Overview
Automations (previously called Schedules) allow you to automate reporting and now go even further by enabling AI-powered workflows.
With Automations, you can:
Send dashboard snapshots (existing functionality)
Run AI instructions using Ask Polar on a schedule
Analyze data and trigger alerts based on conditions
Deliver results to Email or Slack
You can access Automations from the Data Activation section in the left side menu.
What’s New: Automations
Schedules have been renamed to Automations, and now come in two types:
1. Send Snapshots (existing functionality)
This is the same as previous schedules:
Send dashboards or report blocks
Deliver to Email or Slack
Configure frequency and timing as before
What’s improved:
You can now connect different Slack channels per automation (instead of one workspace-wide channel)
2. Run Instructions (new ✨)
Run Instructions introduces AI-powered scheduling using Ask Polar.
This allows you to:
Analyze your data automatically
Use your saved Skills
Define conditional logic (e.g., alerts, thresholds)
Let AI decide whether and where to send results
Example use case:
“Every day at 6:30am, check CAC for the last 7 days and alert me if it's above €70. Send results to Slack and email.”
Key differences from Send Snapshots:
No manual “delivery settings” section
You define outputs directly in your instructions
AI determines:
If a message should be sent
What the message contains
Where it should go
When to Use Automations
Use Automations when:
You review data on a regular schedule
You need proactive alerts (not just reports)
Your team relies on consistent, up-to-date insights
You want AI to monitor metrics for you
Before creating an automation, consider:
How often your data updates
When insights are needed
Whether you need reporting or decision-making (AI)
How to Create an Automation
Step-by-step
Navigate to Automations
Click + New automation
Name your automation
Choose a trigger (frequency & timing)
Select one of the following:
Option A: Send Snapshots
Choose Send snapshots
Select dashboard elements (tables, metric cards or charts)
Configure:
Date & Granularity (Entire Range/Daily/Weekly/ect.)
Comparison period (optional)
Apply views (optional)
Delivery method:
Email (add recipients)
Slack (select connected channel)
Option B: Run Instructions
Choose Run instructions
Write your instruction in natural language
(Optional) Connect Slack if not already connected or specify the email addresses for delivery
Test using Run now
Save your automation
💡 Tip: You can mention email addresses or slack channels directly in the prompt
Delivery Options
Add recipients directly (no Polar account required)
Used in both snapshots and AI instructions
Slack
Must connect Slack first
For Send Snapshots: select a channel
For Run Instructions: mention the channel in your prompt
Configuring Schedule Frequency and Timing
Choosing the right frequency and timing is one of the most important parts of creating a schedule.
Available schedule frequencies
Hourly: Best for time-sensitive monitoring
Daily: Ideal for most operational and performance reporting
Weekly: Useful for trend analysis and team reviews
Monthly: Common for financial and executive reporting
Best practices for timing
Schedule runs after your data sources finish updating
Run daily automations early in the morning so dashboards are ready for the day
Avoid overlapping automations that could slow performance
📌 Example:
If your data source finishes processing at 6am, schedule your refresh for 7am to ensure complete data.
Unlike the default daily report (which goes to all account users), Automations let you fully customize delivery and recipients. If you'd like to disable the default report, you can toggle the report option off within your settings.
Editing, Pausing, and Managing Automations
Once an automation is created, you can manage it as your needs change.
How to manage existing automations
Edit: Update frequency, timing, or scope if requirements change
Pause: Temporarily stop a schedule without deleting it
Delete: Remove automations that are no longer needed
These options make it easy to adjust automations as your reporting evolves.
When to update automations
You add or remove data sources
Your reporting cadence changes
Your team grows or workflows shift
Regularly reviewing automations helps keep your workspace clean and efficient.
Connecting to Slack
To receive reports in Slack, follow these steps:
Under the Delivery section select +Connect a channel
Select your Slack channel from the drop down and Allow permissions:
Once connected, you can enable an automation to be delivered to your Slack workspace.
This setup allows you to receive Automations directly in your Slack channels for seamless collaboration.
Expected Behavior
When sending a report to Slack, Polar will display the top 10 rows of data by default.
To show fewer rows, use the Show Top Rows feature to adjust how many rows are included in the report. See this article for more information on setting this up.
This setup ensures your Slack reports remain concise and tailored to your preferences, making it easy to collaborate and access key data at a glance.
Best Practices for Using Automations
To get the most value from automations in Polar, follow these best practices:
Start simple: Daily automations work for most teams
Avoid over-scheduling: More frequent refreshes don’t always add value
Standardize automations: Shared automations create trust in the data
Review periodically: Ensure automations still align with business needs
✅ Recommended setup:
One daily snapshot report
1–3 AI automations for key alerts (e.g., CAC, revenue, ROAS)
F.A.Qs
Can I change the Slack channel associated with my Automations?
Can I change the Slack channel associated with my Automations?
In order to change the Slack channel where your schedules are sent, uninstall Slack in your settings, and then install it again with the new Slack domain.
Can I add Targets to Automations?
Can I add Targets to Automations?
At this time, Targets are only available within your Key Indicators tab, and can't be added to automated Schedules.
Can I receive charts and graphs in a Automations?
Can I receive charts and graphs in a Automations?
At this time we are not able to send charts or graphs in Schedules.
Can I receive the schedule as a pdf or other file type?
Can I receive the schedule as a pdf or other file type?
At this time we are unable to send Automations as a .pdf or other file type. However, you can export any Custom Reports as a .csv file from the Custom Reports tab by selecting the three dots (⋮) next to the Reports name and Download
Can I show more than the ten rows of data in Slack?
Can I show more than the ten rows of data in Slack?
At this time, Polar can only display the top 10 rows of data when sending a Custom Report to a Slack channel. If you would like to see more data you can send the report via email instead of through Slack.