# Deployments: Setup and Monitoring

**Last Updated On**: 10 Aug 2026  
**14 minutes read**

## Overview

A deployment pushes a resource — a workflow, a sensor, or an alert profile — out to a chosen set of devices. In the Deployments module, you pick what to deploy, target the device groups, and decide when it runs: right away, on a schedule, or (for workflows) automatically when an alert condition is met on a device. You can then track how each deployment progresses and how it resolves on individual devices.

This is where the workflows, sensors, and alert profiles you have built go live. This page walks through creating a deployment, deploying a workflow in Trigger mode, and monitoring the results.

> **Note**  
> You can start a deployment two ways: from the Deployments module (covered here), or from an item’s own **Deployment** tab — see [Workflows](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/managing-workflows.html), [Sensors](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/custom-data-collector.html), or [Alert Profiles](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/configuring-and-managing-alerts.html). Both create the same kind of deployment and both appear in the Deployments list, so use whichever is more convenient.

## Why Deployment Matters

| Functionality | Value |
|---|---|
| Controlled Execution | Define when and where workflows, sensors, and alert profiles run. |
| Selective Targeting | Deploy only to relevant device groups. |
| Flexible Scheduling | Run immediately or schedule for later execution. |
| Alert-Based Automation | Run a workflow automatically when an alert condition is met on a device, using Trigger mode. |
| Execution Monitoring | Track status, outcomes, and error logs across all deployments. |

> **Note**  
> Only workflows saved with **Active** status can be selected for deployment.

## Prerequisites

- The workflow, sensor, or alert profile you want to deploy must already be created and saved. See [Workflows](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/managing-workflows.html), [Sensors](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/custom-data-collector.html), or [Alert Profiles](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/configuring-and-managing-alerts.html) as applicable.
- You must have the Workflow role to create deployments.
- The Custom Groups you want to target must already be created. See the [Custom Groups](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/custom-groups/custom-groups-overview.html) document for details.
- To deploy a workflow in Trigger mode, the workflow must have **Enable Deployment Trigger** turned on and an Alert Profile mapped to it. See [Run a Workflow Automatically on an Alert](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/managing-workflows.html#enable-deployment-trigger) to set this up.

## Accessing the Deployments Module

Navigate to **DEX > Deployments** from the left-hand pane.

The Deployments tab displays a list of all active, scheduled, and completed deployments.

Click **Create Deployment** to begin a new rollout.

![navigation to deployments](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/deploy-workflows1.webp)

## Creating a Deployment

#### Step 1: Enter Deployment Details

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Deployment Name | Give the deployment a unique, descriptive title. |
| Description (optional) | Add context to explain the intent or scope of the rollout. |

![deployment details](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/deploy-workflows2.webp)

#### Step 2: Define Resources

Set the **Type** to what you want to deploy — *Workflow*, *Sensor*, or *Alert Profiles* — then pick one or more items of that type from the Resources list. What each type does once deployed:

| Type | What deploying it does |
|---|---|
| Workflow | Runs the workflow's automation logic on the target devices. |
| Sensor | Collects data from the target devices, according to how the sensor's script is configured. A sensor runs only on devices matching its OS platform. |
| Alert Profiles | Starts monitoring the target devices against the alert profile's condition (for example, “Wi-Fi signal strength is less than 50% for 60 minutes”). |

You can add multiple items, and combine workflows with sensors in a single deployment to collect data alongside execution.

![Adding resources](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/deploy-workflows3.webp)

#### Step 3: Select Target Devices

Choose one or more Custom Groups to define the scope. Use the include / exclude option in target selection to narrow down the target devices.

> **Tip**  
> Test the deployment on a small group first before expanding to a wider audience.

#### Step 4: Choose Deployment Mode

| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Immediate | Runs as soon as possible. |
| Schedule | Runs at a specific date and time. |
| Trigger | Runs a workflow automatically on a device when its mapped alert condition is met. Available only for workflows that have Enable Deployment Trigger turned on. |

The modes available depend on what you are deploying:

| Type | Immediate | Schedule | Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workflow | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sensor | Yes | Yes | — |
| Alert Profiles | Yes | — | — |

![Choose the deployment mode](https://cdn.manageengine.com/sites/meweb/images/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/deploy-workflows4.webp)

If you choose **Schedule**, select a frequency (Once, Daily, or Weekly), define the active period, and set the Run Time for the initial deployment.

