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Introduction:

In this video, Brandon discusses the various levels of automation, the benefits of automation, and the principles behind successfully automating processes. This guide aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the concepts discussed in the video.

Levels of Automation

Brandon introduces four levels of automation using the example of lighting:

1. No Automation: In the absence of automation, tasks are performed manually, similar to lighting candles in the past. Many businesses currently operate with manual processes.

2. Task Automation: This level involves automating specific tasks, like having a wax merchant deliver candles. Although a portion of the process is automated, it's not fully streamlined.

3. Human-Assisted Process Automation: With the advent of technology, processes become more automated. For instance, using light switches to control lighting. This level significantly reduces manual effort but still requires human intervention.

4. Autonomous Process Automation: The most mature level of automation. Sensors or timers automatically control lighting, requiring no human involvement. This is where businesses aim to be in terms of process automation.

Benefits of Automation

1. Time Savings: Automation's primary goal is to save time. Manual processes can consume hours, but automation minimizes this time investment, freeing up resources to focus on more important tasks.

2. Error Reduction: Automation helps to decrease the occurrence of errors. Properly automated processes include error handling mechanisms, reducing the risk of mistakes.

3. Improved Decision-Making: With manual tasks streamlined, professionals have more time to make informed decisions, enhancing overall productivity and efficiency.

4. Enhanced Work Experience: Automation contributes to a more enjoyable work environment. Mundane and repetitive tasks are handled by the system, allowing employees to concentrate on tasks that require creativity and critical thinking.

5. No Headcount Reduction: Automation tools are not designed to replace human roles but rather to amplify their capabilities. Just as a light switch empowers users without diminishing their value, automation allows teams to excel.

Principles of Successful Automation

1. Identify Existing Processes: To automate, you need processes to automate. Identify these processes and break them down into their input, output, and error-handling components.

2. Start Small: Begin by automating small portions of a process. Gradually move towards full automation as you become more comfortable with the technology.

3. Document Processes: Clear documentation of processes is crucial. Identify which processes are potential candidates for automation and have them documented for clarity.

Conclusion:

Congratulations! You now have a solid understanding of the concepts covered in this video. By recognizing the levels of automation, understanding its benefits, and adhering to principles like documentation and gradual implementation, you're well on your way to leveraging automation effectively within your business.

In the next video, you'll learn how to identify the right processes for automation and explore best practices for getting started.

Introduction:

When considering the initiation of a new automation, remember that you cannot automate a process that doesn't exist. It's vital to document and understand each step of the process.

Examples of Processes Commonly Automated:

• Onboarding new users.

• Offboarding terminated users.

• Documenting users and groups.

• Billing reconciliation.

Steps to Scope Out an Automation:

1. Document the Process: Before automating, write out the entire process. Understand each step thoroughly.

2. Begin with an MVP (Minimum Viable Product): Start with the most fundamental aspect of the automation, make it functional, and then iterate.

3. Visualize the Workflow: Using tools like Rewst, or even on paper, draw out the flow of the process. It helps in understanding the entire workflow and in troubleshooting any hiccups.

4. Consider All Contingencies: Make sure to consider all possible paths, troubleshooting steps, inputs, and outputs.

5. Implement & Test: Once scoped out, implement the automation and rigorously test it.

Expert Insight from Will Young of Bering McKinley

Will shared how he automated a task in Hubspot to send activities to Connectwise Manage. This simple 3-step automation saved the company hours of work and ensured data synchronization between Hubspot and Connectwise Manage.

Objective: Extract specific activity or event data from Hubspot and create an activity in Connectwise Manage.

Steps:

1. Get Hubspot to send information to Rewst.

2. Extract the required data from the information sent.

3. Use the extracted data to create an activity in Connectwise.

Conclusion:

Automation, when properly scoped and implemented, can save significant amounts of time and reduce manual effort. Always begin by understanding the process thoroughly, and then proceed to implement and test the automation.

Curious about Rewst? To kick off your automation journey, explore the sections below for automation concepts and the Rewst platform.

Ready to get set up in Rewst? Complete the onboarding checklist.

Essential learning

Automation fundamentals

Automation upskilling

Additional education resources

Introduction:

In this video, Brandon covers how to identify the right tasks to automate. These are tasks that are time-consuming, involve high volumes, or are prone to errors. To avoid "setting your house on fire," prioritize tasks that minimize risks, align with compliance or regulatory requirements, and cater to customer demands. Automation can transform intricate, time-consuming processes into seamless, value-driven experiences.

Rules of Automation

As you embark on automating your chosen processes, consider these rules to ensure effective implementation:

1. Problem Solving: Automation should address at least one of the problems mentioned earlier: time consumption, high volume, or error-proneness.

2. Technical Feasibility: Ensure that the task can be automated using available tools and integrations, including compatibility with Rewst.

