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How to manually trigger an automation in a project

All about configuring an automation with a manual trigger, and how to manually start it in a project

Updated over 3 weeks ago

For enhanced control over when an automation starts running, you can create an automation with a manual trigger. Automations configured with this trigger will not automatically run in projects and instead, will only run when you manually trigger them from specific projects.

To manually trigger an automation in a project, you’ll need to:

📚 Tip

This article covers Automations 2.0, HoneyBook's new automations builder with conditional logic, 3rd party app integrations, and more. Learn more about Automations 2.0 here.


Set up and activate your automation

  1. Get started building an automation

  2. Set the automation trigger to Manual trigger

  3. Continue building out your automation as needed

  4. Be sure to Activate the automation to make it available

Your automation is now activated. Though it’s active, it will not automatically run in projects. You can start manually triggering it in the projects of your choice.


Manually trigger an automation in a project

From a project workspace

  1. Open the project in which you’d like to manually trigger an automation: search using the search bar, or select the Projects tab to view your full list of projects

  2. Locate Automations under the Only visible to you section

  3. Click the plus (+) sign

    1. If automations are already running in the project, click the three dot icon > Trigger instead

  4. From the pop-up that appears, select the automation(s) you’d like to manually trigger in the project

    1. Only active automations with manual triggers will appear in this list

  5. Click Trigger Now to confirm

Your automation will start running in the project. You can keep track of all of your automation runs from the Activity tab.

From the pipeline

  1. Select Projects in the top navigation bar to be brought to your project pipeline

  2. Locate the project in which you’d like to manually trigger an automation

  3. By the project, select the three dot icon > Trigger automations

  4. From the pop-up that appears, select the automation(s) you’d like to manually trigger in the project

    1. Only active automations with manual triggers will appear in this list

  5. Click Trigger Now to confirm

Your automation will start running in the project. You can keep track of all of your automation runs from the Activity tab.


FAQ

Why is my automation not able to be manually triggered?

If your automation isn’t appearing in the list of available automations to manually trigger in a project, make sure that:

  1. The automation is active

    • Learn how to activate an automation here

  2. The automation has the trigger: “Manual trigger”

    • Learn how to configure an automation with this trigger here

Only active automations with manual triggers can be manually triggered from a project.

I have an existing automation, that does not have “manual trigger,” that I want to manually trigger in a project. How can I do this?

At this time, you cannot trigger any automation manually–only active automations configured with manual triggers.

If you have an existing automation that you’d like to manually trigger, consider duplicating the automation, adjusting the trigger to “manual trigger,” and then manually triggering it from the project of your choice.

Why would I want to create an automation with a manual trigger?

You may want to leverage this trigger if:

  • Your trigger (e.g. a phone call) isn’t available in HoneyBook

  • You want more control over when an automation starts running