How to Run/Schedule Automations

How to Use the Workspaces

Itential Automation Service is designed to minimize the effort it takes to find an automation and run/schedule it. The process to run and schedule automations can be initiated from the UI in any of these workspaces:

• Operations
• Automations
• Activities

Operations Workspace

Automations can run and be scheduled from these sections of the Operations Workspace:

• Quick Run
• Frequent Automations
• Completed Automations

Figure 3

Quick Run

In the Quick Run section, start by typing the name of the automation in the input field next to the Go button to be presented with some options that match and show which gateway the automation comes from. Next, select the appropriate automation and then choose to Run or Schedule it. Finally, click Go and the user will be presented with a Run/Schedule form.

ⓘ Note: Additional information about the form is available in the Automation Run/Schedule Form section.

Frequent Automations

The 25 automations that are run most frequently in the past 30 days are shown here in order of most frequent to least frequent.

From any frequent automation, click the icon to open the Run/Schedule form with the Run option pre-selected.

Use the toggle to turn the Schedule option "On" to create a schedule run rather than running the automation right away.

Completed Automations

All automations that have initiated and completed running are presented under Completed Automations. They are listed in order of most recently completed to oldest completed.

From any completed automation, click the stacked dots (⋮) menu icon and select the option to run the automation again with its attributes pre-populated to the Re-Run value, or set to empty (Run New).

• Re-Run opens the Run/Schedule form with the Run option pre-selected. Defined inputs for the automation are pre-populated with inputs from the completed automation.

• Run New opens the Run/Schedule form with the Run option pre-selected. The defined inputs for the automation are empty and must be completed (filled in).

Use the toggle to turn the Schedule option "On" to create a schedule run rather than immediately running the automation.

Completed Automations are historical records of past automations that have been run. It is possible that a completed automation started from an automation that no longer exists, or the user no longer has permission to access it. It is also possible that the automation still exists, but its inputs have changed.

If a user tries to Run New or Re-Run an automation that no longer exists, or they no longer have permission to access it anymore, the user will be informed they cannot continue.

• If the user no longer has access to the automation, contact a manager or Itential Cloud administrator to determine if access should be granted.

• If the automation does not exist, then contact a manager, Itential Cloud administrator, or the owner of the Itential Automation Gateway that hosted the automation to determine why it is no longer available.

Automation Workspace

The Automation Workspace is where users can go to see what automations are available across all of the gateways to which access has been given. This workspace allows users to view automations using a Grid or Table view. Users can also search for a particular automation, or scroll through to see which automations are available. When users select an automation, extra information about the automation such as its input parameters will be shown. From either view, users can also Run or Schedule an automation.

Activities Workspace

The Activities Workspace is where users go when they want to see:

• All Completed automations, whether successfully or not.

• All automations Scheduled to run some time in the future.

• All automations which are Currently running but have not completed.

Users are limited to viewing only Completed automations, Scheduled automations, and Running automations they have access to see. What this means is that as long as a user has read access to a gateway, that user can see these automation activities (tabs).

Figure 4

ⓘ Note: You can run or schedule automations from the Running or Completed tabs, but not from the Scheduled tab.

Automation Activity Tracking

All automations that were initiated and that are still running, or that have completed running, are presented under the Running and Completed tabs. By default, they are ordered from most recent to oldest.

In both tabs, when selecting the menu (⋮) icon for any automation that is running or completed (regardless of Status), you can run the automation via Launch New Instance or Re-Run the automation. Selecting the Quick View or View All Parameters option displays its input parameters in a pop-up window. Use the Export Output to export schema information in JSON file format.

How to Use the Automation Run/Schedule Form

You can run your automations right away, or they can be scheduled for later, using the Schedule form.

Figure 5

Descriptor Field

Enter text here that will be associated with the automation run or schedule. Make it meaningful so that it can be used to distinguish completed automations from each other when they come from the same automation.

Automation Parameters

Use this section of the form to declare one or more required (or optional) parameters. The form enforces whatever input restrictions and validations you want defined. If you are unsure of what values to use for the inputs, please check with your administrator.

Scheduling

Running and scheduling automations is handled from this area of the form. If you want to run an automation right away, make sure the Enable Schedule toggle is "Off". Click the Run button that is enabled (displayed) at the bottom of the form once all required criteria for the automation parameters have been met.

If you want to run the automation on a schedule instead of right away, make sure the Enable Schedule toggle is "On". This will provide scheduling options, including the option to run a repeating schedule.

Itential recommends that you create as many scheduled executions as needed for the same automation. This allows you to customize the schedule if its complex, or to set up different automation parameters to be sent on a scheduled run.

Once you are satisfied with the schedule, recurrence frequency, and time/date requirements of the automation parameters, click the enabled Schedule button to finalize the automation schedule.