If you choose **Trigger**, no schedule is needed. The workflow runs automatically once its mapped alert condition is met on a target device. See [Deploying in Trigger Mode](#trigger-mode) for the full steps.

> **Note**  
> If a workflow has Enable Deployment Trigger turned on but you deploy it in Immediate or Scheduled mode, the trigger settings are bypassed and the workflow runs without waiting for the alert condition. Use Trigger mode if you want the workflow to wait for the alert.

#### Step 5: Deploy

Click **Deploy** to run or schedule the execution.

## Deploying in Trigger Mode

Trigger mode runs a workflow automatically on a device the moment its mapped alert condition is met, with no schedule and no manual start. You select Trigger as the deployment mode and choose the target devices; the alert that starts the workflow was mapped earlier, when the workflow was created.

#### Before You Start

The workflow must have **Enable Deployment Trigger** turned on and an Alert Profile mapped to it. Only these workflows can be deployed in Trigger mode. To set this up, see [Run a Workflow Automatically on an Alert](https://www.manageengine.com/digital-employee-experience/help/dex/managing-workflows.html#enable-deployment-trigger).

#### Steps

1. On the Deployments page, click **Create Deployment**.
2. Under **Basic Details**, enter a **Deployment Name** (and an optional description).
3. Under **Define Resources**, set Type to *Workflow* and select the workflow that has Enable Deployment Trigger configured.
4. Under **Define Targets**, select one or more **Custom Group(s)** as the target.
5. Set **Deployment Mode** to **Trigger**.
6. Click **Deploy**. Each targeted device begins monitoring for the alert condition, and the workflow runs on that device when the condition is met.

After a successful Trigger deployment, each device shows a status such as Success with the remark that the workflow was deployed and the device is being monitored for the trigger condition. To follow what happens as alerts occur, see [Monitoring Deployment Status](#monitoring-deployment).

## Monitoring Deployment Status

After deployment, return to the Deployments tab to monitor outcomes. This list shows every deployment regardless of what was deployed or how.

| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Deployment Name | Click to view detailed device-level results. |
| Created By / At | Tracks creator and timestamp. |
| Status | Indicates progress: In Progress, Success, Failed, or Suspended. |
| Remarks | Shows summary messages or error notes. |
| Action Menu | Options to suspend, resume, edit, or delete the deployment. |

#### Trigger Deployment Views

Trigger deployments have a richer view than Immediate or Scheduled ones, because they keep running as alerts recur. Open a Trigger deployment to see three tabs: **Summary**, **Deployment Status**, and **Workflows**. The Summary tab includes the following views:

| View | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Deployment Summary | Distribution of devices by deployment state: Yet To Start, Yet To Update, Suspended, Failure, and Success. |
| Trigger Execution Outcome | Breakdown of execution outcomes across all occurrences: Skipped, Failed, Success, Triggered, In Progress, and Stopped. |
| Trigger Execution Trend | Execution outcomes over time (for example, the last 7 or 30 days), so you can see how often the workflow is triggered and how it resolves. |

The **Deployment Status** tab lists each device with its status and remark (for example, “Workflow deployed successfully. Monitoring device for trigger condition”). The **Workflows** tab shows the workflows included in the deployment.

> **Note**  
> In the Trigger Execution Outcome view, **Skipped** can be a large share of occurrences.

## Best Practices

| Practice | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| Use meaningful deployment names | Improves traceability and audit clarity |
| Always test deployments in small groups | Reduces risk and ensures logic accuracy |
| Use scheduling for off-hours or change windows | Minimizes end-user disruption |
| Use Trigger mode for unpredictable, time-sensitive issues | Remediates a device the moment the alert condition is met, without manual monitoring |
| Before deploying in Trigger mode, confirm Enable Deployment Trigger is turned on for the workflow | Only workflows with Enable Deployment Trigger turned on can be deployed in Trigger mode |
| Review Trigger Execution Outcome for devices with a high Skipped count | Repeated skips may indicate the alert fires too frequently or the workflow takes too long to complete; the device may need investigation rather than repeated remediation |