This section documents the "Battle Scars", the errors encountered during development and how they were solved.
- Symptoms: Flow crashed immediately during the API call step.
- Root Cause: The Principal access was not assigned to the user profile/permission set.
- Resolution: Created a Permission Set
OMDb_API_Access, added theOMDb_External - OMDb_Principalto the External Credential Principal Access section, and assigned the set to the user.
- Symptoms: The flow ran, but the OMDb response returned
{"Response":"False","Error":"Invalid API key!"}. - Root Cause: The API key was generated but not activated via the OMDb confirmation email.
- Resolution: Located the activation email, clicked the verification link, and verified the key using a direct browser URL test:
http://www.omdbapi.com/?t=Tenet&apikey=XXXXX
- Symptoms: When debugging the flow, a message stated:
"This automation has no variables that allow input access." - Root Cause: The Screen Component variable was not explicitly marked as "Available for Input."
- Resolution: Identified that Screen Flows can be debugged by simply clicking Run instead of trying to pass variables manually in the debug setup, or by checking the "Available for Input" box in the Variable Manager.
- Symptoms: Searching for the same movie multiple times created multiple identical records.
- Root Cause: Missing "Pre-Check" logic in the flow.
- Resolution: Added a Get Records element at the start of the flow to search for existing titles. Implemented a Decision Element to branch:
- Outcome – Yes: Skip API call and alert user.
- Outcome – No: Proceed with API call and record creation.