# Automations overview

> Understand where automations live, how triggers and connected steps work, and how draft, published, active, and inactive states differ.

URL: https://www.agencytitan.com/help/automations/overview/

Automations watch for an event or schedule, then run the connected steps you define. Use them to notify your team, update records, communicate with clients, call an integration, or branch and wait without repeating the work manually.

Open **Settings**, then **Automations** ([/settings/automations](https://app.agencytitan.com/settings/automations)) to see the automation list.

![Automations list with two active documentation examples and one inactive example with a failed last run](/docs/screenshots/automations-v1/automation-list.png)

## How an automation fits together

| Part | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Trigger** | Starts the automation when an event occurs, a schedule arrives, a webhook is received, or a button or link is selected. |
| **Condition** | Narrows a trigger or creates a branch by comparing fields and values. |
| **Action** | Performs work such as sending a notification, updating a task, creating a ticket, or calling an integration. |
| **Connection** | Sets the path and order between nodes. A node's position on the canvas does not set execution order by itself. |
| **Run** | One recorded execution. The **Activity** tab shows its status, timing, steps, and any surfaced error. |

## Understand states

Publishing and activation are separate controls.

| State | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| **Draft** | The current builder graph has not been published. A new automation starts here. |
| **Published** | A saved version is available to run. |
| **Active** | The published version can accept new trigger events. |
| **Inactive** | New trigger events do not start runs. Existing activity remains available. |
| **Draft (v# is Active)** | You are editing a draft while the named published version remains active. Publish the draft when it is ready to replace that version. |

Publishing does not automatically make an automation active. After publishing, use the toggle beside the state badge when it should begin accepting triggers.

## Guides in this category

## Related articles

- [Core Concepts](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/getting-started/core-concepts/): Learn the AgencyTitan product model: workspace, clients, tasks, tickets, escalations, chat, SOPs, training, views, automations, programs, and settings.
- [Tasks & processes overview](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tasks/overview/): Understand how task types, process definitions, stages, fields, layouts, assignments, and tasks fit together.
- [Tickets overview](https://www.agencytitan.com/help/tickets/overview/): How the Tickets inbox, ticket conversations, assignment, statuses, inboxes, routing rules, and reply templates fit together.