What are Triggered Actions?

Triggered Actions allow configuring actions that are applied to a list or library when an event occurs (e.g., add, update, or add/update) and a condition evaluates to true.
Triggered Actions are a SharePoint Online exclusive feature.

Key features

• Execute actions on trigger: Item Added, Item Updated, Item Added & Updated, Folder Added, HTTP Request
  Examples: send email notifications or update items when an event occurs
• Serial execution of multiple actions
• Define execution condition on each action
• Use the [[FieldName.isChanged]] placeholder to execute a Triggered Action only if the field value changed

Configuration UI

Triggered Actions can be found on the “Things in Background” tab. Configure them like a rule to plan automated executions using a set of powerful action types.

Note: Triggered Actions work only when item versioning is enabled.
     

Wizard: Creating a Triggered Action

1. Details
   The first step you see in the wizard.
   Note: Triggered Actions are created for the current list.
   
   
   
2. Triggers
   
   Configure the item event trigger:
   • Item Added – actions run when an item is added or a document is uploaded
   • Item Updated – actions run when an item is updated and the item/file version increases
   • Item Added & Updated – actions run on add and on updates where the version increases
   • Folder Added – actions run when a folder is created in a list or library
   • HTTP Request – actions run when an HTTP request is sent to the specified URL
     
     
     

   Note: Triggered Actions will execute as many times as updates were made to the item.

3. Actions
   Configure actions here. Clicking “Configure Actions” opens the Action Builder.
   
   
   
4. Overview
   Clicking “Finish” on the Overview step creates the Triggered Action.
   
   
   

History / Execution history

In the History tab you can view the execution history. The “Export history” button allows exporting the history to a .txt file.

Important: “Execute triggered actions”

By default, all Background Features executions (Aggregation, Metadata Inheritance, Calculated Expressions, Scheduled Actions, and Triggered Actions) do not activate triggered action execution.

There is an option “Execute triggered actions” that allows triggered actions to execute based on the current calculated value configuration.
Note: This option is visible in the UI only if versioning is enabled.

Best practice: check field changes

The recommended best practice is to use “Execute triggered actions” together with a condition on field change to reduce unnecessary executions. For this, the [[FieldName.isChanged]] placeholders return true/false for each field.

HTTP Request trigger type configuration

The HTTP Request trigger type allows you to execute one or more actions when an HTTP request is sent to a specified URL.

How to configure the HTTP Request trigger

1. In the Triggers step, select the HTTP Request trigger type.
2. The system automatically generates the URL and API key for the request:
   • The API key is the basis for HTTP authorization.
   • The API key can be used as a URL parameter code or in the x-trigger-key request header.
   • If needed, the API key can be renewed.
     
     
     

HTTP Trigger action & output values

When the HTTP Request trigger is configured, an HTTP Trigger action is added automatically in the Actions step. It populates output values from the incoming HTTP request data. These outputs can be used in subsequent actions.

Available output values

Processing files from HTTP requests

If your HTTP request includes files, use the Store File action to retrieve and process the files received.

To configure an HTTP request from an external system, refer to the relevant article that provides step-by-step instructions.

Background features loop handling

Complex background feature configurations can create loops, especially when the “Execute triggered actions” option is enabled for some calculated values.

To address this, a loop detection functionality runs whenever the configuration is saved. You are prevented from saving if a loop is detected, and you are given information about the loop source.

Typical resolutions

• Disable “Execute triggered actions” for the calculated value (only when versioning is enabled)
• Change lists/columns for calculated value configurations
• Change trigger type and/or actions for the triggered actions

Once there is no loop threat anymore, the configuration can be saved.

Triggered Actions on deployment

If a Triggered Action throws an error continuously (e.g., the list is deleted), the Triggered Action will be deactivated. To reactivate it, click “Reactivate execution” in the Deployment Maintenance tab for the selected deployment.

To open History logs, click on your Triggered Action (e.g., “create onboarding tasks”).

HTTP Request trigger type maintenance

If the Triggered Action uses the HTTP Request trigger type, the URL and API key required to trigger it can be found in the Publish tab under Deployment Maintenance.

NOTE: Further updates to a Triggered Action (except changing its title) will not change the URL and API key parameters on the target site.