Contextualized response actions

2026-09-10Last updated

Response actions in event-based automations can be configured based on their context to help you handle multiple automation scenarios. Contextualized actions can reference different properties of the automation, such as the source entity, specific or associated entities, the source event's location, or the event's available data.

CAUTION:
A triggering event is required to run contextualized actions. Manually triggering an automation that has contextualized actions can produce unpredictable results. If an automation runs another automation as a response action, the called automation uses the calling automation's context.

Actions referencing the source entity

The following actions can reference the source entity of the event that triggered the automation:
Source entity Action
All entities
  • Share entities
Areas
  • Unlock area perimeter doors explicitly
Cameras
  • Add a bookmark
  • Block and unblock video
  • Start recording
  • Stop recording
  • Email snapshots
  • Override with event recording quality
  • Override with manual recording quality
  • Recording quality as standard configuration
Cardholders
  • Forgive an antipassback violation
Doors
  • Silence a buzzer
  • Sound a buzzer
  • Unlock a door explicitly
  • Set the door to maintenance mode
Doors and elevators
  • Shunt a reader
Units
  • Reboot a unit
  • Set the entity maintenance mode

Actions referencing other specified entities

Some actions let you choose whether the actions affects the source entity that raised the event or a different specific entity.

Referencing the source entity when selecting specific entities.

Actions referencing entities associated with the source entity

If an action requires a different entity type than the source entity, the action can be applied to the entities associated with the source entity, provided their entity type matches what the action requires.

For example, if a Door forced open event triggers an automation, it can be configured to run the Add a bookmark action as a response.

Because the Add a bookmark action requires a camera, and the Door forced open event originated from a door, the Add a bookmark action will be applied to all of the camera entities associated with the door.

If you configure an action referencing the source entity that does not match the type of the source entity or any associated entities, the system displays a warning.

Automation response with a warning and showing the tooltip.

Actions referencing the source event location

Some actions let you reference entities whose location is near to the source event.

For example, when you configure a Share entities action with the In proximity of event setting, the action shares live video from cameras within a specified distance from the source event's location.

CAUTION:
The source event must have a location. Otherwise, the Share entities action is ignored.
Configuring the "Share entities" action with the "In proximity of event" option.
A map showing a 1 km radius around a pin along with seven camera icons within the radius.

Actions referencing the event data variables

The following actions can reference the event data as variables in their text arguments:
  • Add a bookmark
  • Send a message
  • Send an email
  • Email a report
  • Email snapshots

The arguments where variables can be used are followed by the Variable x. button.

The Automations page showing a contextualized action configured to use the source entity's name in a bookmark message.