---
url: /technical/how-to-run-a-process.md
description: >-
  How to run a Process by hand from the Gateway, fill in the inputs it asks for,
  and review the run afterwards in the Task Manager.
---

# How to run a process

A [Process](/technical/creating-processes) can be run by hand from the Gateway whenever you need it. This page covers that route; [other ways to run a process](#other-ways-to-run-a-process) are listed at the end.

## 1. Open the Model

From the instance home page, select the Model that holds the Process.

![The instance home page, annotated to show the Models and Applications sections](/homepage-model.png)

## 2. Find the Process and execute it

Under **Processing**, select **Scriptable Processes** or **Visual Processes**, depending on which kind the Process is. Each one is listed with its Datasource, if it has one. Open the **Manage** menu on the row you want and choose **Execute**.

![The Scriptable Processes list, annotated to show Execute in a process's Manage menu](/process-execute-menu.png)

## 3. Confirm the execution

The **Execute Process** dialog asks you to confirm, and shows a field for every input the Process needs. Fill in the form and click **Execute**.

Inputs appear because the Process asks for them with [`script.prompt`](/technical/using-process-prompts) - a plain prompt becomes a text box, and one carrying a list of values becomes a dropdown. If the Process has no prompts, the dialog is just a confirmation.

![The Execute Process dialog, annotated to show the prompt fields and the Execute button](/process-execute-dialog.png)

## 4. Review the run

The Process runs on the server, so you don't wait on the dialog. Open **Logs** in the primary menu to reach the **Server Monitor**, where the **Task Manager** lists the run - under **Running Tasks** while it's going, then **Recent Tasks** with its duration and status.

The answers given to the prompts are shown against the task itself, so you can tell at a glance which run used which inputs.

![The Task Manager, annotated to show a task's arguments and its Logs and Info buttons](/process-task-manager.png)

Each task row carries two buttons.

### Logs - what the Process reported

**Logs** opens the output the Process wrote with [`script.log`](/process-functions/script-log), newest line first, with a search box for long runs. This is where a Process explains itself - which is why it's worth instrumenting one, as [Logging within a Process](/technical/logging-within-a-process) covers.

![The Process Logs dialog, annotated to show the script.log output](/process-task-logs.png)

### Info - how the run was invoked

**Info** shows the run's record: who started it, start and finish times, duration, the Model and Process IDs, and the **Arguments** it was given - the prompt answers again, in full. **Metadata** below them reports rows processed and the final status.

![The task Info dialog, annotated to show the Arguments and Metadata sections](/process-task-info.png)

::: tip Check the status before the numbers
A task that finished far quicker than usual has normally exited early on an error. `FINISHED` means the Process ran to completion; `ABORTED` means it stopped. Open **Logs** on an aborted task to see the line it failed on, and **Info** to confirm which arguments it was running with.
:::

![The Task Manager showing an aborted run alongside a finished one, annotated to show the ABORTED status](/process-task-aborted.png)

[Logs and Monitoring](/technical/logs-and-monitoring) covers the rest of the Server Monitor.

## Other ways to run a process

| Route | Use it for |
| :--- | :--- |
| [Schedules](/technical/scheduling-processes) | Running the Process automatically on a recurring basis. |
| [Card buttons](/card-guides/making-buttons-run-a-process) | Letting an end user trigger the Process from an Application. |
| [Excel add-in](/excel-addin/how-to-run-cards-in-excel) | Running a Card, and the Process behind it, from a worksheet. |
| [Integrations](/technical/integrations) | Triggering the Process from an external system. |

## Related

* [Creating Processes](/technical/creating-processes) - building the Process in the first place
* [Using Process Prompts](/technical/using-process-prompts) - how the input fields in the dialog are defined
* [Logging within a Process](/technical/logging-within-a-process) - making a Process report what it did
* [Logs and Monitoring](/technical/logs-and-monitoring) - the Server Monitor in full