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Set up a workflow that handles consecutive or contiguous data chunks in Azure Logic Apps

Applies to: Azure Logic Apps (Consumption + Standard)

To set up a workflow that can handle data in consecutive or contiguous chunks, start your workflow with the Sliding Window trigger. To start the workflow, you can set a date and time and a time zone. To repeat the workflow, set up the recurrence. If recurrences are missed for any reason, such as disruptions or disabled workflows, this trigger processes those missed recurrences.

For example, to keep data synchronized between your database and backup storage, use the Sliding Window trigger so that the data gets synchronized without incurring gaps.

Here are some patterns that this trigger supports:

  • Run immediately and repeat every n number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months.
  • Start at a specific date and time, then run and repeat every n number of seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months. With this trigger, you can specify a start time in the past, which runs all past recurrences.
  • Delay each recurrence for a specific duration before running.

For more information about the Schedule built-in triggers and actions, including differences between this trigger and the Recurrence trigger, and about ways to schedule recurring workflows, see Schedules for recurring triggers in Azure Logic Apps workflows.

Prerequisites

Add Sliding Window trigger

  1. In the Azure portal, open your logic app resource, which requires a blank workflow so you can add a trigger.

  2. Based on whether you have a Consumption or Standard logic app, follow the corresponding steps:

    • Consumption

      1. On the resource sidebar, under Development Tools, select the designer to open the workflow.

      2. On the designer, select Add a trigger.

    • Standard

      1. On the resource sidebar, under Workflows, select Workflows.

      2. On the Workflows page, select the blank workflow.

      3. On the workflow sidebar, under Tools, select the designer to open the workflow.

      4. On the designer, select Add a trigger.

  3. Follow the general steps to add the Schedule trigger named Sliding Window to your workflow.

    Screenshot shows designer with unconfigured trigger named Sliding Window.

  4. In the How often do you want to check for items? section, enter the interval and frequency for the recurrence. For this example, set these parameters to run your workflow every week.

    Screenshot shows trigger parameters where you set the interval and frequency.

    Parameter JSON name Required Type Description
    Interval interval Yes Integer An integer that describes how often the workflow runs based on the frequency. Here are the minimum and maximum intervals:

    - Month: 1-16 months
    - Week: 1-71 weeks
    - Day: 1-500 days
    - Hour: 1-12,000 hours
    - Minute: 1-72,000 minutes
    - Second: 1-9,999,999 seconds
    For example, if the interval is 6, and the frequency is Month, the recurrence is every six months.
    Frequency frequency Yes String The unit of time for the recurrence: Second, Minute, Hour, Day, Week, or Month

    Next to Advanced parameters, select Show all to see available parameters.

    Screenshot shows all the parameters that you can set for this trigger.

    Besides Interval and Frequency, this trigger has the following options:

    Parameter Required JSON name Type Description
    Delay No delay String The duration to delay each recurrence using the ISO 8601 date time specification
    Time zone No timeZone String Applies only when you specify a start time because this trigger doesn't accept UTC offset. Select the time zone that you want to apply.
    Start time No startTime String Provide a start date and time in this format:

    YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ss if you select a time zone

    -or-

    YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ if you don't select a time zone

    For example, if you want September 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM, specify "2025-09-18T14:00:00", and select a time zone such as Pacific Standard Time. Or, specify "2025-09-18T14:00:00Z" without a time zone.

    Note: This start time must follow the ISO 8601 date time specification in UTC date time format, but without a UTC offset. If you don't select a time zone, add the letter "Z" at the end without any spaces. This "Z" refers to the equivalent nautical time.

    For simple schedules, the start time is the first occurrence, while for advanced recurrences, the trigger doesn't fire any sooner than the start time. See What are the ways that I can use the start date and time?

  5. Now build your remaining workflow with other actions.

View workflow definition - Sliding Window

Your logic app's underlying workflow definition uses JSON. To view the Sliding Window trigger definition with the values that you set up, on the designer toolbar, select Code view. To return to the designer, on the code view toolbar, select Designer.

This example shows how a Sliding Window trigger definition might look in an underlying workflow definition if the delay is five seconds for an hourly recurrence:

"triggers": {
   "Recurrence": {
      "type": "SlidingWindow",
      "Sliding_Window": {
         "inputs": {
            "delay": "PT5S"
         },
         "recurrence": {
            "frequency": "Hour",
            "interval": 1,
            "startTime": "2019-05-13T14:00:00Z",
            "timeZone": "Pacific Standard Time"
         }
      }
   }
}

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