---
name: "ConnectWise Automate Scripts"
description: >
  Use this skill when working with ConnectWise Automate scripts - listing,
  executing, passing parameters, and retrieving results. Covers script types
  (PowerShell, batch, VBScript), script folders, script execution on computers,
  parameter handling, execution history, and result retrieval.
when_to_use: "When listing, executing, passing parameters, and retrieving results"
triggers:
  - automate script
  - automate powershell
  - automate execute
  - run script
  - script execution
  - script parameters
  - script results
  - script history
  - labtech script
  - automate automation
---

# ConnectWise Automate Script Management

## Overview

Scripts in ConnectWise Automate are automation routines that run on managed endpoints. They can be PowerShell, batch files, VBScript, or Automate's native scripting language. This skill covers script listing, execution, parameters, and result retrieval.

## Key Concepts

### Script Types

| Type | Extension | Use Case |
|------|-----------|----------|
| **Automate Script** | Internal | Built-in functions, agent commands |
| **PowerShell** | .ps1 | Windows automation, complex logic |
| **Batch** | .bat/.cmd | Simple Windows tasks |
| **VBScript** | .vbs | Legacy Windows automation |
| **Shell** | .sh | Linux/macOS automation |

### Script Execution Modes

| Mode | Description | Use Case |
|------|-------------|----------|
| **Immediate** | Run now on target | Ad-hoc tasks |
| **Scheduled** | Run at specific time | Maintenance |
| **On Event** | Triggered by alert/monitor | Automated remediation |
| **Login/Logout** | Run at user session events | User setup |

### Script Status

| Status | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| `Running` | Currently executing |
| `Completed` | Finished successfully |
| `Failed` | Execution error |
| `Pending` | Queued for execution |
| `Timeout` | Exceeded time limit |
| `Cancelled` | Manually stopped |

## Field Reference

### Script Fields

```typescript
interface Script {
  // Identifiers
  ScriptID: number;             // Primary key
  ScriptGUID: string;           // Global unique ID
  Name: string;                 // Script name

  // Organization
  FolderID: number;             // Folder ID
  FolderPath: string;           // Full folder path

  // Script Content
  ScriptType: ScriptType;       // Type of script
  ScriptVersion: number;        // Version number
  Description: string;          // Script description

  // Permissions
  ClientID: number;             // 0 for global, or specific client
  LocationID: number;           // 0 for all locations

  // Parameters
  Parameters: ScriptParameter[];

  // Metadata
  DateCreated: string;          // Creation date
  DateModified: string;         // Last modified
  ModifiedBy: string;           // Last editor
  Enabled: boolean;             // Is active
}

type ScriptType = 'Automate' | 'PowerShell' | 'Batch' | 'VBScript' | 'Shell';

interface ScriptParameter {
  Name: string;                 // Parameter name
  Type: ParameterType;          // Data type
  Required: boolean;            // Is required
  DefaultValue: string;         // Default if not provided
  Description: string;          // Parameter help
  Options: string[];            // For dropdown types
}

type ParameterType = 'String' | 'Number' | 'Boolean' | 'Dropdown' | 'Computer' | 'Client';
```

### Script Execution Fields

```typescript
interface ScriptExecution {
  // Identifiers
  ExecutionID: number;          // Unique execution ID
  ScriptID: number;             // Script that ran
  ComputerID: number;           // Target computer

  // Status
  Status: ExecutionStatus;      // Current status
  ExitCode: number;             // Process exit code
  StartTime: string;            // When started
  EndTime: string;              // When finished
  Duration: number;             // Seconds elapsed

  // Results
  Output: string;               // Script stdout
  ErrorOutput: string;          // Script stderr
  LogOutput: string;            // Automate log entries

  // Context
  TriggeredBy: string;          // Who/what initiated
  Parameters: Record<string, string>;  // Passed parameters
}

type ExecutionStatus = 'Pending' | 'Running' | 'Completed' | 'Failed' | 'Timeout' | 'Cancelled';
```

