An action is an operation an automation performs to achieve its goal. An automation may contain many actions, also called steps; its trigger starts those steps, while maintainability concerns keeping the whole automation and its building blocks usable over time. section 1.2 section 1.2.3
Classify actions as logic, tasks, or logging. Logic controls flow through conditions, loops, waits, error handling, and runtime data. Tasks act on endpoints. Logging records outputs from logic and tasks, supporting successful, maintainable operation without directly completing the goal. section 1.2.3
A log-cleanup automation separates its actions into a sequence such as:
- Find log files older than 30 days as logic. section 1.2.3
- Create a timestamped archive, add old files, remove them from the drive, copy the archive to Azure Blob Storage, and remove the local archive as tasks. section 1.2.3
- Confirm the copy succeeded; otherwise stop processing and send a notification as logic. section 1.2.3
- Record removed files, archive names, and the new storage location as logging. section 1.2.3
Figure 1.1 The steps for a file cleanup automation process separated by which steps are logic, tasks, and logging
Use the process diagram to inspect how a single operational workflow alternates among flow control, endpoint work, and recorded evidence. section 1.2.3
