> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ona.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manual triggers

> Run Automations on demand

Manual triggers run when you explicitly start them. Use them for one-time migrations, testing Automations before scheduling, or changes that need human judgment on timing.

They are the safest way to develop a new Automation because you control exactly when it starts and can review the results before making it recurring or event-driven.

## When to use manual triggers

Manual triggers are a good fit for:

* trying a new Automation on a small set of targets
* maintenance work you want to supervise closely
* one-off repository sweeps
* workflows that should only run after a human decision

## Configuration

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/gitpod-13c83c2b/xk3kxfJmgKP2B21t/images/automations/edit-trigger-manual.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=xk3kxfJmgKP2B21t&q=85&s=783237f3bcd3d2ffffbb99fe238e0df6" alt="Manual trigger configuration" width="1332" height="1222" data-path="images/automations/edit-trigger-manual.png" />

### Runs on

#### Projects (recommended)

Select one or more [projects](/docs/ona/projects/overview). The Automation runs on all repositories within them. Best for repetitive tasks on known repositories.

#### Repositories

Use a search query to filter repositories. Best for large-scale migrations across many targets.

| Query       | Matches                                     |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| `backend`   | Repositories with "backend" in name         |
| `frontend-` | Repositories starting with "frontend-"      |
| `myorg/`    | All repositories under "myorg" organization |

Partial matches work across owner and repository names.

**Search syntax:** [GitHub](https://docs.github.com/en/search-github/searching-on-github/searching-for-repositories) | [GitLab](https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/search/)

## Choosing projects vs repository queries

* **Projects** are best when you already know the exact repositories and want them to use project-level configuration.
* **Repository queries** are best when you want to sweep a broader set of repositories without manually listing them.

If the workflow depends on project-specific configuration and access, prefer projects.

## Running

1. Navigate to **Automations**
2. Click your Automation
3. Click **Run** to use its configured targets, or use the arrow next to **Run** and select **Run with options** to change targets or enter parameter values.

If the Automation references parameters or has no usable configured targets, clicking **Run** opens **Run with options** automatically. You must provide every parameter and at least one valid target before the execution can start.

The Automation creates actions for the selected targets, which you can then monitor from the execution view. See [Running an Automation](/docs/ona/automations/running-automations) for parameter syntax and target validation behavior.

## Review after the run

After a manual run, check:

* which targets were selected
* whether the right repositories were included
* whether the actions produced the expected pull requests, comments, or reports

If the run looks good, the next step is often to convert the same workflow into a [time-based trigger](/docs/ona/automations/triggers/timebased) or a [pull request trigger](/docs/ona/automations/triggers/pullrequest).

## Next steps

* [Run an Automation](/docs/ona/automations/running-automations)
* [Pull request triggers](/docs/ona/automations/triggers/pullrequest)
* [Time-based triggers](/docs/ona/automations/triggers/timebased)