3. Defining Success: Clearly outline the desired outcomes of the automated process. Specify inputs, outputs, and the overall transformation you aim to achieve.

4. Maintenance Planning: Just like a light switch that needs maintenance, anticipate potential maintenance requirements for your automated processes. Be prepared to update and optimize over time.

5. Modularity: Seek opportunities to create modular components that can be reused across various automation tasks, enhancing efficiency and consistency.

Success with Automation Over Time

Success in automation doesn't require building complex processes from the start. Starting small is key to gaining value quickly. Begin with a small process, witness it working, and gradually expand. With each success, you'll develop patterns and strategies that empower you to build more advanced automation.

Leveraging Available Resources

To achieve your automation goals, tap into the resources at your disposal:

Conclusion:

Thank you for joining us in this exploration of choosing processes to automate. By following these guidelines and leveraging available resources, you're poised to streamline your operations, increase efficiency, and elevate your service delivery. In our next video, we'll guide you through scoping out a small process, helping you lay the foundation for successful automation. See you in the next installment!

Introduction

As you start your journey with Rewst, you'll come across a range of terms and concepts unique to our platform. This guide is designed as a quick reference you can refer back to during your Cluck University training. Click through the table of contents below, or scroll and search for specific terms.

Table of contents

Get set up in Rewst

Integrations

An integration is a link between Rewst and other applications. It allows Rewst to interact with these applications to send and receive information and tasks. You'll need to supply various details such as an API key and URL for the application to set up the integration.

Organizations

An organization refers to a group or entity within the Rewst platform that can have its own variables, forms, workflows, and users. It can be managed by an admin who has access to various functionalities and can customize the platform according to the organization's needs.

Organization variables

Organization variables are used to apply values at the organization and sub-org layers. They are referenced in workflows using the syntax {{ ORG.VARIABLES.<variable_name> }}. Organization variables can be inherited by suborganizations unless a suborganization has the same variable defined, in which case it will override the value.

Build automation

Trigger

Triggers are components in Rewst that are used to initiate workflows or perform actions based on specific events or conditions. They can be used to respond to form submissions, webhook events, ticket updates, or other types of triggers. Triggers are configured within workflows and can be customized with various settings, such as integration overrides and trigger types.

Workflows

Workflows, made up of actions and triggers, are the bread and butter of automated business processes. They offer a robust action library, customizable tasks, mocking and timeouts for testing, data security options, and ROI measurement. They're the key to unlocking automation in Rewst.

Actions

Actions are what live inside of a workflow. Each integration has a number of actions within it. You grab these actions from the left menu on a workflow, and drag them onto the workflow UI to build your desired workflow. When you run a workflow, Rewst is completing a series of actions.

Transitions

Transitions are found at the bottom of every action. These determine the path the workflow will take. For example: if Success, then you'll have an arrow coming from that transition to the next action. You also have transitions for Failure, Always, and Custom Conditions.

Forms

Forms are one of the main ways to get data into a Rewst workflow. You can use a selection of fields to retrieve information from a user. That information is then passed into the workflow on submission.

Both dynamic and conditional fields can be used in forms. For example, if you list groups live from your M365 tenant and set it to a certain group, you can show other fields as a result.

Scripts

Scripts are series of instructions written in a computer language that can be executed to automate tasks. The scripting languages available in Rewst (Powershell, Python, YAML, and Jinja) enable us to write scripts in a straightforward and accessible manner compared to traditional programming languages. Scripting tasks can range from batch processes on a local computer to generating dynamic web pages on a web server. Scripts can be written, edited, and executed more quickly and easily than software programs.

Templates

Templates can be used as a way to store frequently repeated text. For example, if you always want to create a ticket with the same information, you could put that info in a template and reference the template within the action itself.

Jinja

Jinja is a templating language used in the Rewst platform. Based on Python, it allows for more powerful processing of data in workflows. Jinja expressions are encapsulated by double curly braces ({{ and }}) and can be used to output the value of variables or expressions. Rewst extends the functionality of Jinja with filters, and provides an ever-growing list of filters specific to the platform.

Context variables

Context variables are variables specific to the running workflow. They're referenced in a workflow with CTX.variable_name.

Prebuilt automation

Crates

Crates contain prebuilt workflows, forms, triggers, templates, and scripts that are packaged together for easy deployment. They allow you to quickly set up automation without having to create workflows from scratch. Crates are the best way to start seeing results as a new Rewst user. Once you've gotten comfortable with our prebuilt Crates and how to use them in Rewst, you can customize Crates to suit your needs.

Crate Marketplace

The Crate Marketplace is the part of the Rewst app where you can find and install prebuilt workflow bundles called Crates. Crates can be found and installed through the Crate Marketplace, which is accessible from the Crates section of the left-hand menu in the app.

The videos in this guide focus on ConnectWise PSA, one of the most common PSAs used by MSPs. The process to integrate other PSAs is outlined in separate documentation guides linked at the bottom of this page.

