Introduction
Launch an executable on a managed device during an automation run. Useful for starting applications, services, or tools that need to be running before or after other pipeline steps.
Start Process Action
From the automation pipeline in edit mode, click + and select Start process from the System category.
The action panel opens with the process configuration fields.
Process path
The full path to the executable to launch. Required.
Example: C:\Program Files\MyApp\myapp.exe
Click (x) to insert a variable, system variable, or custom field reference. The value resolves at runtime before the action executes.
Arguments
Optional arguments to pass to the process on launch.
Example: --silent --config C:\config.json
Click (x) to insert a variable, system variable, or custom field reference into the arguments string.
Timeout (in seconds)
How long Level waits for the process to start before marking the action as failed. Default is 100 seconds.
Run as
The account context the process launches under.
Option | Behavior |
Local system | Runs as the SYSTEM account — elevated, no user context |
Current user | Runs as the currently logged-in user — required for processes that need a user session (e.g., launching a UI application) |
Conditions
The Conditions section lets you restrict when this action runs based on device attributes or the outcome of a previous action.
See Action Conditions for the full reference on condition types, operators, and values.
Additional Options
Expand Additional options for action name, failure behavior, output variable assignment, retries, and the enabled toggle.
See Actions Overview for the full reference on additional options available on every action.
FAQ
Does the process stay running after the automation completes? Yes. Start Process launches the executable and the automation continues. The process runs independently — Level doesn't monitor or manage it after launch.
What if the executable path doesn't exist on the device? The action fails. Use an Action Condition checking device type or a prior script to verify the path exists before running this action.
Who can add or modify Start Process actions? Technicians with permission to edit automations in the relevant group. See Workspace → Permissions for access control configuration.