Incorrect condition setup – Conditions in the flow are not set up correctly, causing failure

In Power Automate, conditions are used to control the flow of actions based on logic. The error “Incorrect Condition Setup” occurs when:

The condition logic is not evaluating correctly.
The flow takes an unintended path, causing failures.
The condition checks incorrect values or uses wrong operators.
The condition fails due to missing or null values.

This guide explains:
🔹 Common causes of incorrect condition setup
🔹 How to diagnose and fix condition errors
🔹 Best practices to prevent condition failures

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Step 1: Understanding Conditions in Power Automate

A condition in Power Automate follows this structure:

🔹 IF (Expression) is TRUE → Do Action A
🔹 IF (Expression) is FALSE → Do Action B

For example, a flow may:
✔ Check if an email contains a keyword before forwarding it.
✔ Determine if an approval request is accepted or rejected.
✔ Verify if a SharePoint item exists before updating it.

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Step 2: Diagnosing the Incorrect Condition Setup Error

2.1. Check Flow Run History for Condition Failures

1. Open Power Automate (https://make.powerautomate.com).
2. Navigate to My Flows → Select the failing flow.
3. Click Run History and open a failed run.
4. Identify the condition that failed and check:
   • What value was received?
   • What condition was applied?
   • Did the condition evaluate incorrectly?

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Step 3: Fixing Incorrect Condition Setup

3.1. Verify the Condition Logic

Problem: The condition uses wrong operators or incorrect comparisons.

Solution:

• Check if the condition uses the correct operator (e.g., equals, greater than, contains).
• Ensure the right value type is being compared (e.g., number vs. text).

🔹 Example: Checking if a value is greater than 10

Expression: if(outputs('GetItem')?['value'] > 10, 'Yes', 'No')

Correct: greater than (>)
Incorrect: equals (=)

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3.2. Handle Null or Missing Values

Problem: The condition fails due to null or missing data from a previous step.

Solution:

• Use the “Coalesce” function to provide a default value if data is missing.
• Check if the value exists before using it in the condition.

Example: Avoiding null errors with Coalesce

coalesce(outputs('GetItem')?['body/value'], 'Default Value')

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3.3. Check for Case Sensitivity Issues

Problem: The condition fails because text comparisons are case-sensitive.

Solution:

• Convert both values to lowercase or uppercase before comparing.

Example: Case-insensitive comparison

toLower(outputs('GetItem')?['body/status']) == 'approved'

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3.4. Ensure Boolean Conditions Use Correct Values

Problem: The condition is checking a boolean (true/false) value incorrectly.

Solution:

• If checking a true/false condition, avoid using "Yes" or "No".
• Use explicit boolean values instead.

🔹 Example: Correct boolean comparison

Expression: outputs('PreviousAction')?['body/approved'] == true

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3.5. Check Condition Placement & Logic Order

Problem: The flow logic is incorrect, causing an unintended path to execute.

Solution:

• Ensure conditions are placed after necessary data is retrieved.
• If multiple conditions exist, use nested conditions or Switch cases instead of separate conditions.

Example: Nested Conditions
✔ First, check if an item exists.
✔ Then, check if the item meets criteria.
✔ Finally, perform an action based on the result.

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Step 4: Preventing Incorrect Condition Setup Errors

✅ 4.1. Use Expressions to Validate Data Before Conditions

• Use “Is Null”, “Coalesce”, or “Empty” checks before running conditions.
• Example:

if(empty(outputs('GetItem')?['body/value']), 'No Data', outputs('GetItem')?['body/value'])

✅ 4.2. Use Test Runs to Validate Condition Outcomes

• Run test flows with sample data before deployment.
• Check the Condition evaluation in Run History.

✅ 4.3. Implement Error Handling for Condition Failures

• Use “Run After” settings to handle condition failures.
• Example: If a condition fails, send an alert email.

✅ 4.4. Simplify Complex Conditions

• If a condition is too complex, break it into multiple smaller conditions.
• Consider using Switch cases instead of multiple If conditions.

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Step 5: Setting Up Alerts for Condition Failures

To detect condition failures early, set up an alert:

1. Add a “Condition” action before a critical step.
2. If the expected input is missing, send an email alert.
3. Example: If outputs(‘PreviousAction’)?[‘body/value’] is empty → Send alert email “Condition Setup Error Detected!”