Why Power Automate Flows Stop Triggering

This usually starts with confusion.

The flow is enabled.
No errors are shown.
Nothing has been changed.

And yet — it simply doesn’t run.

Across real Power Automate deployments, “flows not triggering” is one of the most common production issues, and almost never caused by a single obvious mistake.

Why This Happens

Triggers are sensitive to context, not just configuration.

Production introduces:

• Frequent data changes
• Multiple users
• Permission boundaries
• System-generated updates

A trigger that worked reliably in testing can silently stop firing later.

Most Common Causes (Seen Repeatedly)

1. Trigger Conditions Are Too Strict
 

• Conditions rely on exact values
• Minor data changes prevent matching

Result:
The trigger never fires — without errors.

2. The Trigger Fires, but Is Immediately Skipped
 

• Conditions evaluate to false
• Expressions don’t match real data

Result:
The flow technically runs, but does nothing.

3. Permissions Changed After Go-Live
 

• Flow owner access removed
• User left the organisation
• Connector authentication expired

Result:
Triggers fail silently or never start.

4. The Flow Is Being Throttled
 

• High-frequency updates
• Multiple users triggering the same flow

Result:
Runs are delayed, skipped, or dropped.

5. Data Is Updated in Unexpected Ways
 

• Background processes modify records
• Bulk updates bypass expected fields

Result:
Trigger conditions are never met.

Why This Is Hard to Diagnose

Because:

• The flow looks enabled
• No failure notifications appear
• The trigger configuration hasn’t changed

From the outside, everything appears correct.

What Works in Practice

Teams that resolved trigger issues usually:

• Simplified trigger conditions
• Logged when triggers actually fired
• Avoided over-specific checks
• Used service accounts for ownership
• Monitored run history regularly

Reliable triggers are defensive, not clever.

Key Takeaway

Flows don’t stop triggering because Power Automate is unstable.

They stop triggering because:

• Triggers were designed for ideal data
• Production behaviour was never anticipated
• Ownership and permissions changed

Triggers should assume data will be messy and unpredictable.

Learn Power Automate the Right Way

For those looking to understand trigger behaviour, permissions, and reliability in real Power Automate solutions, the Microsoft Power Apps & Power Automate Training by ExcelGoodies focuses on production-grade automation patterns drawn from live deployments.

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Editor’s Note

This article summarises recurring trigger-related issues observed across live Power Automate deployments, typically identified when automations appeared enabled but failed to execute in production.

Insights compiled with inputs from the ExcelGoodies Trainers & Power Users Community.
 

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