> For the index of every page in Orbital's docs, read https://docs.beta.runorbital.dev/llms.txt.

# Make a trigger rule

> Create a rule that acts on runs, test it, and follow what it does

You make a [trigger rule](/triggers/) in a project, test it against the last seven days, and save it. From then on it starts, stops, pauses or messages runs when GitHub, Linear or a schedule says so.

## Before you start

- Turn on **Triggers** in **Settings > Experimental features**. See [Turn triggers on](/triggers/#turn-triggers-on).
- For a GitHub rule, save a GitHub token. See [Settings](/reference/settings/#github).
- For a Linear rule, save a Linear key in **Settings > Linear**.

## Make a rule

1. **Open the rules.**

   Open **Triggers** in the sidebar, or the trigger rules section of a project's page.

![A project page with triggers turned on shows a section for the project's trigger rules.](/screenshots/project-triggers.webp?v=f689fb22f3)

*A project's page lists the rules that belong to it.*

2. **Start a rule.**

   Choose **New rule**. Or start from a ready-made rule: "Review every new pull request", "Improve the codebase every weekday morning" or "Stop the run when its Linear issue is cancelled".

3. **Name the rule and pick what sets it off.**

   Give the rule a name. Then pick its source and the event it waits for. [Sources and events](#sources-and-events) shows the events for each source.

4. **Pick what the rule does.**

   Choose whether it starts a run, or stops, pauses or messages runs. To start a run, choose the workflow and write its goal. You can also pick the harness and model. [What a rule does](/triggers/#what-a-rule-does) lists the values the goal can use.

5. **Add conditions if you need them.**

   Under "Only if", add the conditions that narrow the rule down. See [Conditions](/triggers/#conditions).

6. **Try it and save.**

   Choose **Try it and save**. Orbital looks back over the last seven days and reports what the rule would have done. Saving turns the rule on.

:::caution
A saved rule acts on its own. It can start, stop or pause runs without you pressing anything. Read what **Try it and save** reports before you rely on the rule.
:::

## Sources and events

**GitHub**

A GitHub rule sets off "When a pull request or issue changes". Choose issues, pull requests or both, and the event: opened, closed, reopened, labelled, unlabelled, assigned, unassigned, or a review requested.

![The New rule dialog set to GitHub pull requests, with the event 'A pull request is opened' chosen.](/screenshots/trigger-rule-github.webp?v=c4800c5727)

*Pick pull requests, issues or both, then the event.*

**Linear**

A Linear rule sets off "When a Linear issue changes". Choose the event: created, moved to another state, handed to someone else, or a label added or removed.

![The New rule dialog set to Linear, with the event 'An issue moves to another state' chosen.](/screenshots/trigger-rule-linear.webp?v=3097911bdd)

*Pick the change to the Linear issue that sets the rule off.*

**Schedule**

A schedule rule sets off "At set times, such as every weekday morning." Under "How often?", pick a preset, choose "Pick days and a time" and select the days and time, or write a cron expression. It uses the time zone of the machine that runs Orbital. A schedule can only start runs.

![The New rule dialog set to a schedule of every weekday at 09:00, with the next run times listed.](/screenshots/trigger-rule-schedule.webp?v=4af59dea16)

*The dialog lists the next times the rule will fire.*

## Follow a rule

The rules list shows whether each rule is on and when Orbital last checked. It also shows what the rule did, such as "Started a run" or "Fired 2 times in the last 7 days".

A rule that cannot check its source says why, for example that GitHub or Linear refused the saved token.

## Related

- [Triggers](/triggers/): sources, actions, goal values and conditions.
- [Review pull requests](/examples/review-pull-requests/): a complete rule, from start to finish.
- [Start a run](/runs/start-a-run/): what a started run does.
- [Permissions](/roles/#permissions): what a run asks you before its agent acts, on each harness.
- [Troubleshooting](/troubleshooting/): fixes for a rule that does not fire.