# Automation in Phoenix

Phoenix offers an unprecedented level of automation for imposition, estimation, and planning tasks. Most of the powerful features available in the desktop user interface of Phoenix are also available in automation with the same level of control.
There are multiple ways of running automation in Phoenix depending on your needs:

• REST Service – The Phoenix REST web service is the most powerful and flexible way of automating Phoenix with support from all modern programming languages. The REST API includes 125 different methods automating nearly every feature in Phoenix, from imposition and planning to library management. The service is fully documented with a live interactive web client and comprehensive Open API (Swagger) documentation.

• Hot Folders – Phoenix hot folders features 35 actions covering a wide range of imposition and planning tasks. Hot folders also include a powerful scripting interface giving you complete control over what comes into the hot folders and how that data is processed.

• Switch Connector – Seamless integration with the popular Switch workflow solution from Enfocus used together with the mature Phoenix configurator available within Switch itself, providing fine-grained automation of the most powerful tool in Phoenix: Plan.

• CERM Connector – Connector to the popular CERM MIS system, providing tight integration with Phoenix Plan tool from within CERM itself.

# Requirements

Automation in Phoenix requires the Automate module. This module gives you access to all the automation capabilities in Phoenix: REST Service, unlimited hot folders, Switch Connector, and CERM Connector.

Since automation can be resource intensive, the system requirements are higher in a few areas when running in an automated mode. 8 GB of memory and 4 CPU cores are required to run automation.

# Running in Automated Mode

When running automation in Phoenix all jobs must be closed in the user interface to ensure the necessary resources are available during automation.

In addition, only one type of automation can be run at a given time. For example, if the REST Service is running, no hot folders can be started. Multiple hot folders can run at the same time as long as other automation types are not running.