Automation rules let you encode your team’s workflow logic so repetitive actions happen automatically.
Opening the Automation Settings
- Open a board and click Settings in the board toolbar.
- Select Automation.
- Click Add rule and give the rule a descriptive Rule name.
Every workspace member except Viewers can create, edit, and run rules.
Choosing a Trigger
Every rule starts with a trigger — the event that fires the rule:
| Trigger | When it fires |
|---|---|
| When field is changed | When a specific field changes to a specific value (status fields offer their options in a dropdown) |
| When item is created | When any new item is added to the board |
| When item is created in group | When a new item is added to a specific group |
| When item is moved to group | When an item is moved to a specific group |
| When due date arrives | Once a day, for items whose chosen date field (or any date field) is due today |
| When comment is added | When someone comments on an item |
| When time is logged | When a time entry is recorded on an item |
| When dependency is unblocked | When an item’s blocking dependency is completed |
| When SCM status changes | When a linked pull request, merge request, or issue changes status — requires the Git integration |
| On a schedule | Every day at the Run time you set |
| Manual run | Only when you click Run now (or an AI assistant runs it over MCP) |
Adding Conditions (Optional)
Conditions narrow down which items the rule applies to. Click Add condition and choose:
- Field has value — only run if a field equals a specific value
- Item is in group — only run if the item is in a specific group
- Has blocked dependency — only run if the item is blocked by an incomplete dependency
- Has no blocked dependency — only run if the item has no active blockers
All conditions must match. Without conditions, the rule runs on every trigger.
Configuring Actions
Click Add action to add one or more actions. Every rule needs at least one.
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Set field to value | Updates any field to a specific value |
| Archive item | Moves the item to the archive |
| Move to group | Moves the item into a chosen group |
| Assign person | Sets a Person field to the Item creator, the Triggering user, an Item watcher, or a Specific person |
| Set due date | Sets a date field to a number of Days from trigger |
| Add comment | Posts a comment with your Comment text on the item |
| Create item | Creates a new item with a given title in a chosen group |
| Send email | Sends an email to the Email recipient with your subject and body |
| Call webhook | Sends a JSON POST request with the board and item IDs to a URL of your choice |
| Send notification | Sends an in-app notification to the Item assignees or All workspace members, with an optional message |
Actions execute in order. Click Save to activate the rule.
Example: Hand Off for Review
Goal: When a task moves to “In Review”, assign the QA lead and leave a note.
- Trigger: When field is changed → Status field → “In Review”
- Action: Assign person → Reviewer field → Specific person → the QA lead
- Action: Add comment → “Ready for review”
- Action: Send notification → Item assignees
Example: Due Date Notification
Goal: Notify assignees on the day a task is due.
- Trigger: When due date arrives → Due Date field (or Any date field)
- Action: Send notification → Item assignees → “Your task is due today”
The rule fires once per day for each item with a matching due date.
Example: Daily Standup Item
Goal: Have a fresh standup item waiting every morning.
- Trigger: On a schedule → Run time 09:00
- Action: Create item → “Today” group → “Daily standup”
Scheduled rules run once per day at their run time.
Running a Rule Manually
Rules with the Manual run trigger show a Run now button (lightning icon) in the rule list. Use them for routines you want to start on demand — calling a webhook, sending a status email, or creating a set of follow-up items. Since a manual run from the settings page and a scheduled run don’t start from a specific item, item-based actions such as Set field to value or Add comment have nothing to act on there; use Create item, Send email, and Call webhook instead.
If a Rule Can’t Be Saved
TskVlo checks every rule on the server before saving it. A rule without a name, without at least one action, or with an unknown trigger, condition, or action is rejected instead of being stored half-working. In the editor this shows up as a “Failed to save automation rule” message — check that the rule has a name and at least one fully configured action, then save again. When rules are created through the API or by an AI assistant over MCP, the error names exactly what’s wrong.
Enabling and Disabling Rules
Toggle rules on and off from the Automation page without deleting them.
Checking Run History
Click the history icon next to a rule to open its Run history. It lists every execution with the Time, the Item it ran on, and the Actions ran. Every change an automation makes also shows up in the affected item’s activity feed.
Managing Rules with an AI Assistant
If you’ve connected an AI assistant through the TskVlo MCP server, it can list, create, update, delete, and run automation rules for you — just describe the rule you want. Rules created this way pass the same checks as the editor, can only reference fields and groups of their own board, and appear on the Automation page immediately. See AI integration for more.
Tips
- Give rules descriptive names like “Notify on due date” — not “Rule 3”.
- Test on a single item by triggering the rule and checking its run history.
- Multiple actions in one rule execute sequentially — order matters.
- To reuse a set of rules on another board, save the board as a template.