud flow. The steps are similar in both designers. Learn more (with examples) in Identify differences between the new designer and the classic designer.

New designer

1. Sign in to Power Automate.

2. Open the cloud flow that you want to edit:

   1. On the navigation pane to the left, select My flows.
   2. Select the flow that you want to edit.
   3. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Edit.

3. In the flow designer, select the trigger that you want to replace.

4. At the top of the configuration pane, select the vertical ellipsis (⋮) and then select Delete.

   To confirm the deletion, select OK in the dialog box that appears.

5. After you delete the trigger, Power Automate replaces the current trigger with the Add a trigger card.

6. Select the Add a trigger card. The Add a trigger pane opens.

7. Search for the connector or trigger you want to use. You can search for a specific trigger by typing a name in the search field, or by selecting the right arrow (>) next to an option in a trigger category.

   The Add a trigger pane is organized in the same way as the Add an action pane. Learn more in Explore the cloud flows designer.

8. Select the trigger that you want to use. The configuration pane opens to allow you to configure the trigger.

9. Configure the trigger settings, if needed.

10. Close the configuration panel and return to the flow designer by selecting <<.

    The new trigger is now the first step in your flow.

11. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Save to save your changes.

Classic designer

1. Sign in to Power Automate.

2. Open the cloud flow that you want to edit:

   1. On the navigation pane to the left, select My flows.
   2. Select the flow that you want to edit.
   3. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Edit.

3. On the trigger card, select the ellipsis (…) and then select Delete.

   To confirm the deletion, select OK in the dialog box that appears.

   After you delete the trigger, Power Automate prompts you to select a new trigger.

4. Search for the connector or trigger you want to use with one of the following methods:

   • To get a list of the corresponding triggers for a specific app, select the icon for the app.
   • To use a keyword search or to search for a specific trigger, enter the keyword or name of the trigger in the Search connectors and triggers field.

   Both methods return a list of triggers that you can use in your flow. If you can't find the trigger you want in the list, select See more.

5. Select the trigger that you want to use. You return to the designer, where you can configure the trigger.

6. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Save to save your changes.

Licensing for premium connectors

You need a standalone Power Automate license to access all premium, on-premises, and custom connectors. For flows within an app built in Power Apps, you can use a Power Apps license. Microsoft 365 plan licenses let you use standard connectors but not premium connectors. Learn more in the Power Platform Licensing Guide.

To find your license:

1. Sign in to Power Automate.
2. Select My flows.
3. Select a cloud flow.
4. In the Details section, view the details under Plan.

Customize a trigger by adding conditions

Sometimes, you might need to customize a trigger so that it fires only when certain conditions are met. For example, you might be using SharePoint's When an item is created or modified trigger in Power Automate. This trigger fires for every change to SharePoint items. However, you might want the flow to only trigger when an item is created or the status is marked as Approved. While you can filter other events by adding conditions to the flow, the flow still runs and the calls are counted as an API request. This causes you to reach your API request limits faster. To avoid it, you can write expressions in trigger conditions, avoiding a run if the condition in trigger isn't met.

Learn more about conditions in this quick video:

Use trigger conditions to reduce flow runs

Trigger conditions can help streamline your flows and reduce the number of unnecessary runs. This helps keep flow runs and Power platform requests consumption low. With trigger conditions, you can set up multiple conditions that must be met before a flow is triggered.

For example, you need to create a flow that processes every approved invoice. Without trigger conditions, your flow would trigger every time an invoice email is received, even if the invoice isn't approved. This can result in the flow running 1,000 times for 1,000 invoices, even though only 50 of them are approved.

By adding a trigger condition to trigger only when an invoice is approved, the flow runs only 50 times. This means it consumes fewer Power Platform requests. If the trigger condition isn't met, the flow isn't triggered, and no run history is logged.

This is especially important in pay-as-you-go environments, where every flow run is charged. By reducing the number of runs, you can keep your costs low while still achieving your desired outcomes.

Power Automate allows you to use either the new designer or the classic designer to configure your cloud flow. The steps are similar in both designers. Learn more (with examples) in Identify differences between the new designer and the classic designer.

New designer

1. Open the cloud flow that you want to edit:

   1. On the navigation pane to the left, select My flows.

   2. Select the flow that you want to edit.

   3. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Edit.

2. Set a trigger condition:

   1. Select the trigger of the flow.

   2. Select Settings.

   3. Next to Trigger conditions, select + Add.

      

3. Add an expression. Learn how to use expressions in Use expressions in conditions to check multiple values. Learn more in Create, update, and fix expressions with Copilot expression assistant.

   Every trigger condition must start with the @ symbol.

   

   Alternatively, follow the instructions in Easily create expressions.

4. If you have multiple filter conditions to add, select + Add and add expressions.

   By default, all conditions must be met for the condition to be true. If any condition is optional, you need OR, and then use the syntax @or (test1, test2,test3).

Easily create expressions

Your flow can generate expressions for you.

1. On your flow, select the + sign in the down arrow.
2. In the Add an action pane, search for and select the Filter array action.
3. On the Filter array pane, create your condition.
4. Select Edit in advanced mode and copy the expression.
5. In the designer, open the trigger.
6. In the Settings tab, paste the expression into the trigger condition.
7. Delete the Filter array action from your flow.

Classic designer

1. Open the cloud flow that you want to edit:

   1. On the navigation pane to the left, select My flows.

   2. Select the flow that you want to edit.

   3. On the command bar at the top of the page, select Edit.

2. Set a trigger condition:

   1. Select the trigger of the flow to expand it.

   2. In the upper-right corner, select the ellipsis (…), and then select Settings.

   3. Under Trigger Conditions, select Add.

   

3. Add an expression and then select Done. Learn how to use expressions in Use expressions in conditions to check multiple values. Learn more in Create, update, and fix expressions with Copilot expression assistant.

   Every trigger condition must start with the @ symbol.

   

   Alternatively, follow the instructions in Easily create expressions.

4. If you have multiple filter conditions to add, Select + Add and add expressions.

   By default, all conditions must be met for the condition to be true. If any condition is optional, you need OR, and then use the syntax @or (test1, test2,test3).

Easily create expressions

Your flow can generate expressions for you.

1. On your flow, select the + sign in the down arrow, and then select Add an action.
2. Search for and select the Filter array action.
3. On the Filter array card, create your condition.
4. Select Edit in advanced mode and copy the expression.
5. Paste the expression into the trigger condition.
6. Delete the Filter array action from your flow by selecting the ellipsis (…) and then Delete.

Related information

• Training: Describe building automation with Microsoft Power Automate (module)
• Training: Enhance productivity with Power Automate and the Office 365 Outlook Connector (module)
• Training: Streamline SharePoint processes with Power Automate (module)