---
title: "Create an active Automation from an app surface"
method: POST
path: "/v1/automations"
tags: ["Automations"]
---

# Create an active Automation from an app surface

`POST /v1/automations`

Den schedules Automations and keeps durable run history. Automations created by Desktop run on the owner's connected desktop; Automations created by Web run in OpenWork Cloud. If no desktop runner is connected when a desktop occurrence is due, that occurrence is recorded as missed. Creation makes an Automation active immediately and uses the owner's current OpenWork Connect integrations. Deactivation stops future runs but does not cancel a run already in progress. This compatibility route serves first-party Desktop clients. Agents must use createCloudAutomation so they cannot accidentally create Desktop placement.

## Request body

- union
  - object
    - `name` string, required
    - `schedule` union, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'once', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `at` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'daily', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'weekly', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `daysOfWeek` integer[], required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
    - `action` union, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'agent', required
        - `instructions` string, required
        - `model` object, required
          - `providerId` string, required
          - `modelId` string, required
          - `variant` string, nullable
      - object
        - `kind` 'saved_script', required
        - `script` object, required
          - `pluginId` string, required
          - `configObjectId` string, required
          - `configObjectVersionId` string, required
        - `input` unknown
    - `executionTarget` 'desktop' | 'cloud', required
  - object
    - `name` string, required
    - `instructions` string, required
    - `schedule` union, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'once', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `at` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'daily', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'weekly', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `daysOfWeek` integer[], required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
    - `model` object, required
      - `providerId` string, required
      - `modelId` string, required
      - `variant` string, nullable

## Response `201`

Active Automation created.

- object
  - `automation` object, required
    - `id` string, required
    - `organizationId` string, required
    - `ownerMemberId` string, required
    - `name` string, required
    - `state` 'active' | 'inactive' | 'needs_attention' | 'archived', required
    - `currentRevisionId` string, required
    - `nextDueAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `latestRunAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `latestSuccessfulRunId` string, nullable
    - `latestSuccessfulResult` unknown
    - `needsAttentionReason` object, nullable, required
      - `code` 'owner_membership_lost' | 'model_access_lost' | 'provider_unavailable' | 'connect_access_unavailable' | 'execution_runtime_unavailable', required
      - `message` string, required
      - `occurredAt` integer, required
    - `createdAt` integer, required
    - `updatedAt` integer, required
    - `archivedAt` integer, nullable, required
  - `revision` object, required
    - `id` string, required
    - `automationId` string, required
    - `version` integer, required
    - `instructions` string, required
    - `schedule` union, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'once', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `at` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'daily', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
      - object
        - `kind` 'weekly', required
        - `timezone` string, required
        - `daysOfWeek` integer[], required
        - `hour` integer, required
        - `minute` integer, required
    - `model` object, required
      - `providerId` string, required
      - `modelId` string, required
      - `variant` string, nullable
    - `action` union
      - object
        - `kind` 'agent', required
        - `instructions` string, required
        - `model` object, required
          - `providerId` string, required
          - `modelId` string, required
          - `variant` string, nullable
      - object
        - `kind` 'saved_script', required
        - `script` object, required
          - `pluginId` string, required
          - `configObjectId` string, required
          - `configObjectVersionId` string, required
        - `input` unknown
    - `executionTarget` 'desktop' | 'cloud'
    - `maximumRuntimeMs` integer, required
    - `digest` string, required
    - `createdAt` integer, required
  - `latestRun` object, nullable, required
    - `id` string, required
    - `automationId` string, required
    - `revisionId` string, required
    - `trigger` 'scheduled' | 'recovery' | 'manual', required
    - `scheduledFor` integer, nullable, required
    - `idempotencyKey` string, required
    - `status` 'queued' | 'claimed' | 'running' | 'succeeded' | 'failed' | 'cancelled' | 'skipped', required
    - `leaseOwner` string, nullable, required
    - `leaseExpiresAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `heartbeatAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `attemptCount` integer, required
    - `executionTarget` 'desktop' | 'cloud', required
    - `executionThread` object, nullable, required
      - `id` string, required
      - `threadKind` 'automation', required
      - `executionLocation` 'desktop' | 'cloud', required
      - `automationId` string, required
      - `automationRunId` string, required
      - `engineKind` string, required
      - `nativeThreadId` string, nullable
      - `workspaceId` string, nullable
    - `providerId` string, required
    - `modelId` string, required
    - `modelVariant` string, nullable
    - `startedAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `finishedAt` integer, nullable, required
    - `error` object, nullable, required
      - `code` 'owner_membership_lost' | 'model_access_lost' | 'provider_unavailable' | 'connect_access_unavailable' | 'execution_runtime_unavailable' | 'execution_failed' | 'execution_timed_out' | 'runner_unavailable' | 'cancelled' | 'lease_lost' | 'internal_error', required
      - `message` string, required
      - `retryable` boolean, required
    - `resultSummary` string, nullable, required
    - `codemodeReceiptId` string, nullable
    - `validatedResult` unknown
    - `usage` object, required
      - `inputTokens` integer, nullable, required
      - `outputTokens` integer, nullable, required
      - `costMicros` integer, nullable, required
    - `createdAt` integer, required
    - `updatedAt` integer, required

## Other responses

- `400` — Invalid request.
- `401` — Sign-in required.
- `409` — Cloud runtime or model access is unavailable.

---

[API](https://skmtc.net/openworklabs/apis/den-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.net/openworklabs/apis/den-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-staging.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/openworklabs/den-api/revisions/f973b1b5b4cf/schema)