Editing Active Cloud Flows: Is It Possible?
Unlock secrets of editing running cloud flows & impacts on Dataverse/SharePoint updates with MVP Timo Pertilä!
Key insights
- Cloud flows can be edited during execution: Changes to the cloud flow during its ongoing execution do not affect already running instances. New actions added will reflect only in subsequent executions.
- Environment variable behavior: If an environment variable’s value is changed while the flow is running, the flow uses the value that was present at its start time.
- Handling of disabled flows: If a flow is turned off while it’s supposed to trigger, new instances will not start, but the ongoing ones will continue until completion.
- Restarting flows and data entries: Upon restarting, flows behave differently with Dataverse and SharePoint due to their trigger mechanisms. SharePoint items added while the flow was off can trigger the flow upon restarting.
- Differences in trigger mechanisms: SharePoint uses polling triggers, which check for changes at regular intervals. Dataverse uses webhook triggers, responding immediately to data changes.
Cloud Flow Dynamics in Automation
Cloud flows play a crucial role in streamlining business processes through automation. They can efficiently handle tasks that span hours or even days, such as complex approval workflows. One of the notable aspects of cloud flows is their flexibility; they can be edited in real-time, even as they are running.
Can I edit a cloud flow while it’s running? The execution of the cloud flow can take a very long time, hours, or even days. Various approval workflows are typical examples of this phenomenon.
But, does the lengthy execution of the flow prevent it from being updated? What outcomes can be expected if the flow is edited while its execution is still underway? Timo Pertilä discovered what occurs if rows are added to Dataverse or SharePoint while a flow is active.
The execution time for a sample flow is approximately 10 minutes. Let’s initiate it and then add a new action to the flow (Step 0). After restarting, there are two instances of the flow running concurrently.
Read the full article Can I edit a cloud flow while it’s running?
People also ask
"How do you edit a running flow in Power Automate?"
Let's dive into the process of editing an active flow within Power Automate.
"How do you edit a cloud flow?"
To edit a cloud flow, navigate to either the "Cloud flows" tab for your own flows or the "Shared with me" tab for flows shared with you. Click on the vertical ellipsis (⋮) next to the desired flow and first choose "Turn off." Afterward, click again on the vertical ellipsis (⋮) to find and select "Edit."
"How to update a flow in Power Automate?"
Let's explore the straightforward method of implementing updates within Power Automate.
"How to resubmit flow in Power Automate?"
To resubmit a flow, go to the Run history page, select the flows you wish to resubmit or cancel, and then choose "Resubmit flow run(s)." It's important to note that the quantity of flows you can resubmit is bounded by the maximum number of API calls allowed for the connectors in the flow.
Keywords
edit cloud flow running, modify running cloud flow, change cloud flow execution, altering active cloud flow, cloud flow runtime edits, editing ongoing cloud flow, adjust live cloud flow, update executing cloud flow