How to Create an Automation Using MT Automation Builder
Overview
The MT Automation Builder connects Meraki dashboard actions to a press of the Cisco Meraki MT30 button. Use this article to set up a dashboard automation or an external automation using a webhook integration.
Prerequisites
- Full organization or network admin permissions.
- Currently Automations can only be assigned to an MT30 Smart Button.
Step-by-step instructions
Accessing the Automation Builder
To access the Automation Builder, navigate to Sensors > Configure > Automation and select the Automations tab.
Select New Automation at the top of the page to start creating your first automation.
A guided flow walks you through the setup process.
Step 1 - Start here
Enter a name for the automation and select an icon for quick reference. Icons are for representation only and do not affect automation functionality.
Step 2 - Create a rule
After naming the automation, define the rule. This step includes three sub-steps: choosing a sensor, a trigger, and an action.
Choose a sensor
Select which sensor the automation monitors. At present, only the MT30 Button Sensor can be selected in this step. The list will expand to include other sensor types in the future.
Choose a trigger
Select the type of button press that triggers the automation. The MT30 supports the following triggers:
- Any press: The automation triggers when you press the MT30, regardless of how long you hold it.
- Short press: The automation triggers when you press the MT30 for less than 1 second.
- Long press: The automation triggers when you press the MT30 for more than 1 second.
Choose an action
Select an action for the automation.
The Automation Builder offers five actions that you configure through the GUI, as shown above. You can select one or more actions to perform multiple actions with a single trigger. The following actions are available:
Send a notification
This action sends a custom notification to an email address or a phone number using Short Message Service (SMS). When adding an SMS recipient, include a plus sign (+) and country code before the phone number. For example, +61123456789.
Camera snapshot
The Camera Snapshot action lets you configure up to five MV smart camera snapshots to capture when someone presses the MT30.
You need an organization or network administrator account to select cameras for this action. After selecting MV cameras, add an email or SMS recipient.
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The system generates snapshots at the time of event generation, not immediately after you press the button. Expect a delay of about 5–10 seconds between the button press and the snapshot.
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Email and SMS recipients also receive a time-stamped video link to the dashboard footage of the button press.
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Images convert to Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) for U.S. and Canada phone numbers. Ensure the recipient can receive MMS messages. Carrier rates apply for receiving MMS.
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For recipients outside the U.S. and Canada, Twilio hosts the image and sends a short URL instead.
Toggle SSID
This action toggles a specific SSID on or off in the same network as the MT30 when someone presses the button. You can only select SSIDs from the same network as the MT30.
Toggle switchport
This action turns a specific MS switch port, or group of switch ports, on or off when someone presses the button.
Send a webhook command
This action adds a webhook to the automation. Configure a custom message to include in the outbound webhook payload.
Configure webhook servers under Network-wide > Configure > Alerts before you can select them. Configured servers appear in the dropdown list.
Step 3 - Assign devices
After you set up the trigger and action, assign a device to the automation. At present, the device list only shows MT30 buttons in the network.
Preview automation
In the final step, review a preview of the automation configuration before you save and apply it. 