Quick Answer
The correct answer is that a trigger and a Send an email action are the two required components. A trigger, specifically the “When an item is created” trigger for a SharePoint list, is essential because every Power Automate flow must start with an event that initiates execution; without it, the flow has no way to know when to run. The Send an email action then performs the desired task once the trigger fires, sending a notification based on the new list item. On the PL-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of flow anatomy—specifically that a trigger is the starting point and an action is the step that follows. A common trap is selecting two actions instead of one trigger and one action, so remember: every flow needs a “when” before a “do.” A helpful memory tip is “Trigger first, action last—no trigger, no blast.”
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.
Which TWO components are required to create a Power Automate flow that sends an email when a new item is added to a SharePoint list? (Choose two.)
A trigger
Correct. Every flow needs a trigger.
An approval action
Why wrong: Incorrect. Approval is not needed for sending email.
A variable
Why wrong: Incorrect. Variables are optional.
A condition
Why wrong: Incorrect. Condition is optional.
A Send an email action
Correct. This sends the email notification.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
A trigger
A trigger is required because a Power Automate flow must have a starting event to initiate execution. For a SharePoint list, the 'When an item is created' trigger fires automatically when a new item is added, which is the necessary first step before any actions can run.
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.
A trigger
Why this is correct
Correct. Every flow needs a trigger.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
An approval action
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Approval is not needed for sending email.
A variable
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Variables are optional.
A condition
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Condition is optional.
A Send an email action
Why this is correct
Correct. This sends the email notification.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often think a condition or approval is needed for any 'smart' automation, but the question only asks for the minimum components to send an email on item creation, which is just a trigger and an action.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the SharePoint trigger uses a webhook subscription to the list's event receiver, which sends a notification to Power Automate's connector service when an item is created. The 'Send an email' action leverages the Microsoft 365 Outlook connector, which calls the Graph API's /sendMail endpoint to deliver the message. In a real-world scenario, if the SharePoint list has a large number of columns, the trigger's output includes all field values, which can be dynamically inserted into the email body using expressions like @{triggerOutputs()?['body/Title']}.
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
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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: A trigger — A trigger is required because a Power Automate flow must have a starting event to initiate execution. For a SharePoint list, the 'When an item is created' trigger fires automatically when a new item is added, which is the necessary first step before any actions can run.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This PL-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PL-900 exam.
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