Automation triggers, conditions and actions
This page lists everything an automation can contain, its options, run log statuses, limits and presets. Related pages:
- Create an automation: build one;
- Automations: how the parts fit;
- Automate the routine steps: worked examples.
An automation reads as four parts in its editor:
- When: the trigger;
- Where: the scope;
- Only if: the conditions;
- Then: the actions.
Automations live in Workspace settings → Automations (Create an automation).
Who can see and change automations
Seeing them needs Read in the Automations block (Worker has it). Creating, editing and deleting need Create, Update and Delete there, and the Automation Log needs Update. See Permissions and access.
Example.
- When: Task updated, Status changes to Done;
- Where: List Client work;
- Only if: Priority is Urgent;
- Then: Notify the creator, then Move to list Delivered.
Triggers
A trigger is the moment something happens. An automation has one trigger.
| Group | Trigger | Fires when | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tasks | Task created | A task is created | Create an automation |
| Tasks | Task updated | A task changes. Add fields under When any of these change to fire only on those changes, optionally from one value to another | Create an automation |
| Tasks | Task deleted | A task is deleted | Create an automation |
| Comments | Comment created | A comment is posted on a task | Create an automation |
| Comments | Comment updated | A comment is edited | Create an automation |
| Comments | Comment deleted | A comment is deleted | Create an automation |
| Time | On a schedule | Every N days, weeks (on the weekdays you pick), months or years, at a set time, not tied to a task. The editor shows which time zone the times are in. Such an automation can only Notify or create a task from a template. It has no Where or Only if: there is no task to check | Scheduled automations |
| Time | Before or after a date | A number of days, hours or minutes before or after each task's due date or start date. An offset in days fires at the At time; an offset in hours or minutes counts from the task's own time, and all-day tasks fire at the At time. Tasks in the Done stage are skipped | Create an automation |
A comment trigger acts on the commented task: Where and Only if check that task, the assignee and creator in Notify are that task's, and the actions change it. If the commented task is gone:
- automations with a Folder or List scope skip the run;
- task actions do nothing;
- Notify specific people still delivers.
Scope
Apply in decides where the automation listens.
| Scope | Runs for | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Everywhere | The whole workspace | Create an automation |
| Folder | Tasks in one folder and everything inside it | Create an automation |
| List | Tasks in one list | Create an automation |
On a schedule automations have no Where.
Conditions
A condition is a state the task must be in when the trigger fires, such as "Priority is High". Conditions use the same fields and operators as a view filter: every field can be compared with a value, and every field except Stage, Status and Priority can also be checked for being empty. People fields take a member by name: Me (current user) is not available, because an automation has no viewer. The operators are in Operators by field kind.
| Kind | Fields | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Title, Description, Task number | Filter fields |
| Workflow | Stage, Status, Priority, Story points | Filter fields |
| People | Assignee, Watchers, Author, Updated by | People fields and Me |
| Place | Workspace, List, Parent Task, Tags | Filter fields |
| Dates | Start date, Due date, Created, Updated, Completed | Relative dates |
| Time | Estimate, Tracked | Filter fields |
Actions
An automation runs one or more actions, in the order listed under Then. The actions from Set status to Move to list have an Apply to choice: The task that fired the trigger, or its Parent task.
