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Automate View

Overview

Automations run a network repeatedly with varying inputs. Define what changes on each iteration — a numeric range, a CSV column, or a list of values — and NodeFox executes the target network once per value, injecting the current iteration value as a global variable.

Navigate to the Automate panel in the sidebar (⌘+G → A).

NodeFox Automate View in NodeFox

Live NodeFox product capture from the live NodeFox application showing the Automate interface used for repeatable run programs.

NodeFox Automate create/configure panel in NodeFox

Live NodeFox product capture from the live NodeFox application showing the create-automation configuration surface (without executing a run).

Configuration

FieldDescription
Target NetworkThe network to run repeatedly
Global Variable OverridesFixed values for global variables that the network reads. Set once, used for every run.
Variables (Iteration)Variables that change on each run. The network runs once per value.

Iteration variable configuration details

Each iteration variable includes a shared base plus type-specific settings.

FieldApplies toDescription
Variable NameAll typesThe global variable key injected into each run (batch_id, email, region, etc.).
TypeAll typesIteration mode: Range, Column, or List.
StartRangeFirst numeric value in the sequence.
EndRangeLast numeric value in the sequence (inclusive).
FileColumnSource CSV file used for iteration values.
ColumnColumnColumn name in the CSV whose values drive run iteration.
ValuesListManually entered values (comma-separated or newline-separated).

Global Variable Overrides details

Global overrides are static key-value pairs applied to every run in the automation.

FieldDescription
Variable NameGlobal variable key the network reads (for example system_prompt, run_date, workflow_mode).
ValueStatic value reused across all iterations in this automation run program.

Iteration variable types

Range

Iterates through a numeric range. Specify a start and end value. The network runs once for each integer in the range.

Example: Start: 1, End: 10 → 10 runs with values 1, 2, 3, ..., 10.

Use when: processing numbered batches, paginating API requests, or running a network N times with an incrementing counter.

Column

Iterates through values in a specific column of a registered CSV file. The network runs once for each row in the column.

Example: Column email in users.csv → one run per email address in the CSV.

Use when: processing a list of records from a spreadsheet — customer emails, product IDs, document names, etc.

List

Iterates through a manually-defined list of values. Enter values one per line or comma-separated.

Example: Values: apple, banana, cherry → 3 runs, one per item.

Use when: processing a small, fixed set of known values without needing a CSV file.

How it works

When you run an automation:

  1. NodeFox reads the full set of iteration values.
  2. For each value, the target network is executed fresh.
  3. The current iteration value is injected as a global variable with the name you specified.
  4. The network reads that global variable (via a Global node) and processes it.
  5. Run history is tracked per-automation with status, cost, run count, and completion timestamp.

In production usage, this screen is where teams prevent avoidable mistakes before runtime. Naming conventions, selected network, static globals, and dynamic variable setup should be treated as operational configuration, not cosmetic metadata. A clear configuration here is what makes later run analytics and incident triage readable.

Setting up the target network

Your target network should read the automation's iteration variable via a Global node:

  1. Add a Global node (operation: Get) at the start of the network.
  2. Set the variable name to match the iteration variable name you configured in the automation.
  3. Connect its output to your first processing node.

Example:

Automation variable: user_email (Column type, from users.csv)

In the target network:

Global (Get: "user_email") → Conversation → Writer

Each run reads a different email from the CSV and processes it through the workflow.

Entry readiness requirement (required for all automations)

Before running Automate programs, verify entry-node readiness:

  1. The starting node in the target network must be in Ready state.
  2. Required entry data or globals must be available.
  3. Entry-path flags (Optional, Activated, Delay) must not block initial eligibility unintentionally.

If the entry node is not ready, the automation can appear configured correctly but still produce no eligible execution at run start.

Operational checklist for Automate View

Use this checklist before enabling repeated runs:

  1. Confirm Target Network points to the intended production/pilot graph version.
  2. Verify every iteration variable name exactly matches the Global (Get) variable name used in-network.
  3. Keep per-run side effects (Writer/API) behind explicit Decision/activation controls where impact is non-trivial.
  4. Confirm loop/retry branches are bounded so repeated runs cannot amplify runaway behavior.
  5. Review run history fields (status, cost, run count, completion timestamp) after first execution before scaling volume.

Use Global Variable Overrides to set fixed context that every run needs — like a system prompt, a date, or a configuration value — without hardcoding it into the network itself.