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Automations allow you to schedule flows and suites to run automatically based on triggers like new builds, time intervals, or specific schedules. This ensures continuous testing without manual work.

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What is an Automation?

An Automation defines when and how flows or suites should run automatically. Automations can be triggered by:
  • CI/CD Build Uploads: Run flows whenever a new app build is uploaded
  • Daily Schedule: Run flows at a specific time every day
  • Weekly Schedule: Run flows on a specific day and time each week
  • Intervals: Run flows at a custom interval (as frequent as every minute)

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Creating an Automation

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Step 1: Navigate to Automations

Click on Automations in the sidebar.

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Step 2: Click “Create Automation”

Click the Create Automation button in the top right.

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Step 3: Name Your Automation

Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Nightly Regression Flows”, “Smoke Flows on Build”)

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Step 4: Select an App

Choose which app the flows will run on.

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Step 5: Select a Device

For mobile apps, choose the execution target, device model, and OS version. Latest is the default for both device and OS, so each run uses the newest compatible option available at that time. Choose a specific model or OS to pin it. If a pinned selection is no longer available, the automation card shows the dispatch failure instead of silently using different hardware. For a two-device flow or suite, choose separate models and OS versions for Device 1 and Device 2. An automation can mix one-device and two-device targets: one-device targets run on Device 1. If a two-device flow later joins a label that an automation with a single device targets, that device selection is used for both of its devices.

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Step 6: Select Targets

Choose what to run: Option 1: Select Suites (Recommended)
  • Check one or more suites to run
  • Suites automatically stay up-to-date when flows are added or removed
  • Best for organized, maintainable automations
Option 2: Select Individual Flows
  • Check specific flows to run
  • Creates a fixed list of flows
  • Best for one-off or specific flow combinations
Option 3: Select Folders
  • Check one or more folders
  • Each time the automation runs, it runs whatever is in the folders at that moment, the same way running a folder does
  • If a folder is deleted, it matches nothing. When nothing is left to run, the automation shows “No runnable flows matched this automation”
  • When the build comes from a connected repo with code-managed tests turned on, a CI/CD automation runs the folders’ repo tests as they are at the build’s commit. Otherwise it runs the folders as they are in the dashboard
  • Repo tests in a folder the pull request renamed or deleted don’t run. Tests made in the dashboard and filed in that folder still run. If nothing is left, the GitHub check on the commit reports “No flows matched”
Using suites is recommended because your automation automatically includes new flows added to the suite later.

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Step 7: Configure Schedule

Choose when and how often the automation runs: CI/CD Build Upload - Runs when new builds are uploaded via CI/CD
  • Best for smoke flows on every build
  • No additional configuration needed
Daily - Runs once per day
  • Set time (e.g., 2:00 AM) and timezone (ET/CT/PT/UTC)
  • Best for nightly regression suites
Weekly - Runs once per week
  • Set day, time, and timezone (ET/CT/PT/UTC)
  • Best for comprehensive regression before releases
Interval - Runs at a custom interval
  • Choose from presets (5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 1 hr, etc.) or set a custom value
  • Start immediately or at a specific time in ET/CT/PT/UTC
  • Best for continuous monitoring
“Only Run on New Builds” (Optional)
  • Enable to skip runs if no new build was uploaded since the last run
  • Saves resources on unchanged builds
  • Useful for daily/weekly automations

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Step 8: Review and Create

Review the summary at the bottom of the dialog:
“Autosana will run [flows/suites] on [app name] [trigger schedule]”
Click Create Schedule to activate your automation.

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Managing Automations

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Running an Automation Manually

To trigger an automation immediately:
  1. Click the play icon (▶️) on the automation card
  2. Confirm you want to run it
  3. View results in the Runs page
This is useful for testing an automation or running it ad-hoc.

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Enabling/Disabling an Automation

Toggle the switch on the automation card:
  • Enabled (blue): Automation will run on schedule
  • Disabled (gray): Automation is paused
Disabling an automation keeps the configuration but prevents it from running.

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Automation Triggers in Detail

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CI/CD Trigger

How it works:
  • Monitors for new app or build uploads via CI/CD API
  • Automatically starts when a new build is detected
  • Runs immediately upon upload completion
Use cases:
  • Post-deployment validation
  • Continuous integration pipelines
  • Automated smoke flows
Example:
Learn how to set up our CI/CD integration →

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Daily Schedule

How it works:
  • Runs once every 24 hours at the specified time
  • Uses your selected timezone (ET, CT, PT, or UTC)
  • Calculates next run based on current time
Use cases:
  • Nightly regression suites
  • Daily health checks
  • Morning or evening validation
Example:

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Weekly Schedule

How it works:
  • Runs once per week on the specified day and time
  • Uses your selected timezone (ET, CT, PT, or UTC)
  • Ideal for less frequent, comprehensive suites
Use cases:
  • Weekly regression before releases
  • Weekend validation
  • Comprehensive flow suites
Example:

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Interval Schedule

How it works:
  • Repeats at a custom interval (minimum 1 minute, maximum 1 week)
  • Can start immediately or at a specific time in ET, CT, PT, or UTC
  • Continues running until disabled
Use cases:
  • High-frequency monitoring (every 1-15 minutes)
  • Continuous validation (every 1-2 hours)
  • Scheduled checks (every 12 hours)
Example:

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Best Practices

Use Suites for AutomationsAutomate suites rather than individual flows. When you add a flow to the suite, it’s automatically included in all related automations.
Enable “Only Run on New Builds”For daily/weekly automations, enable this option to skip runs when no new build has been uploaded since the last run.

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Next Steps