Introduction
The Wait for input action pauses an automation run until a technician provides one or more values. Each value is saved to an automation variable, so later actions and conditions can use the information to continue the workflow.
Use this action when an automation needs runtime information that cannot be known when you build the pipeline, such as an environment name, a ticket number, or a value selected during a maintenance task.
ℹ️ NOTE:Wait for input collects text values. It is different from Wait for approval, which pauses a run for an approve or reject decision.
Before you start
Create the automation variables that will receive the values. See Automation Variables.
Make sure you can edit the automation and manage the devices where you plan to provide input.
Plan one question for each value the automation needs.
Configure the Wait for input action
Open Automations and open the automation you want to edit.
Click Edit in the top right.
Click + Add an action and select Wait for input from the Flow category.
For each input, select an Automation variable and enter the Question that the technician should answer.
Click Add another input to collect more than one value.
Click Save.
Every input is required. Select a different automation variable for each input. A variable can only be requested once by the same Wait for input action.
💡 TIP: Write questions that describe the value the next action needs. For example, use Which environment should be used? instead of Enter a value.
Provide input while a run is waiting
When a run reaches Wait for input, the run pauses at that step. The automation continues only after every configured question has a non-empty answer.
You can provide values for all waiting runs or for one run at a time.
Where you provide input | What happens |
Automation or action details | The same answers are applied to every run currently waiting on this action. |
An individual run’s details | The answers are applied to that run only. |
Answer all waiting runs
Open the automation’s pipeline and open the Wait for input action details.
Click Input required.
Enter a value for every question.
Click Send values.
The button shows how many devices are waiting when that information is available. Use this option only when the same answers should apply to every waiting run.
Answer one run
Open the details for the waiting run.
Click Input required.
Enter a value for every question.
Click Send values.
The form indicates that the answers apply to that run only.
All questions must have a value before Send values is enabled. After the values are submitted, Level saves them to the selected automation variables and the run continues to the next step.
Cancel waiting runs
If you do not want to provide values, you can cancel the waiting runs instead:
To cancel one run, open its run details and click Cancel run.
To cancel every run waiting on the action, open the action controls and click Cancel all.
Canceling a run stops that run. It does not provide values to the automation variables.
Use the collected values later in the pipeline
The values collected by Wait for input are stored in the selected automation variables for that run. Later actions and conditions can read those variables wherever variable rendering is supported.
For example:
Create an automation variable named
Environment.Add a Wait for input input with the question Which environment should be used? and select
Environment.In a later action, use the variable picker to insert
Environmentinto the field that needs the value.
See Automation Variables for more information about creating, using, and passing variables between automation steps.
FAQ
What happens if I configure multiple inputs? The run waits until every question has a non-empty answer. Each answer is stored in the automation variable selected for that question.
Can different devices receive different answers? Yes. Open each run’s details and use Input required to answer one run at a time. If you answer from the action details, the same values are applied to every run currently waiting on that action.
Can I use the same variable for two questions? No. Each Wait for input field must use a different automation variable.
Should I use this action for a yes or no decision? Use Wait for approval when the workflow needs an approve or reject decision. Use Wait for input when the workflow needs one or more text values.
What if the action is no longer asking for input? The run may already have received values, been canceled, or moved past the action. Refresh the run or action details to see the current state.