When should you use a polling trigger in Power Automate?

Using a polling trigger in Power Automate is appropriate for scenarios where there is a need to check for new data at specified intervals. Polling triggers operate on a scheduled basis, which means they periodically verify a designated source for updates or changes. This is particularly useful in situations where real-time notifications are not supported or when data needs to be retrieved from services that do not offer a dedicated event-based trigger.

In contrast, other options indicate different use cases for triggers. For instance, an immediate response to user input suggests a need for a different kind of trigger, such as an instant trigger that activates as soon as the input is received. Listening for real-time service events implies the use of a webhook or another mechanism that supports event-driven architecture, which is not compatible with polling. Lastly, executing tasks based on a manual trigger calls for a user-initiated flow, allowing users to trigger the workflow based on their actions, rather than relying on periodic checks. Thus, the polling trigger is uniquely suited to scenarios where timing and data retrieval intervals are fundamental.