The “Initialize Variable” action in Power Automate is used to create a variable, set its type, and provide an initial value. This is an essential step when you use variables in your flows. The action requires you to provide a name for the variable, choose its type (such as string, integer, float, boolean, object, or array), and assign an initial value.

Variables in Power Automate are converted to a specific type based on their content. Some of these data types are widely used, and understanding them can be key to creating successful flows.

After you have initialized a variable, you can change its value with the “Set Variable” action. However, it’s important to note that the “Initialize Variable” action can only be used at the top level of a flow, which has led to some users requesting the ability to initialize a variable within a condition.

There are also specialized uses of the “Initialize Variable” action for different types of variables. For example, there are specific steps to initialize an object variable or a string variable in Power Automate