Objective
To explain how policy execution methods impact end-user notifications and evaluation code execution during policy testing.
Overview
When testing policies in the Automox console, it is critical to use scheduled execution rather than manual execution if your testing includes end-user installation notifications or Worklet evaluation scripts.
Important Behavior Difference
| Execution Method | Evaluation Code | End-User Notifications |
| Scheduled Execution | Runs completely before remediation | Displayed to the end user as configured |
| Manual Execution (Run Policy Now) | Bypassed (runs remediation directly) | Ignored / Suppressed |
⚠️ Critical Note: Clicking "Run Policy Now" or manually triggering a policy from any location within the Automox console causes the agent to skip the evaluation phase and bypass all user notifications, executing the remediation script immediately.
Best Practices for Accurate Policy Testing
To ensure your policy testing accurately mirrors production behavior:
Do Not Use "Run Policy Now": Avoid triggering manual runs when validating notification workflows or evaluation logic.
Set a Near-Term Schedule: Schedule the policy to run a few minutes in the future on a test device group.
Verify Notification Prompts: Allow the scheduled trigger to fire naturally on the test endpoint to confirm that end users receive the expected installation prompts and deferral options.