| Action | What it does | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Set status | Moves the task to a status you pick from a list's statuses | Create an automation |
| Set assignee | Assigns a member, the task's creator, or nobody | Assign and watch tasks |
| Set priority | Sets the priority | Create an automation |
| Set due date | Sets an Exact date, or a Relative one: a number of days, hours and minutes before or after When it runs, the Trigger due date or the Trigger start date | Create an automation |
| Set start date | The same as Set due date, for the start date | Create an automation |
| Add tags | Adds the tags you pick | Tag tasks |
| Remove tags | Removes the tags you pick | Tag tasks |
| Add watchers | Makes the people you pick watch the task | Assign and watch tasks |
| Remove watchers | Stops the people you pick watching the task | Assign and watch tasks |
| Move to list | Moves the task to another list | Create an automation |
| Add subtask | Adds a subtask with the title you give and an optional body | Break a task down with subtasks |
| Complete all subtasks | Completes every subtask of the task | Break a task down with subtasks |
| Delete all subtasks | Deletes every subtask of the task | Break a task down with subtasks |
| Delete subtasks matching… | Deletes the subtasks that match the conditions you set | Break a task down with subtasks |
| Add comment | Posts a comment on the task | Create an automation |
| Notify | Sends a notification to the assignee, the creator or people you pick, with an optional message. Each person gets it through their own notification channels | Set up notifications |
| Create task from template | Creates a task from a template, in the trigger task's list or a Target list. It is not in the action picker: start from the Weekly task or Monthly task preset. Any trigger other than a task trigger needs a Target list | Create an automation |
Deleted subtasks don't come back
Delete all subtasks and Delete subtasks matching… delete for good; Hule has no trash.
In the body of Add comment or Add subtask, Insert value adds:
- a mention: Assignee, This task or Parent task;
- a value from the task: Task title, Task ID, Assignee name, List name, Due date or Start date. See Task IDs.
A subtask title and a Notify message are plain text.
No outgoing webhooks
No action sends an HTTP request: Hule has no outgoing webhooks. To react to task changes from another system, read tasks through the REST API, or connect an agent over MCP.
Options: Active and bulk
| Option | What it does | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Off saves the automation but never runs it | Create an automation |
| Skip during bulk operations | Doesn't fire when many tasks change at once, such as a multi-select edit or an import. On for a new automation | Edit tasks in bulk |
Run log statuses
Automation Log shows each run and why it did or didn't act. Open it with Run log on the Automations page, or with View runs in an automation's menu; see Run log. Runs and failures stay in the log for 30 days, skipped runs for 7.
| Status | Meaning | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ran | The trigger fired, the conditions held and the actions ran | Create an automation |
| Skipped | It didn't act. The log names the reason; see the table below | Create an automation |
| Failed | An action failed. The log shows the error | Create an automation |
| Skip reason | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Part of a bulk operation | Skip during bulk operations is on and many tasks changed at once |
| Entity outside the rule's scope | The task is not in the Where folder or list |
| The change-to transition didn't occur | None of the changes under When any of these change happened: the field didn't change, or its old or new value wasn't the one you set |
| A condition didn't hold | An Only if condition was false |
| Already in this automation chain (cycle guard) | This automation already ran in the same chain |
| Unknown action | The action no longer exists |
Limits and self-protection
| Rule | Detail | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Chains | One automation's actions can fire another. A chain stops after 11 automations in a row, and the same automation never runs twice in one chain | Create an automation |
| Failures | An automation that fails 10 times in a row switches itself off. Fix it, then press Re-enable | Run log |
| Deleted list or task | An automation that names a list or task that is then deleted switches itself off and shows why. Point it at something that exists, then press Re-enable | Edit, pause, copy or delete |
| Deleted folder | Automations whose Where is that folder are deleted with it | Delete a folder or list |
| Removed member | A member removed before accepting the invitation: automations naming them switch off. A member who had joined: the automation stays on and skips assigning or notifying them | Remove a member |
Presets
Pressing New on the Automations page opens New automation, which holds ready-made automations and Start from scratch. Each preset opens in the editor with its trigger and actions filled in, ready to adjust; see Presets.
| Group | Presets |
|---|---|
| Custom | Start from scratch (an empty automation) |
| Notifications | Notify on done · Due reminder · Comment ping · Overdue alert · Urgent ping · Start reminder |
| New tasks | Auto-assign · Default due date · Tag incoming tasks · Watch new tasks · Description nudge · Starter subtask |
| Task flow | Move when done · Urgent when overdue · Complete subtasks on done · Start parent with child · Status handoff · Route by tag · Low priority to backlog · Stamp start date |
| On a schedule | Weekly task · Monthly task · Weekly reminder |