Rewst is constantly adding new integrations. If Rewst doesn't currently have an integration for your particular PSA, you can still build a custom integration, as long as your tool has an API.

PSA integration overview

Crates to optionally unpack after integrating your PSA

Demo: Integrate ConnectWise PSA with Rewst

Part 1: Integration setup steps to do in ConnectWise PSA

Part 1 video summary

• Log in to your PSA as an admin user in order to create a dedicated security role and user for the integration, following your PSA's least privileged access documentation to set the relevant security permissions.

• Create an API key for the dedicated API user.

• As a best practice, use Rewst API in your titling convention for the API user and API key.

• Copy the public and private key information; you’ll need it for Part 2.

Part 2: Integration setup steps to do in Rewst

Part 2 video summary

• Search for the tool you want to integrate under Configuration > Integrations.

• Complete the required fields with information about your company, along with the information from the PSA, such as the API username and the API key information that you copied earlier.

Activity: Integrate your PSA

Rewst's Microsoft Cloud bundle is a little different from our other integrations, in that it's actually a group of integrations. For your ease of use, we've bundled all our Microsoft integrations together. Choose which of the 4 included integrations you'd like to install, and what permissions to assign to each, while using one Enterprise App and a single authentication for all.

If you use a different or additional cloud provider, refer to the relevant documentation guide linked at the bottom of this page.

Crates to optionally unpack after integrating the Microsoft Cloud bundle

Part 1: Configuring the Microsoft Cloud bundle

Part 1 video summary

• Navigate to Configuration > Integrations and search for the Microsoft Cloud Integration Bundle.

• Choose which Microsoft services to integrate. Microsoft Graph is essential for most Rewst crates, while Exchange Online and CSP enable mailbox and partner center functionality. Microsoft Azure supports cloud computing tasks like managing VMs and using Azure tables.

• Select whether to use Rewst’s pre-provided Enterprise App (easier maintenance) or your own existing Enterprise App (more control over settings).

• Review and adjust permissions for each integration. Rewst pre-selects permissions needed for full functionality, but you can modify them for security needs.

• Sign in with your dedicated admin user to authorize the integration. This final step allows Rewst to create the Enterprise Application and validate permissions in your Entra environment.

Part 2: Mapping and consenting organizations for the Microsoft Cloud bundle

Part 2 video summary

• Once your selected Microsoft integrations are connected, your customer organizations will appear in the list. If you haven’t added your customer organizations yet, come back to this step later.

• Match your Rewst organizations to the corresponding CSP organizations, link them to Microsoft, and consent to delegated admin permissions for each customer.

• Delegating consent enables Rewst to communicate with customer environments using the Administrative Relationship and GDAP roles you previously configured.

• The process may take a few minutes. Successful delegations show a green shield. If errors occur, check your GDAP settings in CSP.

• Once you’ve authenticated the integration, mapped your customers, and granted delegated admin consent, your Microsoft toolset is ready to use in Rewst!

Activity: Integrate your cloud tool

The videos in this guide focus on IT Glue, one of the most common documentation tools used by MSPs. The process to integrate other documentation tools is outlined in separate documentation guides linked at the bottom of this page.

Rewst is constantly adding new integrations. If Rewst doesn't currently have an integration for your particular documentation tool, you can still build a custom integration, as long as your tool has an API.

Crates to optionally unpack after integrating your documentation tool

Demo: Integrate IT Glue with Rewst

Part 1: Integration setup steps to do in IT Glue

Part 1 video summary

• Log in to IT Glue as an admin user in order to generate an API key for the integration.

• As a best practice, title the API key "Rewst API.”

• Copy the API key info; you’ll need it for Part 2.

Part 2: Integration setup steps to do in Rewst

Part 2 video summary

• Search for IT Glue under Configuration > Integrations.

• Enter the API key, along with the base URL for your documentation environment and any other required fields.

Activity: Integrate your documentation tool

Module overview

In this module, you'll learn how to perform calculations and data transformations using integers and floats. The content covers basic numerical operations—such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division—as well as filters for rounding and obtaining absolute values. You'll also explore converting between strings and numbers to ensure smooth integration of numerical data in your automation workflows.

Video (0:58 minutes)

By mastering these numerical operations in Jinja, you'll harness the full power of data manipulation, setting the stage for more precise and resilient automation logic.

Introduction

There are a number of different components to Rewst and whilst we will delve deeper into the specific components throughout the guides on the site, it's important to understand how these link together.

Inputs and Outputs

At a high level, it's important to consider what inputs and outputs you need in your automation. Some good questions to consider are the following:

1. What needs to kick off the workflow?

2. What steps are needed in the workflow?

3. What error handling should be in your automation?

4. What is the expected output when the automation is complete?

With this, let's look at how to handle Inputs in Rewst.

