Create your first automation

Create an automation when one stable job should run independently and every occurrence should have its own history. Begin with a manual trigger; Run now uses the same definition and execution path as a scheduled run.

1. Define one occurrence

Open Automations and select New automation. Enter a clear name, an optional operational description, and instructions that make one run self-contained.

Good instructions identify:

1. the inputs or systems to inspect;
2. the time window or selection rule;
3. the analysis or decision to make;
4. the artifact or message to produce;
5. where the result should go; and
6. what to do when there is nothing to report.

Choose an existing project when the job should use its instructions, files, memory, skills, or connector activations. Leaving the project unset creates an unlisted project for the automation.

2. Keep the first trigger manual

Leave Frequency set to Manual. Choose a model and reasoning level only when the workspace default is not appropriate, then create the automation.

The detail page shows the definition, project context, trigger, and run history. Confirm that the intended project and capabilities appear before starting work.

3. Run and inspect

Select Run now. Open the new history entry and review the full run: progress, evidence, tool calls, approvals, generated material, usage, and terminal result.

A successful final answer is not enough if the automation consulted the wrong source or delivered to the wrong destination. Correct the instructions, project context, connector activation, or tool policy and run it again.

4. Test the empty and failure paths

Run with input that should produce no action and verify that the automation exits cleanly rather than inventing work. Also test a missing or inaccessible input so the result explains the blocker and preserves useful evidence.

Where connector operation controls are available, keep writes ask-gated until these cases are predictable. Otherwise remove write access from the external account or keep the workflow interactive.

5. Add the schedule

Edit the automation and change Frequency to No repeat, Hourly, Daily, or Weekly. Daily and weekly schedules use the selected wall-clock time and browser timezone. Confirm the displayed next run before leaving the page.

Use Run now for additional tests even after scheduling. Pause or edit the automation when its inputs, destination, or review owner change. See Automation schedules and runs for concurrency and missed-slot behavior.