BindTuning Automations are powerful tools to streamline provisioning flows. How an automation begins its work, or "triggers," defines its type. This article explores the various automation types available, detailing how each is initiated and when to use them. Whether you need an action to kick off from an event, at a set time, or on demand, there's an automation type that fits your needs.
Automate365 categorizes automation initiation points into three types: Event-Driven, Scheduled, and Manually Triggered. Each type offers distinct advantages tailored to different operational requirements and scenarios.
Event-Driven
Event-driven automations are designed to execute automatically in real-time response to specific changes or actions detected in a connected data source. These triggers typically correspond to the creation of a new record within the designated data source.
This type is ideal for highly dynamic environments where immediate workspace provisioning is required upon a specific data change.
Use Case: Automate employee onboarding
When a new employee record is created in an HR system, an event-driven automation triggers the provisioning of a personalized Microsoft Teams workspace, a SharePoint personal site, and access to relevant department resources, ensuring a seamless and immediate onboarding experience.
Scheduled
Scheduled automations are set to run automatically at predefined intervals, like daily or weekly. At each of these scheduled times, Automate365 will check your designated data source for new items. If new items are found, each one will then trigger the provisioning of a workspace, provided it meets any defined conditions. This approach ensures your workflows are initiated systematically without manual intervention, making it ideal for routine or planned tasks.
One-time
This option configures the automation to execute exactly once at a specified future date and time. It is used for singular, non-repeating events. Define the specific date, time, and time zone for the automation's execution.
Recurring
This option configures the automation to run continuously based on a defined interval, repeating its execution at regular intervals. Specify a start date and time, optionally an end date and time, the recurrence frequency (how often it repeats), and the time zone for consistent execution.
Pro-Tip: Consider scheduling all your provisioning efforts to occur at the same time. This can significantly help with resource management and give you better control over when new workspaces are created in your environment.
Manually triggered
Manually triggered automations are initiated directly, either through an in-app trigger by a user (e.g., for testing purposes) or by exposing the automation via a URL for use in another external workflow. This means they require explicit user action to start the process, making them perfect for on-demand tasks or integrating with other systems.
Pro-Tip: Manually triggered automations are perfect for Power Automate workflows that need advanced workspace provisioning. Since Power Automate can only provision simple, blank workspaces without policy or control, calling a manually triggered BindTuning automation lets you apply complex templates, policies, and branding automatically.
Once you've chosen the right automation type for your needs, you're ready to create your automation!