Triggers

Every automation needs something to kick it off. On the platform, we do this through the use of Triggers. Triggers can be from a Form, a webhook, or some specific integration triggers, such as creating a ticket in Halo.

Triggers and Integrations

In a workflow, there are triggers that have a field called "Integration Overrides." These overrides control the client's ability to use the top-level integration. For instance, if you add "Datto PSA" to the override on a trigger, it enables the client to create a ticket using the API keys configured on your account.

Triggering a Workflow with Forms

One of the most common use cases is using forms to trigger a workflow. Forms can be created and presented to the user. When the form is filled out, and the user clicks Submit, it can trigger an automation. This means that every form must be added to a workflow as a form trigger. Once a form is added as a form trigger, Rewst generates a URL to access the form.

Presenter: Brandon Pettit

Introduction:

Before you dive into building automation, we want to talk about some tips & tricks for optimizing your automation-building process. Let's delve into some essential techniques that will enhance your workflow creation experience.

Document Your Workflows

Documentation is a key aspect of effective automation development. This practice benefits not only your collaborators but also your future self. There are two primary methods to achieve this:

• Descriptions for Actions: When configuring actions, take advantage of the description field. This provides a clear explanation of the intended outcome for each action.

• Adding Notes to Workflows: By right-clicking and selecting "Add Notes," you can create annotations that detail the purpose and processes within your workflow. This feature is particularly useful for comprehensive insights into action sequences.

Organize Workflows

Keeping your workflows well-organized is crucial for ease of navigation and understanding. Employ the "Multi Select" feature to streamline your organization's efforts:

• Multi Select with Shift Key: Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard and click on multiple actions to select them simultaneously.

• Duplicate and Delete Actions: After selecting multiple actions, right-click to access options for duplicating or deleting them. This simplifies managing and relocating actions.

• Combine with Notes: To enhance organization, consider combining the multi-select feature with adding notes. Group actions and surround them with informative notes for enhanced clarity.

Favorite Actions for Quick Access

Boost your workflow-building speed by favoriting actions you frequently use. This accelerates the process of adding commonly employed actions to your canvases:

• Mark Actions as Favorites: Navigate to your actions and locate the star icon next to each action. Clicking on the star marks the action as a favorite.

• Quick Access to Favorite Actions: Return to your canvas and right-click to find your favorite actions instantly accessible. This feature saves time and enhances workflow creation efficiency.

• Manage Favorite Actions: You have the ability to manage your favorite actions from the top menu. You can remove actions from your list of favorites as needed.

Conclusion:

By integrating these valuable tips and tricks into your automation-building process, you'll significantly enhance your efficiency and productivity. From thorough documentation to strategic organization and quick access, these techniques empower you to create automation seamlessly.

Thank you for exploring these innovative approaches to automation building. We're excited to see the impact these practices will have on your future projects. Stay tuned for more valuable insights in our upcoming guides.

The videos in this guide focus on Pax8, one of the most common licensing tools used by MSPs. The process to integrate other licensing tools is outlined in separate documentation guides linked at the bottom of this page.

Rewst is constantly adding new integrations. If Rewst doesn't currently have an integration for your particular licensing tool, you can still build a custom integration, as long as your tool has an API.

Crates to optionally unpack after integrating your licensing tool

Demo: Integrate Pax8 with Rewst

Integration setup steps for Pax8

Video summary

• Search for the Pax8 under Configuration > Integrations.

• Click on the Pax8 integration tile. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. Next to OAuth Configuration, click on the Authorize button. Then, select the service account user you set up in Pax 8 to log in as that user, in the dialog that appears.

• Once logged in, you'll see a green confirmation message at the top of your screen letting you know that you have successfully authorized Pax8.

Activity: Integrate your licensing tool

Four ways to set up child organizations

To make automations work for your managed clients/customers, set them up as child organizations.

We recommend using the Bulk Create Client from PSA crate to add the majority of your customers quickly, and using the Add Client to Rewst crate for each new client you add in the future. You can also add organizations manually or through the Microsoft CSP integration.

Configure child organization variables

Set child organization variables in Rewst to customize automation settings for your customers and to override the global defaults from your MSP organization variables as needed. We recommend using the Configure Organizational Variables crate to do this. You can also make updates manually via Configuration > Organization Variables in the Rewst left-side navigation menu.

Complete the organization mapping process

Map your child organizations in Rewst to connect them with your integrated tools, enabling seamless automation for your customers. For written instructions, refer to our documentation.

Introduction:

Imagine a support automation scenario where you want to send an email notification whenever someone fills out a form. Instead of tackling the entire complex process right away, we'll start by creating an automation that sends a basic email notification. Let's proceed step by step.

Hello World Automation Exercises

Follow these steps to build your first Hello World automation!

{{ CTX.send_message }}

Conclusion

Congratulations! You've just built your first automation—an email notification triggered by form submission. While this example is simple, it showcases the essence of automation and sets the stage for more complex workflows.

