---
title: Workflow Types (Continuous vs Events vs Periodic vs Scheduled)
description: Understand when to use Continuous, Events, Periodic, or Scheduled workflows in Perspio.
---
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2. [Workflows](https://help.perspio.io/help/workflows?hsLang=en)
# Workflow Types (Continuous vs Events vs Periodic vs Scheduled)
## Learn the differences between Perspio workflow types—Continuous, Events, Periodic, and Scheduled. This guide explains how each type triggers, when to use it, key considerations, and practical workflow examples for alerts, checks, and time-based notifications.
#### Overview
When creating a workflow in Perspio, the first and most important decision is the **Workflow Type**. The type determines **how and when** Perspio evaluates asset data and **what kind of trigger** initiates the workflow.
Workflow Types available in the **Details** step:
- **Continuous** – reacts to live data
- **Events** – reacts to an event
- **Periodic** – checks data at an interval
- **Scheduled** – triggers at a set time
---
#### Why Workflow Type matters
Workflow Type affects:
- **Trigger behaviour** (live signal changes vs discrete events vs timer-based evaluation)
- **How quickly actions fire** (immediate vs interval-based vs time-based)
- **Noise control** (frequency of evaluation + use of suppression)
- **Best-fit use cases** (alerts, reminders, daily summaries, compliance checks, etc.)
---
#### Where to select the Workflow Type
Workflow Type is selected in the **Add Workflow Wizard → Step 1: Details**.
### Screen controls (Workflow Type selector)
- **Workflow Type** is a **required field** (marked with an asterisk).
- Types appear as **four selectable tabs**:
- **Continuous**
- **Events**
- **Periodic**
- **Scheduled**
- Selecting a type updates:
- A short helper line under the tabs (e.g., “Selected type will: …”)
- A blue informational banner that explains the trigger model for that type
**Tip:** Choose the workflow type based on *how you want the workflow to start*, then design the **Scope**, **Condition**, **Schedule**, and **Actions** around it.
---
#### Continuous workflows
### What it does
A **Continuous** workflow evaluates **live data** for assets in scope and reacts as new signals/events are generated. The interface describes this as:
- “Selected type will: react to live data”
- “Evaluates every signal and event generated by assets in scope”
### When to use Continuous
Use Continuous when you need **near real-time detection**, such as:
- Telemetry thresholds
- State changes (door open/close, ignition on/off, temperature out of range)
- Any workflow where *timeliness* matters
### Strengths
- Fast reaction time
- Ideal for operational alerts and safety/compliance monitoring
### Considerations
- Can generate frequent triggers if conditions are broad
- Use **Schedule** (Recurring + business hours) and **Suppression** to control noise
### Example Continuous workflows
**Cold-chain temperature alert (immediate)**
- Condition: Temperature > threshold for X minutes (if supported)
- Actions: Send SMS/Email including Asset Name + current temperature (use Variable Inspector)
- Suppression: Until False (to avoid repeated notifications while still in alarm state)
**Door open alert**
- Condition: Door status = Open
- Actions: Send SMS to asset contact phone; include asset + location details
---
#### Events workflows
### What it does
An **Events** workflow triggers when a defined **event** occurs (as opposed to continuously evaluating all live updates). The interface describes this as:
- “Selected type will: react to an event”
- “Trigger an action for an event”
### When to use Events
Use Events when you have a **discrete event** you want to respond to, such as:
- A platform-generated event (Accidents, Trip Start, Ignition On/Off trigger event)
- An integration event (connector-driven event)
- A device/event signal that is best treated as a single occurrence (rather than a state)
### Strengths
- Clean, intention-based triggers (event occurs → action fires)
- Often simpler to reason about than continuous threshold monitoring
### Considerations
- Depends on the availability/quality of the event source
- Events are typically “moment-in-time” signals; you may still include asset context in Actions for clarity
### Example Events workflows
**Trip Start / Trip End notifications**
- Trigger: Trip Start event
- Actions: Email/SMS operations including Asset Name, time, and relevant telemetry
**Panic / duress event**
- Trigger: Panic event raised by device/integration
- Actions: Immediate SMS escalation to on-call list and email to managers
---
#### Periodic workflows
### What it does
A **Periodic** workflow evaluates the state of an asset **at a specified interval** (e.g., every X minutes/hours depending on configuration). The interface describes this as:
- “Selected type will: check data periodically”
- “Evaluates the state of an asset at a specified interval”
### When to use Periodic
Use Periodic when:
- You don’t need instant detection
- You want regular checks and controlled frequency
- You want to detect conditions that make more sense as a “polling” check than a live stream trigger
### Strengths
- Predictable evaluation cadence
- Useful for routine validations and health checks
- Can reduce noise compared to continuous evaluation for noisy telemetry
### Considerations
- Alerts can be delayed up to the length of the interval
- Choose interval carefully (too frequent = noisy, too slow = late response)
- Still use **Suppression** to prevent repeat notifications at each interval when a condition remains true
### Example Periodic workflows
**Daily device heartbeat check (every 60 minutes)**
- Condition: Last reported time older than threshold
- Actions: Update Perspio Asset - Edit field Device Health to: Healthy
**Battery level monitoring (every 6 hours)**
- Condition: Battery level < threshold
- Actions: Email maintenance with asset name and last-known battery level
---
#### Scheduled workflows
### What it does
A **Scheduled** workflow triggers at a **set time**. The interface describes this as:
- “Selected type will: schedule an action”
- “Trigger an action at a set time”
### When to use Scheduled
Use Scheduled when you need workflows that run on a timetable, such as:
- Daily summaries
- Morning checks
- End-of-day reporting
- Weekly reminders
### Strengths
- Highly predictable execution (time-based)
- Ideal for reporting, summaries, reminders, and routine operational comms.
### Considerations
- This is time-driven, not “instant event-driven”
- Pair Scheduled with well-designed Action content so recipients understand the context (use Variable Inspector to include asset details/config/telemetry)
### Example Scheduled workflows
1. **Daily “Asset status summary” email (06:00 daily)**
- Trigger: Set time
- Actions: Email operations team; include asset list/context as supported by your configuration and variables
1. **Weekly compliance reminder (Monday 08:00)**
- Trigger: Set time
- Actions: Email admin/operations; include key asset identifiers and reminder fields where available
1. **End-of-day temperature excursion report (17:00 daily)**
- Trigger: Set time
- Actions: Email cold-chain team with asset identification and key telemetry values
---
#### Choosing the right type (quick guide)
Use this decision logic:
- **Need near real-time reaction to live signals?** → Continuous
- **Need to react to a discrete occurrence/event?** → Events
- **Need regular checks at a predictable cadence?** → Periodic
- **Need to run at a specific time (daily/weekly/time window)?** → Scheduled
---
#### Best practices across all types
- **Keep Conditions specific**: reduce false positives.
- **Use Variable Inspector**: insert asset identifiers and context into Email/SMS so recipients can act quickly.
- **Use Schedule + Suppression**:
- Schedule limits monitoring to relevant windows
- Suppression prevents alert storms and repeat notifications
- **Reference the Actions guide** when configuring delivery, recipients, and templates.
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