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Install and connect your Security Center SaaS application.
System automation
Configuring automation triggers
When configuring an automation, you must first define what triggers it.

Pre-deployment guide
Review requirements, order, and activate your Security Center SaaS system.
Setup guide
Install and connect your Security Center SaaS application.
- Getting started
- User management
- Device management
- System automation
  - What is system automation?
    System automation in Security Center SaaS is a workflow to trigger actions based on schedules or events. It helps administrators manage repeatable tasks with less effort, so they can focus on higher‑value work.
  - Overview of automation entities
    To trigger a series of actions manually, on a schedule, or based on events in your system, you can set up automation entities.
  - Examples of system automation
    Administrators can use system automation to reduce effort when handling repeatable tasks in Security Center SaaS. These tasks include responding to device and security issues and performing routine system maintenance.
  - About events
    An event is a record of an activity or incident that occurred in the system. Security personnel can monitor events in real time and investigate them later. Events can also trigger automations in the system.
  - About schedules
    A schedule is an entity that defines a set of time constraints that can be applied to a multitude of situations in the system. Each time constraint is defined by a date coverage (daily, weekly, ordinal, or specific) and a time coverage (all day, fixed range, daytime, and nighttime).
  - Creating schedules
    To define a set of time constraints for a multitude of situations, such as when a user can log on to the system or when video from a surveillance camera can be recorded, you can create schedules and then apply them to specific entities.
  - Adding audio files
    You can add new audio files that can be played when users receive an alarm in Security Center SaaS, or used with the Play a sound action.
  - About automation entities
    An automation entity is a repeatable process in Security Center SaaS. It consists of two parts: a trigger that defines what starts the automation, and a response that defines the actions that follow.
  - Creating an automation entity
    Before setting up an automation, you must create it as an entity in Configuration desktop.
  - Configuring automation triggers
    When configuring an automation, you must first define what triggers it.
    - Qualifying event-based automation triggers
      Qualifying event-based automation triggers involves identifying events that initiate the automation. These events can be generic or entity-specific, have conditions applied, or need to occur a specific number of times within a defined timeframe. Also, these events can be combined using either the AND or OR operators, or sequenced with time limits for transitions.
    - Combining events using AND or OR
      Each event-based automation trigger corresponds to one specific event. You can combine these events using either the AND or OR operator to form a trigger group.
    - Configuring events that need to occur in sequence
      To trigger an automation by a sequence of events, link multiple trigger groups in the configuration using the Followed by operator.
  - Configuring automation responses
    After you define the triggers, define the actions that run when the automation is triggered.
  - Advanced settings for automation entities
    Advanced settings define the automation’s scope, activation periods, and other configuration options in Security Center SaaS.
  - Adding automations to maps
    To allow Security Center SaaS operators to manually trigger automations directly from maps, you can add automations as map objects.
  - Event data
    Event data is the contextual information that accompanies every event. Event data can be used to add conditions to automation triggers and to contextualize automation responses.
  - Contextualized actions
    For event‑based automations, you can use data from the triggering event to contextualize the response actions. With contextualized actions, a single automation can handle multiple automation scenarios.
  - About threat levels
    A threat level is a predefined scenario that you activate for a specific area or the entire system to manage special situations, such as a business event or emergency evacuation. Activating a threat level triggers a series of actions tailored to the scenario. Deactivating the threat level returns the system to regular operation.
  - Defining threat levels
    To help your security personnel respond quickly to a specific scenario, you can define a threat level.
  - Threat level scenario: Fire
    A scenario for creating threat levels is in case of a fire.
  - Threat level scenario: Gunman
    A scenario for creating threat levels is in case of a gunman.
  - Converting event-to-actions to automations
    You can convert legacy event-to-actions to automations using the Automation task.
  - Converting scheduled tasks to automations
    You can convert legacy scheduled tasks to automations using the Automation task.
- Map design
User guide
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Glossary

Configuring automation triggers

2026-06-30

When configuring an automation, you must first define what triggers it.

Before you begin

Create an automation.

What you should know

Configuring the triggers is the second step in setting up the automation.

Navigation diagram showing step 2 of 5.

An automation can only be triggered if it’s activated and within its activation period. You can configure activation periods in the advanced settings for automation.
For the automation triggers to function properly, all servers and workstations in your system must be time synchronized.

Procedure

Select the automation and click the Properties tab.
Select the trigger type.

The trigger type determines how the automation runs:

Manual

The user can trigger the automation from maps, hot actions, or manual actions.

Scheduled

A one-time or recurring schedule triggers the automation. This type of automation is equivalent to a scheduled task.

Event

Specific events in the system trigger the automation. This type of automation is similar to an event-to-action but offers more flexibility.

Note:
All automations can be triggered manually or from another automation, regardless of the selected trigger type.
For a scheduled automation, set the recurrence the same way you would for a scheduled task.
To run the automation on startup, select On Automation Manager startup instead of On startup.
For an event-based automation, qualify the trigger.
Click Apply.

After you finish

Configure the automation response.