Feel free to explore other available actions and continue building your automation skills. Your journey into automation has just begun, and we're excited to see what incredible automation you'll create in the future.

Getting started with Rewst

Follow this checklist to set up your Rewst environment and get value from the platform immediately with popular crates — prebuilt automations for common MSP processes.

The videos in this guide focus on Ninja RMM, one of the most common RMMs used by MSPs. The process to integrate other RMMs is outlined in separate documentation guides linked at the bottom of this page.

Rewst is constantly adding new integrations. If Rewst doesn't currently have an integration for your particular RMM, you can still build a custom integration, as long as your RMM has an API.

Crates to optionally unpack after integrating your RMM

Demo: Integrate Ninja RMM with Rewst

Part 1: Integration setup steps to do in Ninja RMM

Part 1 video summary

• Add a PowerShell script to Ninja that enables Rewst to interact with your endpoints.

• Make sure to update the Base URL.

Part 2: Integration setup steps to do in Rewst

Part 2 video summary

• Search for Ninja under Configuration > Integrations.

• Complete the required fields with information about your company, including the Region for your Ninja instance.

• Use a dedicated service account to integrate Ninja using oAuth.

Activity: Integrate your RMM

Overview of organizations and organization variables

Rewst uses a two-tier system to manage organizations, with your MSP as the parent and your customers as child organizations.

Organization variables (org variables) store reusable data across workflows. To set up org variables, you can use the Configure Organizational Variables crate or configure them manually.

Create organization variables with a crate

Use the Configure Organizational Variables crate to set up org variables for your MSP that will cascade to your child organizations by default. You'll learn how to override the defaults and create unique org variables for customers on the next page, Set up child organizations.

Step 1: Unpack the crate

Step 2: Complete the form

Resources

Course overview

Unlock the power of automation with our Automation Basics course! Whether you're new to automation or looking to sharpen your skills, this course will guide you through key concepts that set the foundation for building smarter, more efficient workflows in Rewst.

From understanding what makes Rewst’s process-based automation unique, to demystifying technical concepts like APIs, JSON, and variables, each lesson equips you with practical knowledge to simplify repetitive tasks and maximize your ROI.

If you're ready to streamline operations, reduce manual work, and tap into the full potential of Rewst, this course will give you the tools to become a true automation trailblazer.

Live instructor-led sessions

Join our weekly live instructor-led session, where an expert instructor will guide you through this course a single(1) hour long session. Live instructor-led sessions are designed to provide:

• Provide Real-Time Interaction: Ask questions and get immediate answers as you progress through each lesson, ensuring you fully understand each concept.

• Offer Dedicated Time for Learning: With a structured schedule and a knowledgeable instructor, you’ll stay focused and motivated, maximizing your learning experience.

• Go In-Depth with Rewst: Dive deeper into Rewst’s capabilities, with insights into best practices and advanced strategies for optimal usage.

Sign-up for the live session here.

Course lessons

Complete each lesson sequentially, and revisit anything you need a refresher on.

Support and feedback

Get support throughout the course via Cluck University office hours and the #cluck-u channel in Rewst Discord!

Share feedback on the course through a quick survey!

What to expect

In this lesson, you'll get a solid grasp of key technical concepts like APIs, HTTP calls, and JSON—preparing you to apply them in Rewst. You’ll also learn about basic data types (strings, integers, Booleans), how to use variables, and how JSON and simple programming principles help organize and share data in workflows.

Prerequisite(s)

Complete lessons 1 and 2 in "Automation basics"

Lesson modules

To get started, select the first module. Each module includes a video and written guidance with resources, followed by navigation to go back/forward. To wrap up each module, quiz your knowledge of the module’s content, then move to the next module.

1. APIs (8 minutes)

2. Intro to JSON (3 minutes)

3. Intro to data types (5 minutes)

4. Reading JSON (3 minutes)

5. Variables and context (5 minutes)

6. Basic programming concepts (3 minutes)

7. Webhooks and parameters (4 minutes)

8. Forms overview (5 minutes)

Lesson activities

1. API activities

2. Data type brainstorming

3. Reading JSON activity

4. Variables activities

5. Programming concept activities

6. Understanding webhooks activity

You’ve learned how to measure and maximize ROI with Rewst by using pre-built crates and tapping into community resources. In upcoming lessons, you’ll discover even more ways to streamline your processes and increase your returns. But first, let’s dive into how workflows think with some essential programming concepts—jump to the next lesson when you’re ready!

What to expect

In this lesson, you'll see how automation can simplify repetitive tasks and improve entire workflows with Rewst’s process-based approach. You'll also learn to spot common challenges, like inconsistent processes and tasks needing human input, so you can identify which parts of your workflow are ready for automation.

Video (3:22 minutes)

Lesson summary

What did you learn?

Take a quick quiz and get instant feedback!

