Every agent flow starts with a trigger, followed by at least one action. Three types cover almost everything. A manual (instant) trigger runs on demand, which is handy while you build and test. A scheduled trigger runs on a recurrence you set, the direct equivalent of a Claude scheduled task. An event-based trigger fires when something else happens.
Microsoft's own example of an event-based trigger: your manager sends an email (the trigger), and Copilot posts a message in Teams (the action). One event-based trigger matters most for agents: "When an agent calls the flow". It lets an agent run the flow mid-conversation as a tool and use the result in its answer. With a scheduled trigger, check the time zone and run a manual test before you rely on it.