> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.z360.biz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create and Manage AI Studio Automations

> Create scheduled or connected-app AI Studio Automations, control access and status, review runs, and troubleshoot common setup issues.

### **Overview**

AI Studio Automations let the main agent run without starting a manual Ask Z chat. Use them for recurring operational checks or connected-app events that should trigger an AI workflow.

Automations live in **Settings > AI Studio > Automations** and are available to teammates who can manage AI Studio.

### **When to Use Automations**

Create an automation when you need Z360 to:

* Review a queue or report on a recurring schedule
* Follow up when a connected app event occurs
* Respond when work is created inside Z360
* Run a consistent set of main-agent instructions
* Keep private automations separate from shared organization workflows

Use a custom AI Expert instead when the workflow needs a named specialist with its own prompt, allowed apps, skills, intelligence settings, or Inbox expert behavior.

### **Automation Types**

| Type         | Use it for                                                                        |
| ------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Schedule** | Runs the main agent on a recurring schedule.                                      |
| **Trigger**  | Runs the main agent when a supported connected-app event or Z360 activity occurs. |

The Automations list shows each automation's **Title**, **Configuration**, **Status**, **Last run**, and **Next run**. You can search automations and filter by **Type**, **Status**, and **Access**.

### **Create a Scheduled Automation**

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **AI Studio > Automations**.
3. Click the dropdown next to **Add Automation**.
4. Choose **Schedule**.
5. Enter a clear **Title**.
6. Choose **Access**:
   * **Organization** shares the automation with the organization.
   * **Private** keeps it visible only to you.
7. Open **Schedule settings**.
8. Choose the **Timezone**.
9. Choose a repeat option: **Hourly**, **Daily**, **Weekly**, or **Custom**.
10. For daily or weekly schedules, choose the run time. For weekly schedules, choose the weekdays.
11. Add **Instructions** that tell the main agent what to do when the automation runs.
12. Choose the automation **Approval policy** and **Intelligence level** when those controls are available.
13. Set the automation to **Active** or **Paused**.
14. Click **Save**.

For **Custom** schedules, enter an RRULE only if your team is comfortable with recurring-rule syntax. Review the timezone before saving so the automation runs at the expected local time.

### **Run a Schedule Manually**

Open a saved scheduled automation and click **Run now** when you want to start it outside the normal schedule.

**Run now** is available only when:

* The automation is a **Schedule**
* The automation is **Active**
* The schedule is valid
* There are no unsaved changes

If the button is disabled, save changes first and confirm the automation is active.

### **Create a Connected-App Trigger Automation**

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **AI Studio > Automations**.
3. Click the dropdown next to **Add Automation**.
4. Choose **Trigger**.
5. Enter a clear **Title**.
6. Choose **Access**.
7. Under **Trigger settings**, click **Select connected account and event**.
8. Search or choose the connected account.
9. Choose the event that should start the automation.
10. Fill in required **Trigger configuration** fields.
11. Expand **Optional fields** only when the integration needs additional filters or setup.
12. Add **Instructions** that tell the main agent what to do when the event occurs.
13. Choose the automation **Approval policy** and **Intelligence level** when those controls are available.
14. Set the automation to **Active** or **Paused**.
15. Click **Save**.

Trigger automations use connected accounts that are visible for the selected access level. Private automations can use private user-scoped accounts. Organization automations use organization-visible accounts.

### **Create a Z360 Activity Trigger Automation**

Use a Z360 activity trigger when the automation should start from work created inside Z360 instead of from a connected app.

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **AI Studio > Automations**.
3. Click the dropdown next to **Add Automation**.
4. Choose **Trigger**.
5. Enter a clear **Title**.
6. Choose **Access**.
7. Under **Trigger settings**, choose the Z360 option.
8. Select the event that should start the automation.
9. Add **Instructions** that tell the main agent what to do with the new record.
10. Set the automation to **Active** or **Paused**.
11. Click **Save**.

Supported Z360 activity events include **Contact created**, **Conversation created**, **Inquiry created**, **Note created**, **Reminder created**, and **Ticket created**.

These triggers are useful for tasks such as summarizing every new inquiry, checking newly created tickets for missing details, preparing follow-up after a reminder is created, or routing new conversations for review.

### **Create a Conversation Tag Trigger Automation**

Use **Conversation tag applied** when a tag added to a conversation should start main-agent work.

1. Open **Settings**.
2. Go to **AI Studio > Automations**.
3. Click the dropdown next to **Add Automation**.
4. Choose **Trigger**.
5. Enter a clear **Title**.
6. Choose **Access**.
7. Under **Trigger settings**, choose the Z360 trigger source.
8. Select **Conversation tag applied**.
9. In **Conversation tags**, leave the field empty to run for any conversation tag, or choose one or more tags to run only for those tags.
10. Add **Instructions** that tell the main agent what to do when the tag is applied.
11. Set the automation to **Active** or **Paused**.
12. Click **Save**.

Only newly applied conversation tags start this trigger. If a tag is already on a conversation before the automation is active, remove and reapply the tag or start the work manually.

### **Pause, Edit, or Delete an Automation**

Open an automation from the list to edit it.

* Use **Active** or **Paused** to control whether it runs.
* Update **Title**, **Access**, schedule settings, trigger configuration, **Approval policy**, **Intelligence level**, or **Instructions**.
* Click **Save** after changes.
* Use **Delete automation** only when the automation should be removed.

For trigger automations, the original automation type, connected account, and event are fixed after creation. If those need to change, create a new trigger automation with the correct source.

Deleting an automation removes the automation configuration. Previous run threads remain available in global agent history.

### **Review Runs**

Open a saved automation to review:

* **Last run**
* **Next run** for active schedules
* **Previous runs** when recent activity is available

Use run history to confirm what the main agent did, whether a schedule fired as expected, and whether a trigger workflow needs clearer instructions.

### **Understand Automation Limits**

Organizations can have a limit on active Automations. If the active Automation limit is reached, Z360 explains that another Automation must be paused or deleted before you activate a new one.

Scheduled Automations also need enough spacing between runs. If a schedule is too close to another active scheduled Automation, adjust the schedule timing and save again.

### **Best Practices**

* Give each automation one clear job.
* Use specific instructions that can run without extra clarification.
* Keep sensitive or high-impact work paused until tested.
* Use stricter approval policies for customer-facing or record-changing automations until the workflow is proven.
* Use higher intelligence levels only when the task needs deeper reasoning or more complex tool use.
* Use **Private** for personal workflows and **Organization** for shared team workflows.
* Leave enough time between scheduled Automations so recurring work does not overlap unnecessarily.
* Leave **Conversation tags** empty only when every tag should start the automation.
* Review **Previous runs** after creating or changing an automation.
* Recheck trigger configuration after reconnecting or changing a connected account.