Sensors
Every Skill in the Celonis Process Intelligence Platform begins with a Sensor. A Sensor acts as the "ear" of your automation, constantly monitoring for specific events or data changes to trigger a Skill’s execution.
When a Sensor detects a pre-defined trigger, it captures relevant data (the payload) and passes it to the Skill. This payload allows subsequent Actions within the Skill to use real-time information—such as an Invoice ID or a Customer Name—to perform automated tasks.
Core Sensor types
To build effective automations, you must choose the sensor type that best fits your source system:
Sensor type | Description | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
Smart sensors | Trigger based on PQL (Process Query Language) logic within your Data Model. | Detecting process inefficiencies like duplicate payments. |
Webhooks | Real-time triggers sent from external cloud applications (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow). | from external cloud applications (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow).Instant updates when a record is created in another tool. |
Email sensors | Monitors a specific inbox (e.g., Gmail or Outlook) for new messages. | Automating responses to customer inquiries or support tickets. |
Manual sensors | Requires a user to click a button within a Celonis View or Analysis. | Human-in-the-loop workflows where a user decides when to automate. |
Configuration key components
When setting up a sensor, you will typically define the following parameters:
Connection: The authenticated link to the external system (e.g., an API Key or OAuth token).
Filter Logic: Conditions that must be met for the sensor to fire (e.g., "Only trigger if the Invoice amount is > $10,000").
Schedule: For polling sensors, how often Celonis should check for new data.
Next steps
Now that you understand the different types of sensors, you can begin configuring them within your Skills. Choose the specific sensor type below for step-by-step configuration instructions:
Configure a Smart Sensor: Learn how to use PQL logic to trigger actions based on your data model. See: Celonis Smart Sensor.
Set up a Webhook: Connect external cloud applications to your Skills for real-time automation. See: Webhook Catch Hook.
Define Skill Permissions: Ensure your sensors have the necessary access rights to execute actions across the platform. See: Skill Permissions.