Automation Triggers in Senturo: A Complete Reference

Overview

The trigger is the "When" of a Security Policy Automation — the single condition that starts it. Each automation has exactly one trigger. When that condition is met for a device in scope, the automation runs its actions.

Senturo offers four trigger conditions: Outside Geofence, Inside Geofence, IP Fencing, and Senturo Agent Phone Home. This reference explains what each one detects and how to configure it.

To build an automation from start to finish, see How to Create a Security Policy Automation. For the actions that run when a trigger fires, see the Automation Actions reference.

How Trigger Configuration Works

All four triggers follow the same pattern. When you click a trigger tile in the Triggers tab, a picker opens showing the saved configurations — called policies — for that trigger type. From the picker you can:

• Search for a policy by name.
• Select a policy (the radio control) to attach it to your automation.
• Create a new policy with the + button, which opens a short form.
• Edit or delete an existing policy with the pencil and trash icons.

A trigger isn't complete until you select a configured policy — until then, the Triggers pre-save check stays incomplete (for example, "geofence not selected" or "network CIDR not set"). Once a policy is selected, the check turns green and the Summary panel shows your automation in plain language.

The Four Triggers

Outside Geofence

Fires when a device leaves a geofence you select. Use it to respond when a device goes off-site — for example, locking a shared device that leaves an approved site.

To configure it, select an existing geofence in the picker, or create one with the + button. Geofences are covered fully in Creating and Managing Geofences.

Inside Geofence

Fires when a device enters a geofence you select. Use it for responses tied to arrival — for example, unlocking devices when they return to an approved site during working hours. It's configured the same way as Outside Geofence, by selecting a geofence.

IP Fencing

Fires when a device connects from a network outside your approved list. Use it to detect devices on unapproved networks — for example, a device connecting from outside your organization's networks.

To configure it, select an existing policy, or create one with the + button, which opens the Whitelisted IPs form:

1. Enter a Policy Name.
2. Add your approved networks. Download the CSV template with Download CSV Template, fill in your approved network ranges in CIDR notation, and drag and drop (or upload) the completed CSV file.
3. Click on Save.

The saved policy lists the approved network ranges (for example, 192.168.0.1/32). For CIDR formatting, the CSV template, and network whitelisting strategy, see IP Fencing.

Senturo Agent Phone Home

Fires when a device's Senturo agent hasn't checked in ("phoned home") for a number of days you set. Use it to catch devices that have gone quiet — a possible sign a device is offline, missing, or has had its agent removed.

To configure it, select an existing policy, or create one with the + button, which opens the Agent Phone Home form:

1. Enter a Policy Name.
2. Set the Number of days — the check-in threshold. The automation fires when a device's agent has not phoned home for that many days.
3. Click on Save.

The saved policy reads as, for example, "Agent has not phoned-home for 1 days." For more on the phone-home concept and choosing a threshold, see Senturo Agent Phone Home.

Managing Trigger Policies

Trigger policies are reusable — a single policy can be selected by more than one automation. From any trigger's picker you can search, edit (pencil), or delete (trash) a policy. Because policies are shared, editing or deleting one affects every automation that uses it, so review usage before making changes.

Troubleshooting

My trigger shows as incomplete in the pre-save checks. A trigger isn't complete until you select a configured policy. Open the trigger and select a policy (or create one with the + button). The check will note what's missing — for example, a geofence not selected or a network CIDR not set.

I selected a geofence trigger but can't continue. Geofence triggers require a specific geofence to be selected. Choose one in the picker or create one with the + button. See Creating and Managing Geofences.

My IP Fencing policy won't save. Confirm you've entered a Policy Name and uploaded a CSV of approved networks in the correct format. Use Download CSV Template to get the correct layout.

My automation has a trigger but still won't activate. A trigger is only one of the pre-save checks. Confirm you've also added at least one action, selected at least one device group, and chosen a schedule type. See How to Create a Security Policy Automation.

Conclusion

The trigger defines what starts an automation, and every trigger is configured the same way — by selecting or creating a named policy. Whether you're responding to a geofence crossing, an unapproved network, or a silent agent, choosing the right trigger and policy is the first step in building an automation that does exactly what you intend.

FAQs

Q: Can an automation have more than one trigger? A: No. Each automation has exactly one trigger. To respond to multiple conditions, create a separate automation for each.

Q: Can I reuse a trigger policy across automations? A: Yes. Policies are reusable — the same geofence, IP whitelist, or phone-home policy can be selected by multiple automations.

Q: What does IP Fencing consider an "approved" network? A: The network ranges you upload in the Whitelisted IPs policy (in CIDR notation). A device connecting from a network outside that list meets the trigger condition. See IP Fencing.

Q: How does Senturo Agent Phone Home decide a device is overdue? A: You set a Number of days threshold. If a device's agent hasn't checked in within that many days, the automation fires.