Manual Trigger
The Manual Trigger node acts as the starting point for workflows that you want to execute by hand. Instead of waiting for an external event, you simply click a button within the interface to set the workflow in motion. This is an essential tool for debugging, testing downstream nodes during development, and running ad-hoc automated tasks.
What can you do with Manual Trigger?
On-Demand Execution
Initiate your complex automated workflows instantly with a single click, completely independent of external schedules or webhook events. Ideal for ad-hoc administrative tasks or manual data syncing.
Custom Mock Payloads
Inject custom JSON form data directly into the execution engine. This allows you to perfectly simulate incoming data from external APIs (like Shopify or Stripe) without needing to perform actual live transactions.
Safe Debugging & Testing
Test your logic branches, data transformations, and API authentications layer-by-layer. Isolate workflow components and execute runs safely before deploying to a live production environment.
Detailed Usage & Configuration
The Manual Trigger node is the simplest but most essential node during your workflow development and testing phases. It allows you to trigger a workflow execution on-demand without needing to satisfy external requirements.
1. Using the Trigger
Once you connect the Manual Trigger to your downstream actions, you can initiate a run simply by clicking the "Execute Node" button manually in the top-right corner of the canvas. The engine will instantly run the workflow from this exact point.
2. Injecting Mock Data
During testing, you often need to simulate incoming data (e.g., a fake Stripe charge or a dummy form entry). You can easily inject this mock data directly into the execution payload.
- The engine will automatically map this mocked raw JSON data to the outgoing connection, allowing downstream nodes to access variables dynamically like
{{ $json.email }}.
3. Best Practices
While developing massive architectures, it is common to detach your primary triggers (e.g., Webhooks) and attach a Manual Trigger locally to isolate a specific cluster of actions you are debugging.