An Automation v1 runs a file action when its trigger fires. Automations v1 can create folders, copy, move, import, or delete files, or start a Sync. Each v1 Automation performs one type of action, with source and destination rules that can apply across many folders.

Automation Configuration

Choose the action first, then the trigger that starts it. Triggers include file activity, inbound webhooks, and scheduled times. The available settings depend on the action and trigger you choose.

Source paths and filename patterns determine which files the Automation processes. Wildcards let one Automation cover several folders, including folders that do not exist when you configure it. For Copy and Move actions, destination settings control where files go, how they are named, whether the folder structure is preserved, and whether existing files are replaced.

For example, one Copy Files Automation can distribute each invoice uploaded to an intake folder to finance, procurement, and compliance folders. A scheduled Move Files Automation can collect matching files into a dated archive.

These are separate actions; two v1 Automations watching the same source are not an ordered sequence. Use the workflow coordination guidance to keep shared sources available and hand completed files to the next step.

Site Administrators can manage all Automations. Workspace Administrators and Folder Admins can manage Automations within their permitted scope. Review Ownership and Security before relying on a workflow: a v1 Automation can be owned by a user, and changing its owner changes the permissions it runs with.

For Copy and Move actions, Remote Server Mounts make external storage available through paths in your Files.com file tree. A Run Sync action starts an existing Sync when replication is the right transfer method.

Filename and length restrictions still apply: Files.com blocks folder moves or copies into destinations with restrictive settings such as filename or length limits.

Folder structure locks have a separate Automation setting, Ignore Locked Folders (ignore_locked_folders in the API). It defaults to on, allowing the Automation to bypass Lock Subfolders so a workflow can maintain a folder structure protected against accidental manual changes. Turn it off when the Automation must also preserve the locked structure.

Monitoring and Recovery

Automation Logs show run outcomes and the files processed. Check the result of a small first run before enabling a workflow over a large backlog. Automation Administration covers editing, disabling, and running an Automation manually where its trigger supports it.

Automatic retries are off by default in v1. When enabled, they rerun the Automation after a failure or partial failure. Review the retry behavior together with overwrite and source-deletion settings so that repeated work has the result you intend. Use Troubleshooting Automations to investigate skipped files, failed runs, or unexpected matches.

Event Channels can report successful, failed, partially failed, skipped, and retryable v1 runs. They route the selected events to your team or an external system and record delivery attempts. Admin email preferences cover terminal failures and partial failures after retries are exhausted, with emails batched per user.