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Trigger: Manual (manual_trigger)

This trigger starts an automation instantly, manually, by clicking the "Test Automation" button inside the automation editor. It does not depend on any external event or a scheduled time: it runs exactly when the user decides. It is the reference trigger for testing and debugging flows before activating them with a real trigger.

When to use it?

  • When you are building or adjusting a flow and want to run it immediately to see if the nodes work correctly.
  • When you need to verify that an action (send a Telegram, update a state, write to Google Sheets) is correctly configured before connecting the final trigger.
  • When you want to demonstrate to someone how an automation works without waiting for a real event to fire.
  • When the final flow will have an event or schedule trigger, but you need to iterate quickly during development.
  • When you want to fire a flow on demand without setting up a schedule or waiting for a system event.

This trigger is mainly intended for testing and development. For production automations that should start on a schedule use Trigger: Schedule; to react to system events use Trigger: Event or Trigger: State Change; for triggers from external systems use Trigger: Webhook.

How to configure it

This node has no configuration.

Unlike other triggers, the Manual node has no fields to fill in. There is no parameters form — simply drag it onto the canvas and connect it to the rest of the flow.

How to run it

Once the node is on the canvas and the flow is assembled:

  1. Make sure the flow is saved (Save button in the editor toolbar).
  2. Click the "Test Automation" button (test tube icon) in the top bar of the editor.
  3. The automation runs immediately from the Manual node forward.
  4. To stop an in-progress execution, click "Stop Test" (the same button turns red).

The "Test Automation" button is only available inside the automation editor, not from the general automation list.

Best practices

  • Always save before testing: unsaved changes are not executed when clicking "Test Automation".
  • Replace it before publishing: if the flow is going to production, replace the Manual node with the correct trigger (Schedule, Event, Webhook, etc.) before activating it.
  • Combine with the execution viewer: after clicking "Test Automation", check the executions panel to see the result of each node and detect errors.
  • Don't use Manual in production if the flow must react automatically: the Manual node only fires when someone clicks the button — it does not react to system events.
  • Useful for validating actions with real effects: before activating a trigger that will send SMS or bulk emails, use the Manual node to run the flow once and confirm the result.

Troubleshooting (common issues)

  • The "Test Automation" button does nothing when clicked
  • Verify the flow has at least the Manual node connected to another node.
  • Save the flow before testing.

  • Check there is no previous execution still in progress (the button would show "Stop Test" in that case).

  • The flow runs but I don't see results

  • Open the editor's executions panel to see the status of each node.

  • If any node ended in an error state, review its configuration.

  • I want the flow to fire automatically, not just with the button

  • The Manual node does not fire automatically. Replace it with the appropriate trigger for the case:

    • System events → Trigger: Event
    • Schedules → Trigger: Schedule
    • GPS / zones → Trigger: GPS Zone
    • External HTTP → Trigger: Webhook
    • Chat messages → Trigger: Chat

  • "Stop Test" doesn't stop the execution immediately

  • Some nodes may take time to complete (for example, nodes waiting for an API response). "Stop Test" cancels listening for results, but the already-sent execution may continue in the backend until it completes.

Advanced configuration (JSON Editor) — expert users only

The Manual node has no configurable fields. Its internal structure is minimal:

{
  "ruleSet": {},
  "config": {}
}

There are no fields to modify from the JSON Editor. Both objects remain empty.

Quick guides (recipes)

Recipe A — "Test alert sending before activating the real trigger"

  • Trigger: Manual
  • Flow: Manual → Action: Send Telegram Message
  • Use: Verify that the message reaches the operators group correctly before connecting the event trigger

Recipe B — "Validate a complex action sequence"

  • Trigger: Manual
  • Flow: Manual → Condition: If → (true branch) Action 1 → Action 2 / (false branch) Action 3
  • Use: Walk through the full flow by hand to verify each branch executes correctly

Recipe C — "Demonstrate the flow to a client or supervisor"

  • Trigger: Manual
  • Flow: Manual → [any combination of nodes from the final flow]
  • Use: Show live how the automation works without waiting for the real event to occur

Recipe D — "Run a one-time task"

  • Trigger: Manual
  • Flow: Manual → Action: HTTP Request (to notify an external system)
  • Use: Fire a one-time action without scheduling a schedule or depending on an event

Recipe E — "Quickly iterate an AI agent prompt"

  • Trigger: Manual
  • Flow: Manual → Agent Model (Claude, GPT, etc.) → Action: Send result to Telegram
  • Use: Test and adjust the agent's prompt multiple times by clicking "Test Automation" until the desired response is obtained

Internal references (to locate it in the editor)

  • Node key: manual_trigger
  • Class: trigger
  • Required fields: none
  • Configuration: no parameters — no form or relevant JSON Editor
  • How it fires: exclusively with the "Test Automation" button in the automation editor
  • Icon: mouse