Understanding default naming for Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger

This blog post is part of a 3-part series:

1. Understanding default naming for Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger (this post)
2. A uniform approach to Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger
3. Using JSON to optimize Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger

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When you’re using a Power Apps trigger in a Power Automate flow, the names of input parameters are generated automatically. Additionally, once you’ve created an input parameter, it’s impossible to rename it or even remove it when it’s not needed or used anymore.

In this series, I’m starting by explaining the pattern of the name that is generated for these input parameters. In the next blog posts, I’m looking at other ways of creating and generating these input parameters: a uniform approach and one that provides more flexibility afterwards.

How are input parameter names generated?

Power Automate input variables are automatically generated for the Power Apps trigger when you choose the “Ask in PowerApps” dynamic content in any of the actions in your flow. In the below example, I’m choosing this dynamic content in the “Id” field of the SharePoint “Get item” action.

This will create an input parameter with the name “Getitem_Id”. As you can see, the name that is being generated is the name of the action without the spaces, followed by an underscore and the name of the field in the action, also without spaces.

Some more examples below:

Sounds good, no?

There are a few things to consider. As soon as the input parameter is generated, it will be saved in your flow. If you remove it from the action, it will remain present in the trigger and therefore you’ll need to specify it when you’re calling this flow in a canvas app. If you rename the action, the input parameter will not be renamed.

Depending on whether you rename your actions or not, these names can also be too generic. Let’s say you have two “create item” actions in your flow. How will you differentiate between the input variables without looking at the flow each time? Or what about when you’re not sending an email in the flow anymore but switched to an approval and the variable is still called “Sendanemail(V2)_Subject”?

You can see why it could be a good idea to approach input parameters for Power Apps triggered flows in a different way. In the next two blog posts I’ll share two alternative approaches.

The first one is using a uniform approach to name input parameters so they are more meaningful: A uniform approach to Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger.

In the other I’m going a step further and providing a way to gain more flexibility so you’re not stuck with an input parameter when you don’t use it anymore: Using JSON to optimize Power Automate input parameters in the Power Apps trigger.