Quick Answer
The correct choice is the "When a new item is created" trigger, because it is designed to initiate a flow automatically the moment a new item—such as an expense report—is added to a SharePoint list. This trigger listens for the creation event and fires instantly, making it ideal for starting approval workflows without any manual intervention. On the Microsoft Power Platform Fundamentals PL-900 exam, this concept tests your understanding of event-driven triggers versus scheduled or manual ones; a common trap is confusing "new item" with "modified item," since the latter only responds to changes in existing entries. Remember that any workflow requiring an immediate start upon submission must use a creation-based trigger. A helpful memory tip: think "New = Now" to recall that a new item trigger fires right when the data is first saved.
This PL-900 practice question tests your understanding of demonstrate the capabilities of power automate. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Power Automate to automate approval workflows for expense reports. When an expense report exceeds $5,000, the flow should send an email to the manager and then wait for approval before processing payment. Which type of trigger should be used to start the flow when a new expense report is submitted?
When an item is modified trigger
Why wrong: Incorrect: This trigger fires on updates, not creation.
Recurrence trigger
Why wrong: Incorrect: Recurrence triggers are scheduled, not event-based.
When a new item is created trigger
Correct: This trigger fires when a new item is added to a SharePoint list, Dataverse, etc.
Manual trigger
Why wrong: Incorrect: Manual triggers require user interaction.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
When a new item is created trigger
Option C is correct because the 'When a new item is created' trigger starts the flow when a new expense report is submitted. Option A is wrong because a scheduled trigger runs at specified times, not on item creation. Option B is wrong because a manual trigger requires a user to run the flow. Option D is wrong because 'When an item is modified' triggers on updates, not new items.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
When an item is modified trigger
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: This trigger fires on updates, not creation.
Recurrence trigger
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Recurrence triggers are scheduled, not event-based.
When a new item is created trigger
Why this is correct
Correct: This trigger fires when a new item is added to a SharePoint list, Dataverse, etc.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Manual trigger
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: Manual triggers require user interaction.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Identify which PL-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Automate — This question tests Demonstrate the capabilities of Power Automate — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: When a new item is created trigger — Option C is correct because the 'When a new item is created' trigger starts the flow when a new expense report is submitted. Option A is wrong because a scheduled trigger runs at specified times, not on item creation. Option B is wrong because a manual trigger requires a user to run the flow. Option D is wrong because 'When an item is modified' triggers on updates, not new items.
Identify which PL-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Same concept, more angles
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your organization uses Power Automate to automate approval workflows in SharePoint. When a user creates a new item in a SharePoint list, an approval request should be sent to their manager. However, some approvals are not being triggered. What is the most likely cause?
mediumWhy B: The SharePoint trigger 'When an item is created' must be set to trigger only on new items, not on changes. A common misconfiguration is setting the trigger to 'When an item is created or modified', which can cause missed triggers if the item is created and then quickly modified. Option A is incorrect because SharePoint triggers do not require a premium license for basic actions. Option C is incorrect because permissions to the list do not affect the trigger's ability to fire. Option D is incorrect because the delay is unrelated to the trigger configuration.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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