A Manual trigger starts a run only when a person or an API call starts it. The Automation never runs on its own, which makes it the trigger for one-time runs and for workflows that someone decides to run: a cleanup after a migration, a re-delivery a partner asked for, or a workflow you are still testing.

With a Folder Path and an Incoming File Pattern, the run starts with the files that match at that moment, the same way a Scheduled run does. With no folder path, the run starts with one empty data item, and the nodes after the trigger always run.

Starting a Run From the API

The Files.com API call that starts a run can include the items the run starts with. Each supplied item is either a file, given by its path, or data, given as one JSON object, so an external system can supply the exact files or data to process without those files being in a folder the trigger reads. When the call supplies no items, the run starts with the trigger's file selection or with one empty data item.

Starting a run requires the permissions described in Ownership and Permissions.