# Tasks & Automation

Tasks provide a powerful way to automate interactions with projects through scripted workflows.

## What are Tasks?

Tasks are automated workflows that combine chat projects with specific instructions and triggers. They enable:

- **Automated Processing**: Execute complex workflows without manual intervention
- **Scheduled Operations**: Run tasks on recurring schedules (hourly, daily, weekly, monthly)
- **Parameterized Execution**: Accept inputs to customize behavior for different contexts

## Task Components

### Steps
Steps represent the individual instructions that make up a task workflow. Each step can:
- **Execute Actions**: Perform specific operations using available tools
- **Process Data**: Transform inputs and outputs between steps
- **Make Decisions**: Conditional logic based on previous step results
- **Loop Operations**: Repeat actions over collections of data

### Arguments & Parameters
Tasks can accept inputs that customize their behavior:
- **Required Parameters**: Inputs that must be provided for task execution
- **Optional Parameters**: Inputs with default values
- **Dynamic Values**: Parameters derived from external sources
- **Validation**: Ensure parameters meet required formats and constraints

### Triggers
Tasks can be initiated through various trigger mechanisms:

#### On Demand
- **Manual Execution**: Start tasks from the Admin Interface
- **API Invocation**: Trigger tasks programmatically via API
- **CLI Execution**: Run tasks from command-line tools
- **User Interfaces**: Allow users to execute tasks from chat interfaces

#### Scheduled
- **Recurring Schedule**: Run tasks on fixed intervals
- **Time Windows**: Execute at specific times of day
- **Timezone Support**: Respect server or user-specific timezones
- **Complex Scheduling**: Advanced cron-like scheduling patterns

## Task Management

### Creation & Configuration
Through the Chat Interface, users can:

1. **Define Task Structure**: Create multi-step workflows with clear logic
2. **Configure Triggers**: Set up scheduling or event-based activation
3. **Set Parameters**: Define required and optional inputs
4. **Choose Agents**: Select which AI agents will execute the workflow
5. **Test Execution**: Validate task logic before deployment

### Monitoring & Analytics
Track task performance and execution:
- **Execution History**: Complete record of task runs and outcomes
- **Performance Metrics**: Duration, success rates, resource usage
- **Error Tracking**: Detailed error logs and failure analysis
- **Usage Statistics**: Frequency and patterns of task execution

### Lifecycle Management
- **Versioning**: Maintain versions of task configurations
- **Updates**: Modify existing tasks without breaking execution
- **Deactivation**: Temporarily disable tasks without deletion
- **Archival**: Store historical task definitions and results

## Use Cases

### Business Process Automation
- **Report Generation**: Automatically create and distribute reports
- **Data Synchronization**: Keep systems updated with latest information
- **Approval Workflows**: Route requests through approval processes
- **Notification Systems**: Send alerts and updates to stakeholders

### Content Management
- **Document Processing**: Extract data from incoming documents
- **Content Moderation**: Review and approve user-generated content
- **Publishing Workflows**: Automatically publish content across platforms
- **Backup Operations**: Regular backup of important data and configurations

### Integration & Data Flow
- **API Synchronization**: Keep external systems in sync
- **Data Migration**: Move data between systems on schedule
- **Health Checks**: Monitor system status and report issues
- **Compliance Reporting**: Generate required regulatory reports

### User Support
- **Onboarding Automation**: Guide new users through setup processes
- **Issue Resolution**: Automatically handle common support requests
- **Maintenance Notifications**: Inform users about system updates
- **Usage Analytics**: Generate insights about user behavior

## Best Practices

### Task Design
1. **Single Responsibility**: Keep tasks focused on specific outcomes
2. **Error Handling**: Plan for and handle potential failures gracefully
3. **Idempotency**: Ensure tasks can be safely re-run without side effects
4. **Documentation**: Clearly describe task purpose and parameters
5. **Testing**: Thoroughly test tasks before enabling automated execution

### Scheduling
1. **Appropriate Frequency**: Don't over-schedule resource-intensive tasks
2. **Time Distribution**: Spread scheduled tasks to avoid system overload
3. **Timezone Awareness**: Consider timezone implications for global deployments
4. **Maintenance Windows**: Account for system maintenance in scheduling
5. **Monitoring**: Set up alerts for failed or delayed task execution

### Security
1. **Least Privilege**: Tasks should only have necessary permissions
2. **Input Validation**: Validate all external inputs and parameters
3. **Audit Logging**: Log all task executions for compliance and debugging
4. **Credential Management**: Securely handle authentication for external services
5. **Access Control**: Restrict who can create and modify tasks

### Performance
1. **Resource Management**: Monitor CPU, memory, and network usage
2. **Concurrent Execution**: Control the number of simultaneous task runs
3. **Timeout Handling**: Set reasonable execution time limits
4. **Result Caching**: Cache expensive computations when appropriate
5. **Cleanup**: Remove temporary files and data after task completion
