> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://academy.shade.inc/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://academy.shade.inc/guides/automations/your-first-automation.md).

# Your first automation

Send every new upload into a "To review" collection automatically. Ten minutes, no code.

**Outcome:** every file uploaded to a folder you choose shows up in a **To review** collection automatically, so nothing new slips past your reviewers.

**Who it's for:** anyone with edit access to a drive who hasn't built an automation yet. This guide also covers the editor basics that the other automation recipes assume you know.

**Time:** about 10 minutes.

## Before you start

* Have edit access to the drive.
* Create the collection the files should go into. In the left sidebar, open your drive, find **Collections**, and click **+**. Name it **To review**. See [Creating Asset Collections](https://academy.shade.inc/sharing-and-collaboration/creating-asset-collections).
* Optional: skim [Automations](https://academy.shade.inc/automations-and-custom-objects/automations) for the full list of triggers and actions.

## How it works

Every automation is a **trigger** (the event that starts it) followed by one or more **actions** (what Shade does in response). This one has a single action:

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  T["Trigger: Asset Uploaded (Incoming folder)"] --> A["Action: Add to Collection (To review)"]
```

## Steps

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Create the automation

In the left sidebar, open your drive and click **Automations**. Click **New Automation**, then click the name at the top and rename it to something that says what it does, such as `New uploads → To review`.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Choose the trigger

Pick **File uploaded** (listed as **Asset Uploaded** in the full trigger list).

Under **Upload location**, choose the folder to watch, for example `Incoming`. Turn on **Include subfolders** if files land in nested folders. Leave the location empty to watch the whole drive.

{% hint style="info" %}
Watching a specific folder is usually better than watching the whole drive. It keeps exports, renders, and files created by other automations from setting this one off.
{% endhint %}
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Add the action

Click **+** below the trigger and choose **Add to Collection**.

* **Collection:** pick **To review**.
* **Asset:** click the field, type `{`, and choose the uploaded asset from the trigger.

Typing `{` in any field lists values from earlier steps. You'll use these variables in every automation you build.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Save and activate

Click **Save**. If **Save** or **Activate** is greyed out, a step still has a required field empty. Hover over the button to see what's missing.

Then click **Activate**. New automations start as drafts and don't run until you activate them.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Test it

Upload a file to the watched folder. Within a few seconds it should appear in **To review**.

Open the automation and switch from **Editor** to **Runs** to see its run history. Each run lists every step and its output. If a run failed, the failed step shows the error.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Variations

* **Only certain file types:** add a **Filter** step between the trigger and the action, so only videos (or only images) continue.
* **Different folders, different collections:** use **If / Else** or **Switch** to route uploads from each folder into its own collection.
* **Tell someone too:** add a **Send Email** step after **Add to Collection** to notify the reviewer.
* **Trigger on review instead of upload:** use **Asset Updated** with a specific field and value, such as **Status** changing to **Needs review**.

## Related guides

* [Auto-organize new uploads](/guides/automations/auto-organize-new-uploads.md)
* [Tell a client their files are ready](/guides/automations/tell-a-client-their-files-are-ready.md)
* [The client review loop](/guides/review-and-client-delivery/the-client-review-loop.md)


---

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