How to create and manage automations
Last updated October 12, 2026
Overview
Automations are rules that act on tickets for you when conditions you set are met. They handle repetitive work, such as assigning, prioritizing and following up on tickets, so your team doesn't have to do it by hand.
Every automation combines conditions (when it runs) with actions (what it does). You manage automations in "App Configuration > Ticket Management > Automations" .
Key Features
- Auto-assign to first responder: Assign unassigned tickets to the first agent who replies to the customer.
- AI prioritization: Let built-in AI set a priority on new tickets.
- Guardrails: Require a priority or at least one tag before a ticket leaves "Open".
- Internal note by default: Make "Internal note" the default tab in the composer.
- No-response rules: Act on tickets that have had no customer reply for a set time after the last agent response.
- Multiple actions: Assign an agent, send a message or internal note, and set priority, tags or status in one rule.
Types of automations
- Pre-built automations: Workspace-wide toggles in the "Tickets" section. Turn each one on or off.
- Custom automations: Rules you create for specific inboxes. You choose the wait time, the inboxes, how many times the rule runs on a ticket and the actions it takes.
Conditions and actions
A custom automation runs only when a ticket meets every condition you set. Then Atlas runs all the actions in the rule.
How to turn on pre-built automations
- Go to "App Configuration > Ticket Management > Automations" .
- In the "Tickets" section, turn on the automations you need:
- "Auto-assign tickets to first responder": Assigns unassigned tickets to the first agent who responds to the customer.
- "Prioritize incoming tickets automatically": Uses AI to set a priority on new tickets.
- "Require to set priority before moving ticket from open status": Agents can't move a ticket out of "Open" until a priority is set.
- "Require at least one tag before moving ticket from open status": Agents must add at least one tag before changing a ticket's status from "Open".
- "Use internal note as default response": Makes "Internal note" the default tab in the composer.
- Click "Save". The settings apply to your whole workspace.
How to create a custom automation
A custom automation runs when a ticket has had no customer reply for a set time after the last agent response.
- Go to "App Configuration > Ticket Management > Automations" and click "Add automation".
- Enter a "Name" that describes the rule, for example "VIP no-response escalation", and set the conditions (see "Conditions and actions" below).
- Click "Add action" and select what happens. You can add several actions.
- Click "Create automation".
Example: Escalate VIP tickets with no customer reply
This automation watches the VIP Support inbox. If a customer hasn't replied 2 hours after the last agent response, it raises the priority to Urgent and assigns the ticket to John Doe, once per ticket.
| Setting | Value |
| Name | VIP Customer No-Response Escalation |
| Time since last agent response | 2 Hours |
| Apply to tickets in inboxes | VIP Support |
| Run N Times | 1 |
| Set priority (action) | Urgent |
| Assign agent (action) | John Doe |
A ticket in the VIP Support inbox has an agent reply, and 2 hours pass without a customer response. The automation hasn't run on this ticket yet, so Atlas:
- Sets the priority to Urgent.
- Assigns the ticket to John Doe.
How to edit an automation
- Go to "App Configuration > Ticket Management > Automations" .
- Click the automation row, or click the ellipsis icon ("Show More") on its row and select "Edit".
- Make your changes and click "Update automation".
How to delete an automation
- Go to "App Configuration > Ticket Management > Automations" .
- Click the ellipsis icon ("Show More") on the automation row and select "Delete".
- Click "OK" to confirm.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
Why wasn't my automation applied?
Every condition must match. Common reasons it doesn't:
- The ticket is in an inbox not selected in "Apply to tickets in inboxes".
- The customer replied before the "Time since last agent response" passed.
- The rule already reached its "Run N Times" limit on that ticket.
Why isn't the ticket assigned to the agent I selected?
Check that the agent's status is Active and that they have the Admin or Agent role.
What happens if I leave "Run N Times" blank?
The rule runs an unlimited number of times, every time the ticket meets the conditions again.
Does a new automation apply to existing tickets?
No. It doesn't go back and update tickets that missed the window before the rule existed.
Can I pause an automation?
No. Automations can't be paused. Delete the rule if you no longer need it.