Unanswered

Input Variables

(0) Share

Report

Posted on by Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee

So I'm in a flow in PAD and set up an input variable and for the life of me could not get it to ask me for the input (aka - how do you provide input to the flow if it doesn't ask?). One day, by complete accident, I ran the flow directly from Power Automate (the icon in the task bar) and wha-la, it asked for the input. Which begs the question, other than setting a default value for the the input variable(s), is there a way, especially when developing / testing, you can actually customize the input value to a flow?

(yes, I know I could run the flow from another flow and do that but it still requires then customization of that flow and another layer of aggregation dealing with basic dev / test)

Categories:

Power Automate Desktop

I have the same question (0)

All responses (3)

Answers (0)

Sort by

MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

I am not sure entirely what you mean, but there are two options for retrieving input variables:

1) Display input dialog - this will prompt a user to enter a value

2) Option 2 is manually adding an input value to the top right of the variables pane; click the plus sign and a new input variable box appears. I used to use this, but don't anymore. But it's very easy to update before running.

Hope this helps.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
Community Power Pla... Microsoft Employee on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Thanks Michael - #2 is the right path for the conversation - aka an "input" variable vs a "flow" variable. My question isn't whether or not it works, it's why does it ask for input when run outside of the flow vs in it. And "simple" is perspective. It also requires contextual knowledge which is something we try to avoid when engineering solutions (proverbial bus scenario).

Was this reply helpful? Yes No
MichaelAnnis 5,727 Moderator on at

Like
a
(0)

Report
Copy link

Link copied!

Yeah, only the developers know the real reason. I assume, if you are in Edit mode, it's right there in front of your face to just click on it and update it; however, if you just hit "play" from the "My Flows" screen, you don't have that opportunity, so it asks you first.

Was this reply helpful? Yes No