MSP Automation: Acronis, ConnectWise Automate & Rewst
Managed service providers (MSPs) handle a constant operational load, including ticket management, patch management, onboarding, alert monitoring, billing reconciliation, and documentation updates. These are necessary but time-intensive tasks. Automation changes the equation by reducing manual workload and human error risk, enabling proactive responses through continuous system monitoring, and improving response times and consistency across client systems.
Compare the top 3 MSP automation tools: Acronis Workflow Automation, Rewst, and ConnectWise Automate.
Top 3 MSP automation tools
Vendor | Free Trial | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
✅ | Alert filtering to reduce noise Security incident response, including device isolation and malware scans Client onboarding workflows tied to protection policies | |
ConnectWise Automate | ✅ | Automated patch management and compliance enforcement Script-based remediation tasks Asset inventory and reporting Background maintenance tasks |
Rewst | ❌ | User onboarding and offboarding Billing reconciliation and license tracking Security alert triage and remediation PSA ticket updates and documentation sync Microsoft 365 tenant management |
Note: The table is sorted alphabetically.
MSP automation tools integrations
Note: The integrations are gathered from vendor websites.
Acronis Workflow Automation
We created a workflow with Acronis Workflow Automation, and here are our observations:
We began the setup on the first screen by selecting the option that best described the business model.
Once we completed the setup, we arrived at the home page and saw the Copilot AI feature in the top-right corner.
Next, we navigated to the “Integrations” section. We also found an option to create our own integration, which redirected us to the Acronis developer documentation.
We then returned to the dashboard, where a default tenant named “my first tenant” was already available. We selected this tenant and clicked “Open service” to access its service area.
Inside the service area, we selected Microsoft 365 and then chose the first option with a higher protection level (including user mailboxes, group mailboxes, public folders, Teams, etc.), more frequent backup (up to 6 times a day), and cloud storage.
After connecting to Microsoft 365, the connection appeared under “My first customer.” From there, we went to Management and navigated to the Workflows section.
In the Workflows area, there were ready-made templates. Users can use these templates to quickly build workflows or customize them to better align with their specific needs.
We then clicked “Create,” entered the workflow name and description in the naming window, and created the workflow.
The workflow builder screen then appeared, where we could build a no-code workflow using drag-and-drop. We created a sample workflow that included a trigger and several actions arranged in sequence.
If we want to delete a step in the middle of the workflow, the system alerts us that dependent steps may also be affected, helping prevent errors.
Finally, we activated the workflow from the Activity section.
We also reviewed the trigger settings to see the available event types that could start a workflow, and the action settings to understand the actions we could add after the trigger.
The workflow we built for Acronis:
The trigger is User-created: Whenever a new user appears in the Acronis tenant, the workflow fires. Then four actions run in sequence:
- Get user tenant: Retrieves the tenant info of the new user. This step exists to test variable passing: Can the platform grab data from one step and use it later in the workflow? This is a core automation capability.
- Configure notification: Automatically enables Failure, Warning, Success, and Daily recap notifications for the new user. This tests whether the platform can modify user settings as part of a workflow.
- Manage user roles: Assigns a set of default roles (Read-only admin for Protection, Administrator for File Sync, Engineer for PSA, Administrator for Cyber Infrastructure). This tests whether the platform can automatically provision access control, which is one of the most valuable MSP automation use cases.
- Condition (IF/ELSE branch): Checks whether the user’s tenant kind equals “Customer.” This is critical because it tests conditional branching, one of the defining features of a real workflow automation engine. A platform without branching is just a sequential script runner.
Then the workflow splits into two paths:
- Path A (tenant is a customer): Delay (30s) → Send email to tenant admins (“User successfully onboarded”) → End. The delay tests the platform’s ability to handle timing/wait steps. The email tests notification delivery.
- Path B (tenant is not a customer): Send email to tenant admins (“User onboarding needs review”) → End. This is the error/exception path.
Why did we test this workflow?
In one workflow, we are exercising:
- Triggers (event-driven execution)
- Multi-step sequential actions
- Variable passing between steps (Get tenant → used in condition)
- Configuration changes (notifications)
- Access control provisioning (roles)
- Conditional branching (IF/ELSE)
- Timing controls (Delay)
- External notifications (email to admins)
ConnectWise Automate
ConnectWise Automate is an RMM platform that natively integrates with ConnectWise PSA and ScreenConnect, as well as broader ecosystem tools through APIs. It also supports compatibility with platforms like Rewst for extended orchestration.
Advanced scripting: Extensive scripting support enables tailored workflows. AI-assisted scripting helps accelerate development while keeping human oversight.
- Proactive monitoring and alerts: Custom monitoring policies trigger automated alerts based on system conditions. This improves visibility and enables faster resolution.
- Patch management: Automates patch deployment across endpoints, reducing vulnerability exposure and maintaining compliance.
- Remote access and troubleshooting: Technicians can access systems remotely without disrupting users. This supports efficient issue resolution across distributed environments.
Rewst
Rewst focuses on cross-platform orchestration, enabling teams to automate workflows across PSA, RMM, security, and cloud systems through a single interface. Key features are:
- Prebuilt automations (Crates): A library of ready-to-deploy workflows covering common MSP operations such as user onboarding, billing processes, and alert handling. These templates reduce setup time and help standardize execution.
