Getting Started with Allspice Automations
Allspice Automations allow you to automate checks and workflows for your hardware designs as they change.
This guide explains how Automations fit into the Allspice workflow, where they run, and what to expect when you start using them. It is the recommended starting point before setting up your first Automation.
What are Automations used for?
Automations are used to run automated checks and jobs against your designs.
Common examples include:
- Validating design rules or constraints
- Generating bills of materials automatically
- Tracking cost and component changes
- Enforcing team specific review requirements
- Running custom scripts as part of design reviews
Automations help teams make reviews more consistent and reduce manual effort.
Where Automations run
Automations run on designs stored in Allspice repositories.
When a design changes, Automations can be triggered automatically and their results appear directly in the context of design reviews. This keeps automation results visible to the same engineers reviewing the design.
Automations do not replace manual review. They support it by handling repeatable, deterministic checks.
How Automations fit into the review workflow
Most teams use Automations alongside other review tools:
- Manual review for engineering judgment and discussion
- DRCY for AI assisted schematic analysis
- Automations for rule based, repeatable automation
Together, these layers improve review coverage without slowing development.
What happens when an Automation runs?
When an Automation is triggered:
- Allspice runs the Automation against the current design revision.
- Results are recorded automatically.
- Automation output is attached to the relevant design review.
Depending on the Automation, results may include:
- Pass or fail status
- Generated artifacts such as BOMs
- Detailed logs or reports
Engineers can review Automation results alongside other feedback.
What you need before setting up Automations
Before configuring Automations, make sure you have:
- A design stored in an Allspice repository
- Permission to configure Automations for the repository
- A clear idea of what checks or automation you want to run
For a complete checklist, see Pre-requisites.
Next steps
Once you understand how Automations fit into the workflow, continue to:
Setting up your first Automation workflow
This guide walks through enabling Automations and running your first automated check on a real design.
You can also browse available automation options in Exploring the Automations library.