In the next lesson, you'll learn about how Rewst can save you money!

Table of contents

Quick brainstorm

Think about a workflow you’ve built (or want to build) in Rewst. Break it down into requests and responses—what information needs to be pulled (GET), added (POST), updated (PUT), or deleted (DELETE)? Reflect on how Rewst handles these API conversations behind the scenes to make automation seamless.

API scavenger hunt

Learn how to find and understand API documentation, identify endpoints, and interpret key details.

Objective

This activity will help you:

• Find and navigate API documentation

• Identify API endpoints and their purpose

• Understand authentication requirements

• Recognize the data structure of API responses

• Develop confidence in working with API docs

How to find API documentation

If you ever need to find API documentation for a service, follow these steps:

1. Google it:

   • Search for “[Service Name] API documentation”

     • Example: "Microsoft Graph API documentation"

2. Check the official website:

   • Most companies provide an API reference in their developer or integrations section.
3. Look at API marketplaces:

   • Sites like Postman API Network, RapidAPI, and ProgrammableWeb list popular APIs.

4. Check developer portals:

   • Many platforms (Microsoft, Google, AWS) have dedicated developer portals with API guides.

Instructions

1. Pick an API from the list below or find one yourself.

2. Locate the official documentation.

3. Answer these questions:

• What does this API do? (Summarize in simple terms.) You can often find this information in the overview page.

• Find one useful endpoint. Write down its URL format (e.g., /users for listing users.) You can find this information in the endpoints reference section.

• What data does this endpoint return? (Look for JSON responses.) Take a look at the request and response exmples.

• What parameters does it use? (Look for required fields like ?filter=email)

• Does this API require authentication? (Look for OAuth, API keys, or tokens.) These can be found in the authentication section.

• What’s a real-world scenario where this API could be used?

Bonus challenge:

• Find an API request example in the documentation and explain what it does.

• Describe how this API might fit into an automation workflow.

APIs to explore

1. Microsoft Graph API – Manage Microsoft 365 services

Example endpoints:

• /users→ Get a list of users

• me/mailFolders/inbox/messages → Retrieve emails from an inbox

• /security/alerts → Access security alerts

Authentication? OAuth (requires Azure AD permissions)

Things to look for:

• What kind of authentication is required to access user data?

• How are permissions structured in Microsoft Graph?

• What are some filtering options when retrieving user or email data?

2. Azure API (Azure Resource Manager API) – Manage Cloud resources

Example endpoints:

• /subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resources → Retrieve all resources in a subscription

• /resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName} → View and manage resource groups

• /virtualMachines → Get a list of virtual machines

Authentication? OAuth (requires Azure AD token)

Things to look for:

• What headers are required in a request?

• How are API calls structured to target specific resources?

• How does Azure handle API versioning?

3. Microsoft Exchange Online API (Mail API in Graph) – Manage emails & mailboxes

Example endpoints:

• /me/messages → Retrieve emails from a mailbox

• /me/sendMail → Send an email programmatically

• /users/{userId}/mailFolders → Access mailbox folders

Authentication? OAuth (requires Microsoft 365 permissions)

Things to look for:

• What request body format is required to send an email?

• Can you retrieve only unread emails?

• How are email attachments handled in API requests?

Want to explore other APIs?

Try finding API documentation for:

• NinjaOne API – Automate endpoint management, patching, and alerts

• Slack API – Automate messages and manage channels

• GitHub API – Automate repositories, issues, and user management

• Datto API – Manage backups, disaster recovery, and device monitoring

• ConnectWise API – Automate ticketing, customer management, and billing

Wrap-up discussion

• Which API was easiest to navigate?

• What was the most confusing part of the documentation?

• How does authentication impact API access?

• What are some key takeaways for working with APIs in general?

What to expect

In this lesson, you'll learn how automation can save you time, improve reliability, and free up your focus for more important tasks. You’ll also see how Rewst’s pre-built crates help you achieve faster ROI and how to tap into community resources to keep improving your automation.

Prerequisite(s)

Complete Lesson 1: What is automation?

Video (3:17 minutes)

Lesson summary

Lesson resources

What did you learn?

Take a quick quiz and get instant feedback!

You’ve learned how to measure and maximize ROI with Rewst by using pre-built crates and tapping into community resources. In upcoming lessons, you’ll discover even more ways to streamline your processes and increase your returns. But first, let’s dive into how workflows think with some essential programming concepts—jump to the next lesson when you’re ready!

Module overview

Video (3:10 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Take the JSON knowledge check:

Keep on cluckin'

Module overview

Video (4:58 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Take the data types knowledge check:

• Check out our data type activitiy to solidify your understanding even more!

Keep on cluckin'

Module overview

API basics (part 1) video (4:17 minutes)

API basics (part 2) video (3:43 minutes)

Practice activities

• Take the API knowledge check:

• Check out our API practice activities to solidify your understanding even more!

