Define how an automation starts, which values it exposes, and how schedules behave across pauses, missed times, and daylight-saving transitions.
Where: Flowgen → Add → Automation → Trigger
Key ideas
- Four modes, two canvas-authorable: The complete runtime supports Manual, On a schedule, Inbound webhook, and HTTP request. On canvas you author Manual or Schedule; published routes mint the external webhook/HTTP identity.
- Declared outputs: Manual triggers can declare field names so downstream nodes receive an explicit contract instead of arbitrary input keys.
- Schedule policy: A schedule owns cron, time zone, pause state, missed-run policy, daylight-saving behavior, and its next-run display.
- Trigger card: TriggerNode uses the generic shared-card path. Define manual or scheduled automation start behavior and declared output fields.
- Properties sidebar: automationNodes.tsx
- Opened surfaces: Automation publish/status controls
Steps
- Choose Manual or On a schedule and declare the output fields the flow needs.
- For a schedule, use the friendly controls or exact cron plus time zone.
- Choose whether missed occurrences are skipped or caught up, then set spring-forward and repeated-hour behavior.
- Test supported canvas behavior, publish the automation to activate its durable trigger, and verify the next run/status.
Trigger controls and presets
- Add path: Flowgen → Add → Automation → Trigger.
- Card: TriggerNode.
- Properties: automationNodes.tsx.
- Controls: Manual/Schedule; declared fields; friendly/exact cron; time zone; misfire; DST; pause/resume; next run.
- Opened surfaces: Automation publish/status controls.
Limitations and important notes
- Publishing creates the durable automation identity; the node alone does not run a scheduler.
- Signed webhook delivery and HTTP-route authentication cannot be honestly simulated on canvas.
Troubleshooting
A schedule is not firing when expected
Check that the published automation is active, the schedule is not paused, the time zone is correct, and the displayed next run matches the intended cron and DST policy.