Trigger Types
Every AI Task runs on exactly one trigger type, which determines when the AI starts working. Choose the trigger based on how the work should kick off: on demand, on a recurring schedule, at specific times you define, or in response to file activity in a folder.
| Trigger Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Ad-Hoc (Run Manually) | Runs the task only when an administrator starts it with Run Now. Use this when the work is irregular or when you want to test a task before putting it on a schedule. |
| Interval | Runs the task on a recurring schedule: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly. Use this for regular reporting or periodic audits. For delivering pre-built report exports on a schedule, also consider Scheduled Report Exports. |
| Custom Schedule | Runs the task on specific days of the week and times of day that you define. Supports multiple run times per day, timezone configuration, and optional holiday skipping. Use this when you need more control over timing than a simple interval provides. |
| File Action | Runs the task when files are created, updated, moved, copied, downloaded, archived, or deleted in a folder you specify. You can limit which files trigger the task by entering a filename pattern like *.csv or invoice_*.xlsx. Leave the pattern blank to trigger on all files in the folder. For monitoring that files arrive on time, consider Expectations alongside or instead of a File Action trigger. |