SSJS to pause and start an automation || Run automation for specific duration and frequency

Question

I have to create an automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud to run every day from 8am to 10pm but unfortunately the schedule configuration does not have this option.

I heard that it is possible to create a SSJS to stop the automation at 10 pm and another to start it at 8 am. I am new to SSJS and don't know if this is real or how to do it.

I would like to know if anyone has used a SSJS in a similar situation or can help me to solve this problem.

Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

There are many ways to tackle this programmatically [and have its own Pros and Cons]
If your requirement is to Run your automation from 8am to 10pm every hour; daily.
Create a secondary automation as below.

• Scheduled to run daily at 8am.
• Add 14 Script activity with below code with 13 wait activities [of 1 hours] (change this frequency) as per your requirement.

SSJS code to run automation

<script runat="server">
  Platform.Load('core', '1');
  var myAutomation1 = "YourAutomationKey"; //External key of the automation
  var prog1 = Program.Init(myAutomation1);
  prog1.Perform();
</script>

WSproxy code to run automation [updated as per suggestion by Greg]

/*  You will be able to access automations in child BU from the parent BU and the reverse, from child to parent, 
but don't think you won't be able to go from child BU to child BU.  */

<script  runat="server">
    Platform.Load("core","1.1.1");

    var prox = new Script.Util.WSProxy();

    //Switch context to different BU. Change the MID to suit.
    prox.setClientId({ "ID": xxxxxxxx });

    // Need to retrieve the ObjectID for the Automation, which isn't available via the SFMC interface.
    var cols = ["Name", "ProgramID", "IsActive"];
    var filter = {
        Property: "Name",
        SimpleOperator: "equals",
        Value: "xxxxxxxxxx Name of your Automation xxxxxxxxxxxx"
    };
    var desc = prox.retrieve("Automation", cols, filter);

    // Output ObjectID if you want to see it. 
    Write('<br>ObjectID: ' + desc.Results[0].ObjectID);

    var props = {
        ObjectID: desc.Results[0].ObjectID
    };
    var action = "start";
    var opts = {};
    var res = prox.performItem("Automation", props, action, opts);
    var status = res.Status;
    var statusCode = res.Results[0].StatusCode;

    Write("status code: " + statusCode);

    //reset the context if required
    prox.resetClientIds();
</script>

Answer 2

Run automation in Parent Business unit from Child Business unit.

Recently I noticed using WS proxy we can only run Child automation from Parent. But running an automation in Parent from is NOT possible.

Here is the alternative I found.

<script runat="server">
Platform.Load("Core","1.1.1");

/* Change Subdomain, ClientID, ClientSecrete based on ur instance */

var subdomain = 'xxx';
var authEndpoint = 'https://'+subdomain+'.auth.marketingcloudapis.com';
var payload = {
        client_id: "xxx",
        client_secret: "xxx",
        grant_type: "client_credentials",
        account_id: xxxx //Parent BU MID
    };
var url = authEndpoint + '/v2/token';  
var contentType = 'application/json';

try {
    /* Generating access token :: START */
   var accessTokenRequest = HTTP.Post(url, contentType, Stringify(payload));
   if(accessTokenRequest.StatusCode == 200) 
   {
        var tokenResponse = Platform.Function.ParseJSON(accessTokenRequest.Response[0]);
        var accessToken = tokenResponse.access_token;
        Write('Access token = '+accessToken)
   }
   /* Generating access token :: END */

   /* SOAP API :: automation start :: START */ 
    var payload = '';
    var endpoint = "https://"+subdomain+".soap.marketingcloudapis.com/Service.asmx";
    var result;

    payload += '<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>';
    payload += '<s:Envelope xmlns:s="http://www.w3.org/2003/05/soap-envelope" xmlns:a="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/ws/2004/08/addressing" xmlns:u="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wss/2004/01/oasis-200401-wss-wssecurity-utility-1.0.xsd">';
    payload += '    <s:Header>';
    payload += '        <a:Action s:mustUnderstand="1">Perform</a:Action>';
    payload += '        <a:To s:mustUnderstand="1">https://'+subdomain+'.soap.marketingcloudapis.com/Service.asmx</a:To>';
    payload += '        <fueloauth xmlns="http://exacttarget.com">'+accessToken+'</fueloauth>';
    payload += '    </s:Header>';
    payload += '    <s:Body xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">';
    payload += '        <PerformRequestMsg xmlns="http://exacttarget.com/wsdl/partnerAPI">';
    payload += '         <Action>start</Action>';
    payload += '         <Definitions>';
    payload += '            <Definition xsi:type="Automation">';
    payload += '               <Client>';
    payload += '                  <ID>xxxx</ID>'; //Parent BU MID
    payload += '               </Client>';
    payload += '               <ObjectID>xxxxx</ObjectID>'; //ObjectID of your automation [note this is not customerkey]
    payload += '            </Definition>';
    payload += '         </Definitions>';
    payload += '      </PerformRequestMsg>';
    payload += '    </s:Body>';
    payload += '</s:Envelope>';

    try {
           
            /* Write(' Paylod = '+payload); */
            
            result = HTTP.Post(endpoint,"text/xml",payload,["SOAPAction"],["Perform"]);
           /* Write("Result = "+result); */
        } 
    catch(e) 
        {
            result = {StatusCode:500,Response:Stringify(e)};    
        }
   /* SOAP API :: automation start :: END */

}//try 

catch (error) {
    Write(Stringify(error));
}
</script>