Automating Deployments

Creating a New Automation

To create a new Automation, select Create Automation from the Automations page. 

The New Automations page contains the following fields. All fields must be configured in order to save the Automation. 

Name: The name of the new Automation. 

Packages: Search for pre-built or custom packages to add to the new Automation in the Search Packages field. 

Trigger: Configure the trigger for the new Automation. 

Deploy To: Select the target devices or groups for the new Automation. 

Adding Packages to an Automation

Search for the package in the Packages field, and select the chosen package from the search results to be added to the Automation. 

Pre-built packages will default to using the Latest version of a package and auto update when a new version is released, deploying the latest version of the package during the next automated deployment. If a specific version is selected, the pre-built package will not auto update.    To select a previous version, select the drop-down menu in the Version column.    Multiple packages can be added to an Automation by searching for and selecting additional packages.

Removing Packages from an Automation

To remove a package from an Automation, click the trash can icon next to the package name. 

Configuring Automation Triggers

Automation triggers determine the time and frequency for an Automation to run. 

IMPORTANT: The time in PDQ Connect will display the local time of the browser PDQ Connect is being accessed from, but Automations will deploy according to UTC.

Example: If I am located in EST (UTC-5) when configuring a new Automation and I am selecting targets in EST and MST (UTC-7) with a recurring trigger set for 4:00 PM, the Automation will run at 21:00 UTC (4:00 PM EST / 2:00 PM MST). 

Automatic Trigger

If a single automation has multiple packages attached, only the package that was updated or the new package that was added will be deployed. If an automation creates more than 5 deployments for the same package on the same device in a single day, future deployments of this package that originate from the automation will fail with the below error message. These additional deployments are intentionally prevented with failures shown to bring attention to potentially misconfigured automations that could bombard a device with deployments.   No return code logged. Error: Too many deployments for this package for this device

Deploy Once Trigger

Deploy On: Select the date and time for the Automation to run once.

Recurring Trigger

Start On: configure the date and time for the Automation to begin.   Repeat Every: configure the interval in which the Automation will occur.   Repeat On: select the days for the Automation to run.

Daily Trigger

To create a Daily trigger, set the Repeat every dropdown to Days, and then enter a number for the frequency (e.g. Repeat every 2 days).

Weekly Trigger

To create a Weekly trigger, set the Repeat Every dropdown to Weeks, enter a number for the frequency (e.g. Repeat every 2 weeks), and then select one or more days of the week under Repeat on.

Monthly Trigger

To create a Monthly trigger, set the Repeat every dropdown to Months, enter a number for the frequency (e.g. Repeat every 2 months), and then set your preferred option for the Repeat on dropdown. 

Adding Devices to an Automation

Search for targets in the Search Devices and Groups field to add devices or groups to an automation.    Multiple devices and groups can be added to an Automation by selecting additional devices or groups.    To remove a device or group from an Automation, click the trash can icon next to the device or group name.

Saving & Deleting Automations

After configuring all fields in the New Automation page, select Save to save the Automation.    To delete an Automation, click the ellipses (...) menu next to the Save button and select Delete Automation. Clicking the ellipses (...) menu before saving the Automation will not open a menu.

Disabling Automations

If you wish to retain an automation but prevent it from running, you may toggle the slider found in the Enabled column to disable it.   The automation will stay disabled until it is re-enabled.