Keep on cluckin'

Module overview

Video (3:21 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Take the basic programming concepts knowledge check:

• Check out our programming concepts activities to solidify your understanding even more!

Keep on cluckin'

Module overview

Video (4:58 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Think of a process you often repeat—like sending a customer update or checking a user profile—and list the types of information that might change each time (e.g., name, date, status). Then, identify which of these could be stored as variables to make the process faster and more consistent. This will help you start recognizing where variables and data aliases can simplify tasks in Rewst.

• Take the variables and context knowledge check:

• Check out our variable practice activities to solidify your understanding even more!

Keep on cluckin'

Part 1: Webhooks in everyday life

Instructions: Webhooks help different systems communicate instantly. Think about situations where you receive automatic updates after doing something online. Match each scenario to what’s happening behind the scenes.

Example scenario: You order a package from Amazon and later receive a tracking email when your order ships.

Webhook? Yes

A webhook triggered an email when the order status changed, just like a webhook in Rewst triggers a workflow when new information arrives.

Match the webhook scenario

For each scenario below, first determine whether a webhook was involved or not. If a webhook was involved, think about what triggered the webhook. Try to answer each question on your own first, then click the accordion to check your response.

Part 2: Spot the webhook in action

Instructions: Below is a real webhook payload that was received in a Rewst workflow. Look at the data and answer the questions.

Try to answer each question on your own first, then click the accordion to check your response.

Part 3: Build your own webhook scenario

Instructions: Think of a real-life situation where a webhook could be useful. Describe the idea by considering these key parts:

• Trigger: (What event causes the webhook to send data?)

• Webhook data: (What important details would the webhook send?)

• Action taken: (What should happen in response to this webhook?)

This activity will help you:

• Recognize JSON data when viewing API responses in a browser.

• Break down key-value pairs and understand different data types.

• Practice reading and interpreting real API responses to extract meaningful information.

• Understand how automation tools like Rewst generate and use JSON for workflows.

Open a real API response in JSON format

Let’s start by looking at real JSON data from Microsoft Graph API!

Click this link:

This page contains a sample JSON response showing user data from Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD).

Example of what you’ll see:

Identify key-value pairs

JSON is made up of key-value pairs—think of it like entries in a dictionary.

Let's analyze this response by answering a few questions. Try to answer each question on your own first, then click the accordion to check your response.

Compare to other JSON structures

Try looking at other types of JSON! Click the links below, then review the question and answers.

See JSON in automation (a glimpse into Rewst)

Now that you’ve explored JSON structures, let’s look at a real example from an automation tool—Rewst!

When a workflow runs in Rewst, it generates results in JSON format, showing details about the action taken. Below is an example of a JSON result from a workflow that adds or removes a user from Microsoft Graph (Azure AD).

Here’s a sample JSON output from this type of workflow:

Breaking it down

This JSON output is from a workflow that adds a user to a group in Microsoft Graph. Let’s analyze what we see here:

Why does this matter?

• This is the type of JSON output you’ll see in Rewst when automating IT workflows.

• Understanding JSON will help you interpret automation results and troubleshoot issues.

• Later in the Rewst Foundations course, you’ll start working with workflows like this!

💡 Key Takeaway: JSON isn’t just abstract data—it’s how automation tools like Rewst communicate and execute actions in IT environments.

Module overview

Video (4:23 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Take the webhooks and parameters knowledge check:

Keep on cluckin'

Think about a process you want to automate and identify the types of data it involves. Recognizing data types early helps you design efficient workflows in Rewst.

Why this matters

When you automate a process in Rewst, understanding data types helps you:

• Structure your workflows efficiently

• Avoid errors (e.g., treating a number as a string)

• Make smart decisions (e.g., using Booleans for approvals)

Step 1: Choose a process to automate

Pick a real-world process you’d like to automate. As you think through your automation, keep these key points in mind:

• You can’t automate what doesn’t exist (Aharon’s Law) – make sure there’s an actual process in place first.

• Start small – focus on a simple, repetitive task rather than a complex workflow.

• Ask yourself: What’s one quick, routine task you’d love to eliminate from your to-do list?

For example, you might automate processes like:

• Adding PTO requests to a calendar once they’re approved

• Sending an alert when a ticket is overdue

• Automatically welcoming new employees with a personalized email

Step 2: Identify the data types

For your chosen process, identify the data you'll use. The table provides an example of brainstorming data types for overdue ticket alerts.

Write down your own workflow and data type brainstorm somewhere accessible - they will come in handy when you get to Rewst Foundations!

Table of contents

Quick brainstorm

If statements and for loops activity

Rewrite a workflow in if and for terms

Quick brainstorm

Think of a process you handle repeatedly, like reviewing support tickets or following up on overdue payments. Write down a condition you would check (e.g., "Is the ticket marked urgent?") and a list you might go through (e.g., "List of open tickets"). This will help you see where if statements and for loops could simplify your work through automation.

