Triggered vs scheduled agents
| Triggered Agent | Scheduled Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Starts when | A PSA event occurs (ticket created, updated, etc.) | A schedule fires (daily at 8 AM, every hour, etc.) |
| Works on | A specific ticket or time entry | No entity — runs from custom instructions alone |
| Context | Ticket details, end client company, contact | MSP-wide context, available tools, custom instructions |
| Use case | Resolve issues, triage, communicate with users | Audits, hygiene, compliance, recurring admin tasks |
| Conversation | Continues across runs on the same ticket | Fresh conversation each schedule fire |
How it works
Agent reads instructions
The agent loads your custom instructions, enabled tools, and any loaded skills. There is no ticket to analyze — your instructions define the task.
Agent uses tools
The agent executes the task: querying M365 environments, searching documentation, running RMM scripts, or any other enabled tool.
If the agent requests Technician-in-the-Loop approval or kicks off an RMM script, the execution pauses until the technician responds or the script completes. The agent then resumes with full context of what it was doing.
Setting up a scheduled agent
Set the trigger to Scheduled
Under Trigger, select Scheduled and configure your cadence (e.g., daily at 6:00 AM, weekly on Mondays).
Skip the entity filter
Since this agent doesn’t process tickets, you don’t need to configure a FIND_ENTITIES filter. The verification step will confirm this is valid for scheduled agents.
Enable tools
Select the tools the agent needs. For M365 tasks, the relevant Microsoft 365 tools are auto-enabled based on your integration’s permission groups.Other commonly used tools for scheduled agents:
- Search tools — Find Documentation, Find Tickets by Content/Metadata
- Communication tools — Send Teams Message, Send Email
- Management tools — Create New Ticket, Trigger or Schedule Workflow
- Resolution tools — Execute RMM Script
Write custom instructions
This is the most important step. Your custom instructions define exactly what the agent does each run. Be specific about:
- What to check or audit
- Which companies/tenants to operate on (or all)
- What thresholds or criteria to act on
- What action to take when issues are found
- How to report results
Configure safety controls
- Test mode: Start with test mode on. The agent will log what it would do without taking real actions.
- Technician-in-the-Loop: Enable TIL on your M365 permission groups for any write operations. The agent will pause and request approval before making changes.
- Access profiles: Use the Helpdesk or IT Admin preset to ensure TIL is required on sensitive operations.
Use cases
Scan for new admin accounts
Scan for new admin accounts
Goal: Detect unauthorized admin role assignments across M365 tenants daily.Tools: Microsoft 365 (Directory Roles, Audit & Reports)Custom instructions example:
Disable inactive M365 accounts
Disable inactive M365 accounts
Goal: Find and disable accounts with no sign-in activity for 90+ days.Tools: Microsoft 365 (User Management, Audit & Reports)Custom instructions example:
Rotate admin and service account passwords
Rotate admin and service account passwords
Goal: Monthly password rotation for privileged accounts.Tools: Microsoft 365 (Security, Directory Roles), Generate PasswordCustom instructions example:
Weekly documentation audit
Weekly documentation audit
Goal: Identify outdated KB articles based on recent ticket trends.Tools: Find Documentation, Find Tickets by Content, Send Teams MessageCustom instructions example:
Stale ticket report
Stale ticket report
Goal: Weekly summary of tickets that haven’t been updated in 7+ days.Tools: Find Tickets by Metadata, Send Teams MessageCustom instructions example:
Coming soon: Audit enterprise applications (app registrations and service principals). This capability is on the roadmap and will unlock additional scheduled agent use cases.
Best practices
Start with test mode
Start with test mode
Enable test mode for your first few runs. Review the agent’s execution log in Event History to verify it’s doing what you expect before enabling real actions.
Enable Technician-in-the-Loop for writes
Enable Technician-in-the-Loop for writes
Any agent that modifies accounts, resets passwords, or disables users should require TIL approval. Use the Helpdesk or IT Admin access profile on your M365 integration to enforce this.
Be specific in custom instructions
Be specific in custom instructions
Scheduled agents have no ticket to provide context — your custom instructions are the entire task definition. Include: what to check, which tenants/companies, what thresholds trigger action, and how to report results.
Pick the right cadence
Pick the right cadence
Match the schedule to the urgency of the task. Security audits might run daily, password rotations monthly, documentation reviews weekly. Avoid running more frequently than needed.
Scope to specific companies when needed
Scope to specific companies when needed
If an agent should only operate on certain client tenants, specify that in your custom instructions. The agent has access to all connected M365 tenants by default.
