SmartSuite does not run automations on records created by a CSV or Excel import, and automations that trigger each other are not a reliable way to process a batch. For bulk updates, build one automation that finds the records and loops through them in a single run.
Plan Availability | All plans. The number of automation actions included each month depends on your plan; see Automation Limits. |
Permissions | Solution Managers and Administrators: build and edit automations. |
Platform | Web |
Related Reading |
My automation did not run on imported records: check these five things, in order
Solution Managers and Administrators build and edit automations. If you cannot, send this page to one of them.
The records came from an import. Imports from CSV or Excel never trigger automations. See Are automations triggered during a bulk import?.
A chain of automations. One automation re-triggering another spends several actions per record and is hard to stop. See Why is a chain of automations a poor way.
One run instead. A single trigger, Find Records, a Loop and the update actions, tested on a small batch first. See How do I process a bulk update in one automation run?.
The monthly actions. Each action inside the loop counts for every record processed. See Automation Limits.
The run history. It lists each run and its status. See Frequently asked questions.
Still stuck: select the chat button in the lower-right corner of SmartSuite. The last block of the panel shows the service status, and Send a message in the same panel reaches support. Include the automation name, the table and a run time from the history. The full fix guide is Fix an automation that did not run.
Are automations triggered during a bulk import?
No. Imports from CSV or Excel do not generate notifications or trigger automations. This keeps an import from spending your monthly automation actions on every imported row. If imported records need processing, run an automation over them afterward (next section).
Why is a chain of automations a poor way to process many records?
An automation that updates a record, which in turn triggers another automation, spends several actions per record and is hard to control or stop. It also makes it difficult to tell which run changed which record. Process the batch in one automation instead.
How do I process a bulk update in one automation run?
Trigger: use a single trigger, for example a Button field named "Recalculate All" or a scheduled trigger, so the automation fires once per batch rather than once per record.
Find Records: add a Find Records action on the target table. Filter for the records that need processing (for example a status or a checkbox flag) and sort them in a logical order.
Loop: add a Loop action over the records the previous step found.
Update: inside the loop, add the actions that change each record, for example recalculating a field, updating a status or clearing the flag that marks a record as processed.
Disable the old automations: turn off any chain-based automations so they do not conflict with the new design.
Test: run it on a small batch of 10 to 20 records first, check the run history, then scale up.
Note: each action inside the loop counts toward your monthly automation actions for every record processed.
Frequently asked questions
Do imported records trigger automations later?
Do imported records trigger automations later?
Not by themselves. A record created by an import triggers an automation only when a later change to it matches the automation trigger, or when an automation with a Find Records action picks it up.
How many records can one run process?
How many records can one run process?
It depends on your plan and on the actions in the loop. Start with a small batch and check the run history; if a run stops early, split the batch with a narrower filter.
Where do I see what a run changed?
Where do I see what a run changed?
Open the automation and check its run history, which lists each run and its status.
Last verified 26 Oct 2026.