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## 19.5.1 About Automations

Automations are a sequential set of actions, triggered by query results that monitor data and then perform the appropriate action.

Create automations to monitor data and then perform the appropriate action. Common automation use cases include approving specific requests and sending email alerts. An automation executes as a query or a PL/SQL function based on a defined schedule. Automations support Data Sources so the query can execute on a local database, a REST Enabled SQL service, or a REST Data Source.

Key features of automations include:

- Define Automation Actions - Define multiple actions and have them execute for each automation query row in sequential order. The typical automation action is PL/SQL code. Automation actions can be executed for each row of the query results when the query returns no result, or when the PL/SQL function returns TRUE. Conditions control whether or not an automation executes. Column values from the query result rows are available as bind variables. Alternatively, you can also use Process Type plug-ins as an automation action.
- Specify Error Handling - Define automation behavior for cases when an error occurs. Errors can be ignored, the automation can stopped, or set to "disabled" mode.
- Trigger Automations Programmatically - The `APEX_AUTOMATION` package provides a PL/SQL interface for triggering an automation programmatically.
- Review Automation Logs - View the Automation Execution Log and Log Messages view details about previous automation executions. The Automations History report lists a history of recent automation modifications.

A coordinator job runs automation executions in regular intervals. Each automation actually executes up to a few minutes after the Next Execution Due time. Thus, while the automation edit page shows when the next execution is due, the actual execution will happen a few minutes after the time shown.

Note:

The `CREATE JOB` privilege must be granted to the application's parsing schema in order to execute scheduled automations.

See Also:

- APEX_AUTOMATION package in Oracle APEX API Reference
- Configuring Background Jobs in Oracle APEX Administration Guide

Parent topic: Managing Automations