## API Patterns

### List All Scripts

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts?pageSize=250
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

**Response:**
```json
[
  {
    "ScriptID": 1001,
    "Name": "Clear Temp Files",
    "FolderPath": "Maintenance/Disk Cleanup",
    "ScriptType": "PowerShell",
    "Description": "Clears Windows temporary directories",
    "Enabled": true,
    "Parameters": [
      {
        "Name": "days",
        "Type": "Number",
        "Required": false,
        "DefaultValue": "7",
        "Description": "Delete files older than X days"
      }
    ]
  }
]
```

### Get Script Details

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts/{scriptID}
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

### List Scripts by Folder

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts?condition=FolderID = 5&pageSize=100
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

### Search Scripts by Name

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts?condition=Name contains 'cleanup'&pageSize=50
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

### Execute Script on Computer

```http
POST /cwa/api/v1/Computers/{computerID}/Scripts/{scriptID}/Execute
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "Parameters": {
    "days": "30",
    "path": "C:\\Temp"
  }
}
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "ExecutionID": 98765,
  "Status": "Pending",
  "ComputerID": 12345,
  "ScriptID": 1001,
  "StartTime": "2024-02-15T10:45:00Z"
}
```

### Get Execution Status

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts/Executions/{executionID}
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

**Response (Running):**
```json
{
  "ExecutionID": 98765,
  "Status": "Running",
  "StartTime": "2024-02-15T10:45:00Z",
  "Duration": 30
}
```

**Response (Completed):**
```json
{
  "ExecutionID": 98765,
  "Status": "Completed",
  "ExitCode": 0,
  "StartTime": "2024-02-15T10:45:00Z",
  "EndTime": "2024-02-15T10:46:30Z",
  "Duration": 90,
  "Output": "Deleted 156 files totaling 2.3 GB",
  "ErrorOutput": ""
}
```

### Execute Script on Multiple Computers

```http
POST /cwa/api/v1/Scripts/{scriptID}/Execute
Authorization: Bearer {token}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "ComputerIDs": [12345, 12346, 12347],
  "Parameters": {
    "days": "30"
  }
}
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "Executions": [
    { "ExecutionID": 98765, "ComputerID": 12345, "Status": "Pending" },
    { "ExecutionID": 98766, "ComputerID": 12346, "Status": "Pending" },
    { "ExecutionID": 98767, "ComputerID": 12347, "Status": "Pending" }
  ]
}
```

### Get Execution History for Computer

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Computers/{computerID}/Scripts/Executions?pageSize=50
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

### Get Execution History for Script

```http
GET /cwa/api/v1/Scripts/{scriptID}/Executions?pageSize=50
Authorization: Bearer {token}
```

## Workflows

### Find Script by Name

```javascript
async function findScriptByName(client, name) {
  const scripts = await client.request(
    `/Scripts?condition=Name contains '${name}'&pageSize=50`
  );

  if (scripts.length === 0) {
    return { found: false, suggestions: [] };
  }

  if (scripts.length === 1) {
    return { found: true, script: scripts[0] };
  }

  return {
    found: false,
    ambiguous: true,
    suggestions: scripts.map(s => ({
      name: s.Name,
      id: s.ScriptID,
      folder: s.FolderPath,
      description: s.Description
    }))
  };
}
```

### Execute Script and Wait for Completion

```javascript
async function runScriptAndWait(client, computerId, scriptId, params = {}, options = {}) {
  const { timeoutMs = 300000, pollIntervalMs = 5000 } = options;

  // Start the script
  const execution = await client.request(
    `/Computers/${computerId}/Scripts/${scriptId}/Execute`,
    {
      method: 'POST',
      body: JSON.stringify({ Parameters: params })
    }
  );

  const startTime = Date.now();

  // Poll for completion
  while (true) {
    const status = await client.request(
      `/Scripts/Executions/${execution.ExecutionID}`
    );

    if (['Completed', 'Failed', 'Timeout', 'Cancelled'].includes(status.Status)) {
      return {
        success: status.Status === 'Completed' && status.ExitCode === 0,
        execution: status
      };
    }

    // Check timeout
    if (Date.now() - startTime > timeoutMs) {
      return {
        success: false,
        execution: status,
        error: 'Polling timeout exceeded'
      };
    }

    await sleep(pollIntervalMs);
  }
}
```

