---
alias: user-guide-automation-task-core-ready-state-request
tags:
- automation tasks
summary: The Ready state request task facilitates zero downtime operations by asking if the instance is ready.
---

# Ready State Requested

:iot-recipelistrequested-lg:{style="font-size: 100px"}

The **Ready State Requested** task listens for incoming ready-state check requests from the MES and triggers a workflow to evaluate the response.

![Ready State Request](./images/ready_state_request.png)

## Details

| Fields            | Details                                                                            |
|-------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Scope             | Connect IoT <br> Data Platform <br> Enterprise Integration <br> Factory Automation |
| Workflow          | Data flow <br> Control flow                                                        |
| `IsProtocol` flag | :material-close:{style="color:#EF5350"}                                         |

## Inputs

| Name     | Data Type | Default Value | Description                                                                                                                   |
|----------|-----------|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Enable/Disable | `any` | `true`        | Starts listening for requests when enables, and stops when disabled. Only relevant when `autoEnable` is disabled. |

## Outputs

| Name       | Data Type | Description                                                                                   |
|------------|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| definition | `String`  | The name of the Automation Scheduled Action Definition that triggered the check.              |
| task       | `String`  | The name of the Automation Scheduled Action Task that triggered the check.                    |
| success    | `Boolean` | `true` value emitted when the action is successfully performed.                                |
| error      | `Error`   | Error emitted if processing fails or a timeout occurs while waiting for a `SendRequest` reply. |

## Settings

| Name          | Data Type | Default              | Description                                                                                                                                                        |
|---------------|-----------|----------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| autoEnable    | `boolean` | `true`               | Whether the task starts listening for requests automatically when the controller starts. If `false`, it only starts listening when it receives an activate signal. |
| Reply Timeout | `integer` | 60000                | Amount of time allowed to wait for a reply before issuing a timeout.                                                                                               |
| Subject       | `String`  | `CheckForReadyState` | The subject the task listens on. This must match the subject the DefinedInWorkflow detector uses. Only change this if you have a specific reason to.               |

![Ready State Request Settings ](./images/ready_state_request_settings.png)

## Behavior

This task listens for incoming ready-state check requests from the MES backend. When a request arrives on the configured subject (by default `CheckForReadyState`), the task:

1. Receives the request along with the definition name and task name that originated it.
2. Emits those values as outputs so the workflow can use them.
3. Starts a timeout clock. If no reply is sent within the configured timeout window, the task sends back an `error` reply and the detector treats the result as not ready.
4. Passes control to the connected workflow, which is responsible for deciding the answer.

## Remarks

These tasks only make sense when the [[user-guide-automation-scheduled-action]] is configured to use the DefinedInWorkflow detector. That **Detector** is for situations where the MES cannot determine readiness from its own data alone, the **Controller's** own workflow logic needs to determine readiness. Ready State Requested and Ready State Reply are the mechanism that the workflow uses.
See [[user-guide-automation-scheduled-action-detectors]] for more information on how the DefinedInWorkflow detector works.

To configure this workflow, you must use this task and [[user-guide-automation-task-core-send-ready-state-reply]], as seen below.

![Ready State Workflow](./images/ready_state_workflow.png)

{% include-markdown 'includes/pages/automation_zones_note.md' %}