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

# Manual Trigger

> Build an automation with no automatic trigger and run it on demand for exactly the people you choose.

A **manual** automation has no trigger event — it never starts on its own. Instead, you build the steps and run it whenever you need to, choosing who to run it for. This gives you full control, which makes it perfect for one-off campaigns.

***

## Setting It Up

1. Choose **Run manually on demand** as your trigger.
2. Select the **email category** the automation's emails will be sent under.

That's it — there's no list or schedule to set, because you pick who to run it for each time.

***

## How It Behaves

* A manual automation **can't be enabled or disabled** — it simply exists, ready to run.
* It won't fire on any schedule or list change. Nothing happens until you start it.
* You run it with **Run now**, choosing either everyone on a Planning Center list or specific people you search for and select. See [Running an Automation Manually](/automations/managing/running-manually) for the full walkthrough.

<Note>
  Manual runs respect the automation's [Allow Repeat](/automations/managing/allow-repeat) setting, so it's safe to run even if some people have already been through the flow.
</Note>

***

## Manual Trigger vs. Run Now

It's worth knowing the difference between two similar-sounding things:

* The **manual trigger** is a *type of automation* that only ever runs on demand.
* **Run now** is an *action* available on **any** automation, letting you start it immediately regardless of its trigger.

So you can run a list-based or scheduled automation manually whenever you like — but a **manual** automation is one whose *only* way to start is Run now.