Automations
Start runs on a schedule, when a Linear issue gets a label, or when someone posts in a Slack channel.
An automation starts a run in its factory without anyone asking. Open Automations under a factory in the sidebar to see and manage its automations.
Create an automation
Select New on the Automations page, then fill in:
Name
Trigger
Choose what starts a run under Start a run. See Triggers.
Starting agent
Foreman by default, or one of the specialists: Triage, Spec, Implement or Review. With a specialist, Foreman hands the task to it first. The specialist must still be part of the factory. Custom agents can’t be picked.
Instructions
What should happen on each run, up to 8,000 characters. They’re sent to the starting agent along with the details of whatever triggered the run.
Turn on right away is on by default. Select Create automation to save it.
To start an automation from an agent instead, open the agent and select New automation under Automations on its Overview tab. The agent is then picked as the starting agent.
Triggers
On a schedule
Repeat sets how often:
| Option | Runs |
|---|---|
| Every hour | At the start of every hour |
| Every day | Once a day, at the time you set |
| Every weekday | Monday to Friday, at the time you set |
| Every week | On the day and at the time you set |
| Custom (cron) | On a five-field cron expression |
A cron expression has five fields: minute, hour, day of month, month and day of week. For example, 0 9 * * 1-5 runs at 9:00 on weekdays.
Times use your browser’s time zone when you create the automation, and the automation keeps that time zone when edited later.
Linear issue labeled
Runs when an issue in the chosen Linear Team gets a Label with this name (capitalization doesn’t matter), whether the label is added when the issue is created or later. The run gets the issue’s ID, title, link and description.
The factory needs at least one Linear team first. See Linear.
Slack message
Runs when someone posts a new message in the chosen Channel. Thread replies, edited messages, messages from bots, and messages that mention the factory’s @handle don’t count. The run gets the message text.
The factory needs its Slack app first. See Slack. A public channel is joined when you save. For a private channel, invite @handle to it before you save.
Manage automations
The Automations page lists each automation with its trigger, its last run and an Enabled switch. Turn an automation off to stop it starting runs, and back on to schedule its next run from now.
Select an automation’s name to edit it. Its page also has:
- Run now, which starts a run straight away, credited to you, even if the automation is turned off.
- Delete, which removes the automation. Runs it already started stay in Runs.
Automation runs show up in Runs under the Automation source, titled with the automation’s name. Nobody watches them live, so the agents are told to finish the task without asking questions.