### Validate Script Parameters

```javascript
async function validateScriptParams(client, scriptId, providedParams) {
  const script = await client.request(`/Scripts/${scriptId}`);
  const errors = [];
  const warnings = [];

  for (const param of script.Parameters || []) {
    const value = providedParams[param.Name];

    // Check required parameters
    if (param.Required && !value && !param.DefaultValue) {
      errors.push(`Missing required parameter: ${param.Name}`);
      continue;
    }

    // Type validation
    if (value) {
      switch (param.Type) {
        case 'Number':
          if (isNaN(Number(value))) {
            errors.push(`Parameter ${param.Name} must be a number`);
          }
          break;
        case 'Boolean':
          if (!['true', 'false', '1', '0'].includes(value.toLowerCase())) {
            errors.push(`Parameter ${param.Name} must be true/false`);
          }
          break;
        case 'Dropdown':
          if (param.Options && !param.Options.includes(value)) {
            errors.push(`Parameter ${param.Name} must be one of: ${param.Options.join(', ')}`);
          }
          break;
      }
    }
  }

  // Check for unknown parameters
  const knownParams = new Set((script.Parameters || []).map(p => p.Name));
  for (const provided of Object.keys(providedParams)) {
    if (!knownParams.has(provided)) {
      warnings.push(`Unknown parameter: ${provided}`);
    }
  }

  return {
    valid: errors.length === 0,
    errors,
    warnings
  };
}
```

### Batch Script Execution

```javascript
async function runScriptOnMultipleComputers(client, scriptId, computerIds, params = {}) {
  const batchSize = 50;
  const allResults = [];

  for (let i = 0; i < computerIds.length; i += batchSize) {
    const batch = computerIds.slice(i, i + batchSize);

    const response = await client.request(`/Scripts/${scriptId}/Execute`, {
      method: 'POST',
      body: JSON.stringify({
        ComputerIDs: batch,
        Parameters: params
      })
    });

    allResults.push(...response.Executions);

    // Respect rate limits between batches
    if (i + batchSize < computerIds.length) {
      await sleep(1000);
    }
  }

  return allResults;
}
```

### Monitor Multiple Executions

```javascript
async function monitorExecutions(client, executionIds, options = {}) {
  const { onUpdate, timeoutMs = 600000, pollIntervalMs = 10000 } = options;
  const startTime = Date.now();
  const results = new Map();

  // Initialize tracking
  executionIds.forEach(id => results.set(id, { Status: 'Unknown' }));

  while (true) {
    let allComplete = true;

    for (const executionId of executionIds) {
      const current = results.get(executionId);
      if (['Completed', 'Failed', 'Timeout', 'Cancelled'].includes(current.Status)) {
        continue;
      }

      try {
        const execution = await client.request(
          `/Scripts/Executions/${executionId}`
        );
        results.set(executionId, execution);

        if (!['Completed', 'Failed', 'Timeout', 'Cancelled'].includes(execution.Status)) {
          allComplete = false;
        }

        if (onUpdate) {
          onUpdate(executionId, execution);
        }
      } catch (error) {
        results.set(executionId, { Status: 'Error', error: error.message });
      }
    }

    if (allComplete) break;

    if (Date.now() - startTime > timeoutMs) {
      break;
    }

    await sleep(pollIntervalMs);
  }

  return Array.from(results.entries()).map(([id, data]) => ({
    executionId: id,
    ...data
  }));
}
```

