In Power Automate, the error “Duplicate Trigger or Action” occurs when:
There are multiple triggers for a flow, causing conflicts.
The same action is repeated unnecessarily, leading to redundancy.
Multiple actions perform the same task, increasing complexity.
A flow loops back to the trigger, causing unintended re-executions.
This guide covers:
🔹 Common causes of duplicate triggers or actions
🔹 How to diagnose and fix redundancy issues
🔹 Best practices to optimize flow design
Step 1: Identifying Duplicate Triggers or Actions
1.1. Symptoms of Duplicate Triggers or Actions
✅ The flow runs multiple times for the same event unexpectedly.
✅ The flow contains repeated actions that could be merged.
✅ The flow fails due to conflicting triggers.
✅ The flow loops indefinitely, causing excessive runs.
1.2. Check Flow Structure for Duplicate Components
- Open Power Automate (https://make.powerautomate.com).
- Go to My Flows → Select the problematic flow.
- Click Edit and check:
- How many triggers exist.
- Whether an action is repeated multiple times unnecessarily.
- If the flow loops back to its own trigger.
Step 2: Fixing Duplicate Triggers
2.1. Ensure Only One Trigger Per Flow
Problem: The flow has multiple triggers, causing conflicts.
Solution:
- Keep only one trigger per flow.
- If multiple triggers are needed, create separate flows instead.
Example: Removing duplicate triggers
✔ Instead of using two “When an item is created” triggers for SharePoint, use one trigger and add conditions inside the flow.
2.2. Prevent Infinite Loops
Problem: The flow triggers itself repeatedly, causing a loop.
Solution:
- Use a condition to prevent re-triggering.
- Add a “Modified By” check to avoid triggering on system updates.
Example: Preventing trigger loops in SharePoint
✔ Instead of triggering on every update, use a condition:
If "Modified By" ≠ "Power Automate", then proceed.
Step 3: Fixing Duplicate Actions
3.1. Remove Redundant Actions
🚫 Problem: The flow has identical actions repeated multiple times.
Solution:
- Consolidate repeated actions into one step.
- Use variables to store values and reuse them.
Example: Merging duplicate actions
✔ Instead of using two “Send Email” actions, use one email action with dynamic content.
3.2. Optimize Loops to Avoid Duplicate Processing
Problem: The flow loops through the same data multiple times unnecessarily.
Solution:
- Use “Get Items” with filters instead of looping through all records.
- Store processed items in a variable to avoid re-processing.
Example: Reducing unnecessary looping
Instead of:
For each item in SharePoint List → Apply Condition → Update Item
Use:
Get filtered items (only necessary data) → Update directly
3.3. Handle Multiple Parallel Actions Efficiently
Problem: The flow has multiple parallel actions performing the same task.
Solution:
- Use “Parallel Branch” only when necessary.
- Merge actions into one conditional step instead.
Example: Avoiding redundant parallel processing
✔ Instead of creating two separate approval actions, merge them into a single approval process.
Step 4: Preventing Future Duplicate Trigger/Action Issues
✅ 4.1. Use Flow Run History to Detect Duplicates
- Check if the flow runs multiple times for the same event.
- Look for unnecessary repetitions in action logs.
✅ 4.2. Use Conditional Execution Instead of Duplicating Actions
- Instead of repeating an action, use conditions to execute it only when needed.
✅ 4.3. Use Child Flows for Reusable Actions
- If an action is used in multiple places, move it to a child flow instead of duplicating it.
✅ 4.4. Follow Power Automate Best Practices
- Ensure each flow has only one trigger.
- Merge duplicate actions using variables or expressions.
- Use filters and conditions to reduce unnecessary execution.