> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.collabase.ch/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
> Build visual no-code workflows that react to events, apply logic, and take action across Collabase apps and 40+ external services.
# Overview
# Automation
Automation is the workflow engine built into Collabase. Connect Collabase apps and external services through a visual, drag-and-drop builder — no coding required. When an event happens, the automation evaluates your conditions and runs your actions automatically in the background.
Executions are **asynchronous**. When a trigger fires, it returns immediately and the workflow runs in the background. You can track every run in the **Runs** tab.
## How it works
Every automation is a graph of connected nodes. You start with a trigger, add logic, and chain actions.
A trigger starts the automation — a Collabase event, a timer, an incoming request, an external service event, or a manual run by a user.
Condition nodes evaluate data from the trigger or a previous action and decide whether to continue or branch. A failed condition stops that branch silently.
An action does something — creates a task, sends a Slack message, opens a Jira issue, calls an external service, or runs AI. Each action passes its output forward.
## Execution model
When a trigger fires, the engine runs these steps:
1. **Trigger fires** — the event passes its output fields to every connected downstream node.
2. **Conditions evaluate** — each condition node checks its rule. If it fails, that branch stops; other branches continue independently.
3. **Actions execute** — actions run in graph order. Each action receives upstream data and produces its own output.
4. **Every step is logged** — all runs appear in the **Runs** tab with per-node input, output, and status.
## Execution statuses
| Status | Meaning |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `QUEUED` | The trigger fired; execution is waiting to start |
| `RUNNING` | The automation is actively processing nodes |
| `SUCCESS` | All nodes completed without error |
| `FAILED` | One or more nodes encountered an unrecoverable error |
| `PARTIAL` | Some branches succeeded, others failed — or execution is paused at an approval or wait node |
A `PARTIAL` status is common when an automation is waiting for a human approval or a scheduled delay. It is not an error — check the Runs tab to see which node is waiting.
## Variables
Reference data from any upstream node in your action fields using these syntax forms:
| Syntax | What it references |
| -------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `{variableName}` | A value stored with a **Set Variable** node |
| `{payload.fieldName}` | A field from the trigger payload (e.g. a webhook body or event data) |
| `{stepOutputs.nodeId.fieldName}` | The output of a specific named node |
Supports dot-notation for nested values (`{payload.task.priority}`) and array indexing (`{stepOutputs.parseResult.items[0].name}`).
**Example:**
```
Task created by: {payload.assignee.name}
Issue URL: {stepOutputs.createJiraIssue.url}
Summary: {variableSummary}
```
## Node categories
| Category | Node types |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Core** | Trigger, Action |
| **Logic** | Filter, IfElse, Router, Split, ForEach, Set Variable, Transform, Code, Python Code |
| **Flow Control** | Wait, Approval, Sub-flow, Merge, Error Handler |
| **AI** | AI Prompt, AI Agent, MCP |
| **Data** | Data Store |
| **Utility** | Sticky note |
→ [Full node reference](/automation/nodes)
## 40+ connectors
Collabase ships with 40+ pre-built connectors:
→ [Browse all connectors](/automation/integrations)
## Connections
Before using any connector, you create a **Connection** — a named, encrypted set of credentials. Connections are reusable across all automations in your Space.
Go to **Automation → Connections → + New Connection** to set one up. Each connection can be:
* **Private** — visible only to you
* **Shared with Space** — available to all automations in this Space
* **Shared globally** — available to all Spaces on this Collabase instance
## Rate limits
| Limit | Default |
| -------------------------------------- | --------- |
| Max executions per automation / minute | 60 |
| Max active automations per Space | 100 |
| Max action nodes per automation | 50 |
| Max execution duration | 5 minutes |
| Approval node timeout | 72 hours |
***
## Rule permissions
Every automation rule has its own access configuration. The rule creator always has full access. You can share specific permissions with other users or groups from the rule's **Settings → Permissions** tab.
| Permission | What it allows |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **View** | See the rule and read its full execution log |
| **Run** | Trigger the rule manually from the Automation dashboard |
| **Edit** | Change triggers, conditions, actions, and rule settings |
| **Enable / Disable** | Activate or pause the rule without editing it |
| **Delete** | Permanently remove the rule |
Grant permissions to individual users or groups. A user who is not granted at least **View** cannot see the rule exists.
## Run as
Each rule has a **Run as** setting that controls how actions are attributed in the activity log:
| Setting | Effect |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Triggering user** *(default)* | Actions created by the automation appear in activity logs attributed to the user whose action triggered the run. Recommended for compliance and auditability. |
| **System bot** | Actions appear attributed to an anonymous system account. Useful for background jobs where the triggering user identity should not be visible. |
Set the **Run as** option in the rule's **Settings** tab.