### Script Result Summary

```javascript
function summarizeScriptResult(execution) {
  return {
    executionId: execution.ExecutionID,
    script: execution.ScriptName,
    computer: execution.ComputerName,
    status: execution.Status,
    exitCode: execution.ExitCode,
    duration: `${execution.Duration}s`,
    success: execution.Status === 'Completed' && execution.ExitCode === 0,
    output: execution.Output?.substring(0, 1000) || '',
    errors: execution.ErrorOutput?.substring(0, 500) || ''
  };
}
```

## Error Handling

### Common Script API Errors

| Error | Status | Cause | Resolution |
|-------|--------|-------|------------|
| Script not found | 404 | Invalid ScriptID | Verify script exists |
| Computer offline | 400 | Target is offline | Wait for computer or schedule |
| Missing parameter | 400 | Required param not provided | Include all required params |
| Permission denied | 403 | No access to script | Check user permissions |
| Execution failed | 400 | Script error | Check script logs |

### Error Response Example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "BadRequest",
    "message": "Cannot execute script on offline computer"
  }
}
```

### Safe Script Execution

```javascript
async function safeRunScript(client, computerId, scriptId, params = {}) {
  // Verify computer is online
  const computer = await client.request(`/Computers/${computerId}`);

  if (computer.Status !== 'Online') {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: `Computer is ${computer.Status}`,
      lastContact: computer.LastContact
    };
  }

  // Validate parameters
  const validation = await validateScriptParams(client, scriptId, params);

  if (!validation.valid) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: 'Invalid parameters',
      details: validation.errors
    };
  }

  // Execute the script
  try {
    const execution = await client.request(
      `/Computers/${computerId}/Scripts/${scriptId}/Execute`,
      {
        method: 'POST',
        body: JSON.stringify({ Parameters: params })
      }
    );
    return {
      success: true,
      executionId: execution.ExecutionID,
      warnings: validation.warnings
    };
  } catch (error) {
    return {
      success: false,
      error: error.message
    };
  }
}
```

## Best Practices

1. **Verify computer online** - Check status before immediate execution
2. **Validate parameters** - Check required and type before running
3. **Use descriptive names** - Clear script naming conventions
4. **Document parameters** - Add descriptions to all parameters
5. **Handle timeouts** - Set appropriate execution timeouts
6. **Log important output** - Capture key results in script output
7. **Test before deploying** - Validate on test computers first
8. **Use folders** - Organize scripts in logical folder structure
9. **Version scripts** - Track changes in script content
10. **Handle exit codes** - Return meaningful exit codes

## Script Exit Code Interpretation

| Exit Code | Typical Meaning |
|-----------|-----------------|
| 0 | Success |
| 1 | General error |
| 2 | Misuse of command |
| 3 | File not found |
| 5 | Access denied |
| 87 | Invalid parameter |
| 1603 | Installation failed |
| -1 | Script exception |

## PowerShell Script Template

```powershell
# Script: Clear-TempFiles
# Parameters: days, path
param(
    [int]$days = 7,
    [string]$path = "$env:TEMP"
)

try {
    $cutoff = (Get-Date).AddDays(-$days)
    $files = Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Recurse -File |
             Where-Object { $_.LastWriteTime -lt $cutoff }

    $count = 0
    $size = 0

    foreach ($file in $files) {
        $size += $file.Length
        Remove-Item $file.FullName -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
        $count++
    }

    $sizeGB = [math]::Round($size / 1GB, 2)
    Write-Output "Deleted $count files totaling $sizeGB GB"
    exit 0
}
catch {
    Write-Error $_.Exception.Message
    exit 1
}
```

## Related Skills

- [ConnectWise Automate Computers](../computers/SKILL.md) - Target computers for scripts
- [ConnectWise Automate Alerts](../alerts/SKILL.md) - Alert-triggered scripts
- [ConnectWise Automate Monitors](../monitors/SKILL.md) - Monitor-triggered scripts
- [ConnectWise Automate API Patterns](../api-patterns/SKILL.md) - Authentication and pagination