If statements and for loops activity

Real-life scenarios: If statement or for loop?

Consider the following scenarios and determine if each would require “if statement” or “for loop” logic.

MSP & IT automation scenarios: If statement or for loop?

Now let’s try real tech and automation examples that a you might encounter.

Rewrite a workflow in if and for terms

Take a real-world IT process and break it into "if" statements and "for" loops. Here’s an example:

Scenario: Password expiration checks

A company requires all employees to update their passwords every 90 days.

Logic as an automation rule:

• For each employee in the company:

  • If their password is older than 90 days, send a reminder email.

Your turn

Think of a simple MSP-related automation you’ve seen or heard of.

• How would you describe it using IF statements and FOR loops?

Recap: What did we learn?

• IF statements check conditions and make decisions.

• FOR loops repeat tasks across multiple items.

• Both are crucial for IT automation, especially in MSP workflows.

Module overview

Video (4:49 minutes)

Module summary

Practice activities

• Think of a process you frequently handle that requires gathering information—like onboarding a new client or requesting approval for a task. Write down the key details you’d need to collect and consider which fields (text, date, dropdown) would best capture that data. This will help you start thinking about how forms can simplify data collection in your workflows.

• Take the forms overview knowledge check:

Keep on cluckin'

Hatch your potential in the world of automation with our Foundations course. From constructing a basic form to hatching your very first workflow and triggering it with a form, you'll gain the confidence to streamline your processes and enhance productivity.

Each lesson in the series builds upon the last, providing a step-by-step approach to mastering automation and workflow enhancement. If you're seeking to level up your technical skills, streamline your business processes, or just get started with automation in Rewst, this course gives you the power to become a true champion.

At the end of the course, you'll be ready for your Rewst Foundations Certification Exam!

Course Prerequisite

1. Complete all Getting started resources

2. Get access to Rewst (to build examples and get hands-on practice)

3. Start going through onboarding (you'll be working with organizations, integrations, and more in this course)

Course Lessons

Use the left-hand menu to expand this page and navigate lesson by lesson (through subpages) to make your way forward. Or, use the links below.

1. Lesson 1: Laying the foundations of automation

2. Lesson 2: Building a basic form and workflow

3. Lesson 3: Jinja essentials for workflow automation

4. Lesson 4: Creating an option generator workflow

5. Lesson 5: Managing workflow paths

6. Lesson 6: Implementing error handling in Rewst workflows

7. Lesson 7: Optimizing workflow design

Live Instructor-Led Sessions

Join our weekly live instructor-led sessions, where an expert instructor will guide you through all seven lessons across three(3) focused classes, each 2.5 hours long. These sessions designed to:

• Provide Real-Time Interaction: Ask questions and get immediate answers as you progress through each lesson, ensuring you fully understand each concept.

• Offer Dedicated Time for Learning: With a structured schedule and a knowledgeable instructor, you’ll stay focused and motivated, maximizing your learning experience.

• Go In-Depth with Rewst: Dive deeper into Rewst’s capabilities, with insights into best practices and advanced strategies for optimal usage.

Hands-On Experience

These sessions are interactive and hands-on, giving you practical experience within Rewst. To make the most of the sessions, ensure you have access to Rewst and your Microsoft integrations are set up beforehand.

Feedback and Support

Share feedback on your learning experience in this survey!

Get support throughout the course via Cluck University office hours and the #cluck-u channel in Rewst Discord!

Module overview

Video (3:01 minutes)

Module summary

{
  "Event": "Dinner and Concert",
  "Location": {
    "Restaurant": "The Fancy Fork",
    "Concert": "The Jazz Quartet",
    "City": "New Orleans"
  },
  "Guests": ["Alice", "Bob", "Charlie"],
  "ReservationID": 12345,
  "Cost": 200.75,
  "Completed": true}

Practice activities

• Take the reading JSON knowledge check:

• Check out our JSON practice activity to solidify your understanding even more!

Keep on cluckin'

What to expect

In this lesson, you'll explore the key features of Rewst, like the Automations and Crates Tabs, and the Jinja Live Editor. You’ll see how workflows, forms, and subworkflows work together to build powerful automations and how technical concepts like APIs, JSON, and variables come into play within Rewst workflows.

Prerequisite(s)

Complete lessons 1, 2, and 3, including all modules of lesson 3:

• APIs

• Intro to data types

• Intro to JSON

• Reading JSON

• Variables and context

• Basic programming concepts

• Webhooks and parameters

• Forms overview

Video (7:41 minutes)

Lesson summary

What did you learn?

Take a quick quiz and get instant feedback!

Give feedback

Share feedback on the course through a quick survey!

You’ve completed the Automation Basics course! You’re now ready to dive into the next step: the Rewst Foundations course.

What to Eggs-pect