Manage, pause, or run a request automation

Use the Automations view on the Requests page to manage every recurring request in the workspace. You can search by automation, template, or client name and filter the list to active or paused automations.

Edit an automation

1. Go to Requests and open Automations.
2. Find the automation and click Edit.
3. Change the template, name, clients, frequency, next request date, deadline, reminders, delivery choice, or optional wording.
4. Use the Active checkbox to confirm whether the automation should continue running.
5. Review the What Crank will do summary.
6. Click Save changes.

Changes apply to every client in the automation. Existing requests keep their current title, message, due date, items, and status.

Pause or resume an automation

Click Pause to stop CrankHQ from creating future scheduled requests. Pausing does not cancel or delete requests that were already created.

Click Resume when the automation should continue. If its next request date passed while it was paused, CrankHQ processes the due occurrence after the automation resumes.

Run an automation now

Click Run now to create one request immediately for every client in an active automation.

• If the next scheduled date is in the future, running now does not consume that future occurrence.
• If an occurrence is already due, running now creates it and advances the schedule.
• Running the same client occurrence more than once does not create a duplicate request.
• The automation still follows its delivery choice: automatically sent requests email the recipient, while review-first requests remain drafts.

Delete an automation

Click Delete when the recurring schedule is no longer needed. Deleting an automation removes its future client schedules, but it does not delete requests that were already created.

Resolve a schedule that needs attention

A warning icon appears when one or more client schedules could not create a request. Common causes include:

• The client is no longer active.
• The selected template is inactive or no longer contains requested items.
• The selected contact was removed or is no longer allowed to receive requests.

Fix the client, contact, or template, then edit and save the automation so CrankHQ refreshes the selected clients and recipients. Use Run now if you want to create the request immediately after correcting the problem.

Who can manage automations

Owners, administrators, and managers can create, edit, pause, resume, and delete automations. Bookkeepers can view automations and run active ones. Viewers have read-only access.