Working on its own or asking first
What "Act on its own" and "Ask me first" change, which steps always ask, how approvals by email work, and why a run can ask anyway.
On this page
Every program runs in one of two modes, which you choose on the card when you turn it on. You can change it later on the program's switch on the Agents tab.
The two modes
The card lists the steps this program could take that reach beyond writing: sending a message, changing the business's database or edge functions, running code, changing email or schedule settings, deleting something.
- Act on its own. A run takes those steps without stopping. The Agents tab shows the program as Works on its own.
- Ask me first. A run pauses before each of those steps and waits for your approval, then carries on from exactly where it stopped. The Agents tab shows Asks first.
The list is the program's own tools, so a program that only researches and writes a document has nothing on it, and both modes behave the same.
What never waits
Content work runs in every mode, because it is what most programs exist to produce: writing and editing CMS items and documents, making PDFs, and finding stock images. Research and reads never wait either.
Publishing content doesn't wait, but it only goes live in a collection where auto-publish is switched on. Everywhere else the item stays a draft and you are told it is ready to review.
Site source files are not content. A program changing them waits like any other change.
What always asks
One stop applies in every mode. A run that has just read outside content, such as a web page, an email or a webhook call, asks before it sends anything to other people or changes anything outside the business. Text from outside can contain instructions aimed at the program, and this stop keeps them from acting through it.
Two things don't ask even then: messaging you, and replying only to the person whose email started the run. The card lists these under Still asks you first.
Run now
Run now follows the switch. On an active program you confirmed to act on its own, Run now acts on its own too. The Agents tab offers Run now on active programs only; asking Willo in chat to run a draft or paused program now gives a run that always asks first.
When a run asks anyway
A program set to act on its own can still ask first. The run's summary ends with an Asked first line saying why. The common reasons:
| Reason | What to do |
|---|---|
| Nobody has confirmed what it may do on its own. | Click Confirm again on the program's switch on the Agents tab. |
| Its tools changed after you confirmed. Giving a program a new tool that sends or changes things, in chat, switches it back to asking. | Confirm again. The confirm lists the current tools. |
| The business can't run agents on their own right now: low credits, or today's budget for work done on its own is spent. A Run now asks first; a scheduled run is skipped instead. | Check the plan, credits and the daily budget under Settings → Autonomy. Nothing on the switch needs changing. |
Approving the waiting steps finishes that one run. It doesn't change what the next run does; the switch does.
Approvals by email
When a run pauses for approval, the owner of the Willo account the business belongs to gets an email with approve and deny links. The same request is on the Agents tab: Agents in the left rail, then the program, then the waiting run, where the waiting step shows Approve & run and Deny. Owners and admins can answer it there.
Approving takes the step and the run continues. Denying closes the run without taking it.
On a phone, the left rail is under the menu button.
A test run never needs approving
A test run shows what each sending or changing step would do and holds it for review instead of doing it. Nothing to approve, nothing sent.
Related: Agent Programs overview, Runs and reading a run.