---
title: "Using the Automations Library"
slug: "using-the-automations-library"
description: "Learn how you can use the Allspice Automations library here."
updated: 2026-10-22T21:23:15Z
published: 2026-10-22T21:23:15Z
canonical: "learn.allspice.io/using-the-automations-library"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.allspice.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using the Automations Library

## Getting Started with Allspice Automations Add-ons

Allspice hosts an ever-growing [library of Actions Add-ons](/v1/docs/exploring-the-actions-library), each designed to simplify and modularize your workflow.

Every Add-on contains detailed instructions in the `README.md` file along with a demo repository to guide you on how to use it. Whether you're looking for a modular solution or learning how to create your own reusable automations, Add-ons are the perfect starting point.

We recommend exploring our main [Automations demo repo](https://hub.allspice.io/Allspice-Demos/Actions-Demo) to discover top demos.

## How to get started with Add-ons

The best way to start using the Automations Library is to clone or migrate one of our demo repositories and run it before applying it to your own files. This hands-on approach helps ensure you understand the process and have a working example to troubleshoot as you configure the Add-on for your project.

## Migrating the Automations demo repository

Follow these steps to migrate the demo repository and set it up in your organization:

1. Copy this URL: `https://hub.allspice.io/Allspice-Demos/Action-bom-gen-Demo.git`
2. In the upper right corner of your dashboard, click on the "+" icon.
3. Select **New Migration**.
4. Choose **Allspice** as the migration source.
5. Paste the copied URL into the **Migrate / Clone From URL** field.
6. Change the owner to your organization (Automations cannot be run from personal repositories).
7. Ensure the **Repository Name** is filled automatically, or set it to something like "Action-bom-gen-Demo."
8. Click **Migrate Repository**.

## Triggering the Automations demo

Once the repo is migrated, it's set to trigger on any push or issue creation, closure, or reopening. These issue triggers provide a simple way to run Automations directly from the website interface.

### Creating an Issue to trigger Automations

1. Navigate to the **Issues** tab.
2. Click **New Issue**.
3. Title it something like "Trigger Automation."
4. Click **Create Issue**.

The automation should run automatically. To re-trigger it, you can either create another issue or close and reopen the existing issue. Normally, you'd trigger the automation by pushing new files.

## Viewing the Automation's results

1. Go to the **Actions** tab.
2. Click the run link for the latest run.
3. Download any generated artifact files by clicking on them.

## Customizing the workflow for your project

Once you've reviewed the demo, you can customize the workflow for your own project:

1. Copy everything in the `.allspice` folder to your repository's `.allspice` folder.
2. Modify the workflow for your specific ECAD tool:
  - The default configuration supports Altium. No modification is necessary if you're using Altium.
3. Edit the `.allspice/columns.yml` file to match your BOM format.
4. Modify the `source_path` field to match your project file.
5. Adjust `group_by` if you need to organize your BOM differently.
6. Add a `variant` value if you're generating a BOM for a specific variant.
7. Modify the `bom.csv` file if you prefer a different filename for your BOM.

## Running the workflow in your Repository

Once you've made the necessary modifications, the BOM should be generated correctly, matching your ECAD tool's BOM output. If you encounter issues (e.g., columns out of order or missing fields), inspect the `columns.yml` file and ensure everything aligns with your BOM structure.

For debugging, compare your workflow with the demo repository you cloned. Often, issues stem from syntax errors in YAML files like `columns.yml` or the workflow file.

### Using LLM tools for debugging

If you're stuck, tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and CoPilot can help pinpoint syntax issues in your configuration files. Upload your files and error messages for more targeted assistance.

If you're still having trouble, feel free to contact us at [support@allspice.io](mailto:support@allspice.io).

## Next steps

Congratulations! You've successfully set up CI-driven BOM generation. Now that you're familiar with this process, explore the rest of our [growing library of Add-ons](/v1/docs/exploring-the-actions-library) to further enhance your workflows.