---
title: "Activate an Automation"
method: POST
path: "/v1/automations/{id}/activate"
tags: ["Automations"]
---

# Activate an Automation

`POST /v1/automations/{id}/activate`

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.

## Path parameters

- `id` string, required

## Response `200`

Automation state returned.

- 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

- `404` — Not found.

## Changes

- **2026-08-12** `f973b1b5b4cf` — 1 breaking, 2 warning, 2 info
  - the `executionLocation` response property const value `desktop` was removed for the status `200`
  - added the new `cloud` enum value to the `latestRun/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionThread/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionLocation` response property for the response status `200`
  - added the new `desktop` enum value to the `latestRun/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionThread/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionLocation` response property for the response status `200`
  - added the optional property `latestRun/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionThread/anyOf[subschema #1]/nativeThreadId` to the response with the `200` status
  - …1 more
- **2026-08-11** `0d4ebf20cbde` — 3 breaking, 4 warning, 5 info
  - the response property `revision/executionTarget` became optional for the status `200`
  - the `executionTarget` response property const value `desktop` was removed for the status `200`
  - the `executionTarget` response property const value `desktop` was removed for the status `200`
  - added the new `cloud` enum value to the `latestRun/anyOf[subschema #1]/executionTarget` response property for the response status `200`
  - …8 more
- **2026-08-05** `073bc652adfb` — 2 info
  - added the optional property `latestRun/anyOf[subschema #1]/modelVariant` to the response with the `200` status
  - added the optional property `revision/model/variant` to the response with the `200` status

[Change history](https://skmtc.dev/openworklabs/apis/den-api/changes/v1/automations/:id/activate/post.md)

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/openworklabs/apis/den-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/openworklabs/apis/den-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc-service-production.skmtc.workers.dev/v1/apis/openworklabs/den-api/revisions/fcbb34aa1702/schema)