Flow execution exceeded time limits – The flow took longer than the allowed maximum execution time

Power Automate allows users to automate tasks across Microsoft and third-party applications. However, flows have execution time limits, and if a flow takes longer than allowed, it will time out and fail.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to diagnose and fix the “Flow Execution Exceeded Time Limits” error in Power Automate.

Step 1: Understanding Power Automate Execution Time Limits

1.1. Default Time Limits in Power Automate

The execution time limit for a flow depends on the Power Automate plan:

Standard Plan – Flows time out after 30 minutes.
Premium Plan (Per-User/Per-Flow) – Flows time out after 60 minutes.
Enterprise (Power Automate Process Plan) – Flows can run for up to 24 hours.

1.2. Common Causes of Flow Timeouts

Flows may exceed time limits due to:

Loops processing large datasets (e.g., iterating over thousands of items).
Slow or unresponsive API calls that delay execution.
Long-running approvals or waiting conditions.
Heavy data operations in SharePoint, SQL, or Dataverse.

Step 2: Identifying the Issue

2.1. Check the Flow Run History

Open Power Automate (https://make.powerautomate.com).
Click on My Flows → Select the affected flow.
Go to Run History → Open a failed run.
Look for the error message “Flow execution exceeded time limits.”

2.2. Identify Long-Running Actions

Scroll through the flow execution timeline and find actions that took too long to complete.

Loops or Apply to Each steps with large datasets.
Delays or Approval actions that are pending for too long.
Slow external API or database queries.

Step 3: Resolving the Issue

3.1. Optimize Loops and Reduce Dataset Size

If a flow is processing too many records:

Use Filters to limit records before using Apply to Each.
Use Parallelism to speed up loop execution:
1. Open Apply to Each step.
2. Click Settings → Enable Concurrency Control.
3. Increase the degree of parallelism (e.g., 20).

3.2. Use Pagination and Batching for Large Data Retrieval

If fetching thousands of records from SharePoint, Dataverse, or SQL:

Open the List Records/Get Items action.
Enable Pagination and set a limit (e.g., 5000).
Process the data in smaller batches.

3.3. Reduce API Call and Query Execution Time

If an API call or SQL query is taking too long:

Optimize the query (use indexes, filters, and limit results).
Use Asynchronous API calls if supported.

3.4. Avoid Long Approval Timeouts

If an Approval step is delaying the flow:

Set reminders or escalation policies to speed up response time.
Use timeout settings to automatically reassign approvals.

3.5. Increase Flow Time Limit with Premium Plans

If the flow needs more time:

Upgrade to Power Automate Premium or Process Plan (allows up to 24 hours).
Split the flow into multiple flows for better performance.

Step 4: Advanced Troubleshooting

4.1. Break Long Flows into Smaller Sub-Flows

Instead of one large flow, use child flows to distribute workload.
Use Power Automate’s Parent-Child Flow design pattern.

4.2. Use Power Automate RPA (UI Flows) for Long-Running Processes

For automations requiring extended execution, consider using Power Automate RPA instead of cloud flows.

4.3. Using Azure Logic Apps for Heavy Workloads

If your automation requires longer execution time, consider Azure Logic Apps, which support longer execution limits.

Step 5: Preventing Future Time Limit Issues

5.1. Best Practices for Flow Optimization

Use filtering and pagination – Reduce data size before processing.
Enable concurrency in loops – Speed up bulk operations.
Optimize API and database queries – Avoid slow responses.
Use timeout settings on approvals – Prevent long wait times.
Break large flows into smaller flows – Improve performance and manageability.

5.2. Regularly Monitor Flow Performance

Review Run History for slow executions.
Use Power Automate analytics to identify bottlenecks.
Set up alerts for flow failures to quickly resolve issues.