How to Troubleshoot a Power Automate Flow That Suddenly Stopped Working
Question details
The user needs to identify and resolve why a Power Automate cloud flow has suddenly stopped working despite valid connections and no recent edits to the workflow.
- Product
- Power Automate
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Troubleshooting an inactive or failing cloud flow connected to SharePoint lists, Excel tables, or AI Builder actions.
- Observed behavior
- The cloud flow fails to run or stops functioning unexpectedly without any user-initiated changes.
Verify your internet connection and ensure that you still have the necessary read and write permissions to the connected services, such as SharePoint or the underlying Excel files.
Review Flow Run History and Connection References
Checking the run history provides specific error codes, while verifying connections ensures authentication has not expired.
Often, a flow stops working because a connected service requires re-authentication or a specific action failed during execution. The run history provides exact details on where the breakdown occurred.
Log into Power Automate, navigate to 'My flows' on the left menu, and click on the specific flow that has stopped working.
Look at the '28-day run history' section. Click on any run labeled 'Failed' to open the execution details and identify which step caused the error.
Go to 'Data' and select 'Connections' from the left sidebar. Look for any connections with a 'Fix connection' prompt and re-enter your credentials to authenticate.
Check for Service Incidents and AI Builder Action Errors
Global Microsoft service incidents or AI Builder updates can cause flows to fail without any user modifications.
Verify SharePoint Permissions and Excel Table Structure
Changes to the underlying data sources, such as altered SharePoint permissions or modified Excel table headers, will cause flows to fail instantly.
Manage Your Excel Tables Seamlessly with WPS Office
While troubleshooting automated workflows requires checking Power Automate, managing your connected Excel tables is easy with WPS Office. Enjoy a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for formatting data and structuring tables for your automation tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my Power Automate flow stop running without any error messages?
This usually happens if the trigger conditions are no longer being met due to a change in the source data. For example, if a SharePoint folder was renamed or an Excel table was converted back to a standard range, the flow will simply not trigger, resulting in no failed run history.
How do I check if a Microsoft service incident is affecting my flows?
Service incidents are posted in the Microsoft 365 admin center under 'Service health'. If you do not have admin access, you can check the Power Platform Community forums or the official Microsoft 365 Status account on X (formerly Twitter) for updates regarding global outages.
Can changes to an Excel table stop an automated workflow?
Yes. Power Automate relies on specific Excel Table structures (like table names and exact column headers). If a user renames a column, deletes a row containing referenced data, or alters the table name, the flow will fail with a 'Bad Request' or 'Item Not Found' error.
Do Power Automate flows expire if they are not used?
Yes, Microsoft may automatically turn off cloud flows that have not been triggered in 90 days. You will receive an email notification before a flow is suspended, and you can easily toggle it back on from the flow details page.
