If you keep finding yourself making the same pipeline changes over and over, you’re not alone—and you’re probably tired of it. Automating pipeline updates with Empler can save you time, cut down on mistakes, and let you focus on the work that actually matters. This guide is for folks who want more than just a flashy dashboard: you want reliable, real-world automation that doesn’t break the minute your process changes.
Let’s cut through the noise and get your pipelines updating themselves.
Why automate pipeline updates in Empler?
Before getting into the how-to, let’s be honest about why you’d bother:
- Manual updates are error-prone. Copy-paste mistakes, missed steps, and “I thought someone else did it” scenarios happen.
- Pipelines drift over time. That “quick fix” last quarter? It’s now a silent gremlin.
- Team communication gets muddy. If updates aren’t automated, you’re relying on everyone remembering what to do—and nobody’s perfect.
Empler offers workflow features that are supposed to fix this. In reality, some work well, others less so. We’ll stick to what actually helps.
Step 1: Map out what you want to automate (and what you shouldn’t)
Just because you can automate something doesn’t mean you should. Start by figuring out:
- What changes the most? Focus on the steps that shift frequently—version bumps, config tweaks, or environment-specific settings.
- What’s routine but forgettable? If it’s “just one more checkbox,” it’s a prime target for automation.
- What’s risky to automate? Anything that could break production, or needs human sign-off, is better left manual or at least manually approved.
Pro tip: Write down your pipeline steps. Seriously. If you can’t describe what happens now, you’ll automate yourself into a corner.
Step 2: Get familiar with Empler’s workflow features
Empler’s workflow system is built to let you automate actions and responses within your pipelines. Here’s what’s actually useful:
- Triggers: Actions that kick off your workflow—like a commit, a pull request, or a schedule.
- Actions: What happens when a trigger fires—updating configs, running scripts, sending notifications, etc.
- Conditions: Logic to decide when an action should run (like “only on main” or “if X file changed”).
- Approvals: Optional step for manual review. Don’t skip this if you’re automating high-stakes stuff.
What to ignore: Empler’s “suggested automations” are hit or miss. Stick to building what you actually need.
Step 3: Set up triggers for your updates
Let’s get hands-on. Here’s how to add a trigger:
- Go to your project’s pipeline in Empler.
- Find the “Workflows” tab. Click “Create workflow.”
- Choose your trigger. Your options are:
- On code push (good for most updates)
- On pull request
- On schedule (think: nightly, weekly, etc.)
- Manual trigger (for when you want a button, not full auto)
Tips: - For config or dependency updates, “On schedule” is safest—you can review changes each morning. - For quick rollout after merges, “On code push” works, but be careful: you’ll want to add conditions.
Step 4: Define the actions (the nuts and bolts)
Actions are what actually update your pipeline. In Empler, you can:
- Update pipeline variables or secrets
- Change build or deploy steps
- Kick off scripts or external integrations
- Send alerts to Slack, Teams, email, etc.
How to add actions:
- In the workflow editor, click “Add action.”
- Pick what you want to update. For example:
- “Update pipeline variable” to bump a version number.
- “Run script” to fetch new configs from a repo.
- “Send notification” so your team isn’t flying blind.
- Connect your action to the trigger.
What actually works well: Updating variables, running scripts, and sending notifications are rock-solid. Integrations with third-party tools can be flaky—test these thoroughly before relying on them.
Step 5: Add conditions and approvals (so you don’t blow things up)
Automating everything blindly is a recipe for disaster. Add guardrails:
- Conditions: Only run if certain files changed, or if it’s a specific branch. For example:
- Only update the staging pipeline on dev branches
-
Only deploy production if tests pass and it’s a tagged release
-
Approvals: For anything risky (like production changes), require a human to approve before the workflow finishes.
- In the workflow step, add “Approval required before action.”
Don’t skip this: It’s tempting to go full auto, but the cost of one bad deploy is way higher than the cost of asking for a thumbs-up.
Step 6: Test your workflow (and expect to break things)
No matter how simple your workflow looks, the first run will probably fail in some weird way. That’s normal.
- Test in a sandbox or staging environment first.
- Use dummy data or fake repos if possible.
- Watch the logs—Empler’s error messages aren’t always clear, but they usually point you in the right direction.
Heads up: Don’t trust “Test workflow” buttons alone. They often don’t cover real-world edge cases (like permissions or missing environment variables).
Step 7: Monitor, tweak, and document
Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Check in regularly:
- Review logs and run history: Spot silent failures before they pile up.
- Gather feedback from your team: Are updates working? Is anything getting missed or duplicated?
- Document what changed: If you disappear, someone else should be able to figure out what your workflows do.
- A simple README in your repo is enough.
What you can ignore: Don’t get sucked into dashboard rabbit holes. Focus on what’s actually breaking or getting skipped.
Troubleshooting: Common hiccups (and how to fix them)
Here are a few pain points you might hit:
- Workflow doesn’t trigger: Double-check your trigger settings. Is it on the right branch? Is the event firing?
- Permissions errors: Make sure the Empler workflow bot/user has access to repos, secrets, and integrations.
- Weird timing issues: Scheduled workflows sometimes run late or not at all. If precision matters, use manual triggers or code-push events.
- Notifications not sending: Check if your integrations are connected properly. Sometimes re-authenticating fixes weird problems.
If you’re stuck, skip the “Contact Support” form and try searching for the error message first—someone’s probably hit it before.
When automation isn’t worth it
Some things are just too complex (or too infrequent) to bother automating:
- Rare, high-stakes updates where a checklist is safer than a robot.
- Weird edge cases that never happen the same way twice.
- Anything that’s still changing weekly—wait until your pipeline stabilizes, or you’ll end up automating chaos.
If you find yourself writing a ten-step workaround to automate something, that’s a red flag. Keep it simple.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, keep it honest
Automating pipeline updates with Empler’s workflow features can save you a ton of hassle—if you automate the right things, keep your workflows clean, and don’t try to replace every human with a bot. Start small, fix what’s actually slowing you down, and don’t be afraid to back out changes that aren’t working.
Most importantly: iterate. Automation is a tool, not a magic wand. The simpler you keep it, the less you’ll swear at your screen later.