What is the Automation option?

We’ve built in an option to run processes using an “Automation” option rather than assigning to a Licensed User. The option to select Automation will be available to select as the “Run as” user when you edit a process. Automation can also be selected as an option when creating API keys. This means that you no longer need to run the process as one of your own Users, when you run the risk of the User’s password expiring or their licence being removed.

What can it be used for?

The Automation option can be used for any integrations that authenticate via an API key, or to run any Processes, providing that you are happy for any records being created to be assigned to “Automation”.

• API Keys - It can be selected for any new API keys, but you cannot change the owner of existing API keys – therefore anything that authenticates using the API will either need to continue as it is, or you will need to create a new API key assigned to Automation and then re-configure the integration to authenticate using the new API key created.
• Processes - It can be used to run Processes from. You will just need to select Automation as the Run as option.

What can’t it be used for?

There are some workflows and processes that the Automation option wouldn’t be suitable for. This is because the password is not visible to anyone and is unable to be changed, therefore;

• Any applications that authenticate using Email address and Password are unable to use this.
• You can’t use the Automation user to log into the desktop.
• It will not appear on your User list.

In addition to this, it will not be available to be selected within any Picklists for records, the only way a record will be assigned to Automation would be via the Process creating the records. Once a record has been created and assigned to Automation, it can be edited and saved while still being assigned to Automation, but once you change the Assigned to value, you can’t change it back to Automation.