- RoboRewsty AI Assistant: Users can describe a process in plain language and generate a working workflow. It can also assist with documentation and troubleshooting.
- Multi-tenant architecture: Users can create workflows once and deploy across all clients. This is critical for MSP scalability and consistent service delivery.
- Integration builder: For tools without native support, APIs can be converted into usable actions. This extends automation across a diverse stack of existing tools.
- Robotic Operations Center (ROC): A support layer that helps MSPs build and maintain automations. This reduces the burden on internal teams.
Rewst connects with a wide range of systems:
- PSA platforms such as ConnectWise PSA and Autotask
- RMM tools, including ConnectWise Automate and NinjaRMM
- Microsoft services like Microsoft 365 and Azure
- Security platforms such as CrowdStrike and SentinelOne
- Documentation tools like IT Glue and Hudu
Key features of MSP automation tools
Across platforms, several capabilities define effective MSP automation software:
Workflow builders for mapping and executing multi-step processes
A workflow builder is a visual tool (usually drag-and-drop) that enables mapping out a sequence of steps that should run automatically when a specific trigger fires. Instead of a technician manually moving through a process (creating a ticket, provisioning a user, sending a welcome email), the workflow performs these steps in order across multiple tools without human intervention.
Patch management automation to maintain system health
Rather than manually checking which devices need updates and deploying patches one by one, patch management automation continuously monitors all endpoints, identifies missing or outdated patches, and deploys them on a schedule or in real time.
User onboarding and offboarding automation
When a new employee starts, multiple systems need to be updated simultaneously, such as Active Directory, Microsoft 365, the PSA, licensing, and security tools. Onboarding automation manages these processes within a single triggered flow.
Offboarding does the reverse: revoking access, reclaiming licenses, and notifying relevant parties the moment a user is marked as inactive, thereby closing common security gaps.
Alert triage and filtering to reduce noise
MSP environments generate large volumes of alerts, most of which are low-priority or false positives. Alert triage automation applies rules to incoming alerts, automatically dismissing known non-issues, categorizing the rest by severity, and routing only those that require human attention.
Billing reconciliation to prevent revenue leakage
MSPs often bill clients based on the number of users or licenses active in a given month. Without automation, unused licenses may go unnoticed. Billing reconciliation automation cross-checks provisioned amounts against invoiced amounts, surfacing discrepancies for MSPs to recover lost revenue or clean up inflated costs.
Security automation for threat detection and response
When a threat is detected, such as a malware alert, an anomalous login, or an EDR incident, security automation kicks in immediately and isolates the affected device, notifies the right team members, triggers a scan, and logs the event.
Documentation automation for consistency
Keeping client documentation current is one of the most neglected tasks in an MSP, largely because it can be tedious and low-priority. Documentation automation captures information (new devices, configuration changes, ticket resolutions, etc.) as they are created and automatically syncs them to the documentation platform, ensuring the records stay accurate.
Reporting for tracking key performance indicators
Automated reporting extracts data on a schedule and compiles it into dashboards or client-facing summaries. Rather than building reports manually before every QBR, MSPs can set them up once and have them delivered automatically, covering metrics such as ticket resolution times, patch compliance rates, uptime, and SLA adherence.
Integration with PSA, RMM, and cloud platforms
No single tool handles everything an MSP needs. Integrations enable data and actions to flow among the PSA (ticketing, billing, agreements), the RMM (endpoint monitoring, scripting, patching), and cloud platforms such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Multi-tenancy for scaling across clients
Multi-tenancy means the platform is built to manage many separate client environments from a single interface, with proper data isolation between them. For MSP automation specifically, it means you can build a workflow once and deploy it across all your clients with consistent logic, rather than recreating it individually for each one.
How to choose the right MSP automation tool
Selecting the right platform depends on several factors:
- Environment complexity: Large, complex environments often benefit from tools like ConnectWise Automate. Cross-platform orchestration points toward Rewst.
- Technical expertise: Teams with scripting experience can take advantage of deeper customization. Others may prefer no-code approaches.
- Existing stack: Compatibility with PSA, RMM, and security tools is critical.
- Total cost: Licensing is only part of the equation. Maintenance and development time matter.
- Support and community: Access to documentation and peer knowledge can accelerate adoption.
Conclusion
MSPs relying heavily on manual processes will struggle to scale in an environment where speed and consistency are expected. Automation is no longer optional.
At its core, MSP automation is about building a system in which routine work runs reliably in the background, and human effort is focused where it adds the most value.
The practical starting point is simple. Identify one repeatable process, automate it, measure the outcome, and expand from there.
FAQ
MSP automation tools execute routine IT and operational work with minimal human intervention. This includes maintenance, security protocols, and administrative workflows that would otherwise require technician time.
Workflow automation, on the other hand, defines a sequence in which a trigger starts a process, conditions determine what happens next, and actions execute across systems. These sequences run across tools without manual input, turning fragmented steps into automated processes.
Two approaches that define how MSP automation tools operate:
1. Deterministic automation: Rule-based logic executes predictable steps when conditions are met. Patch deployment, user provisioning, and compliance checks fall into this category.
2. Probabilistic automation: AI-driven systems introduce pattern recognition and context. They assist with decisions, prioritization, and anomaly detection. This layer works best when it builds on structured workflows rather than replacing them.
Automation delivers measurable impact when applied to the right workflows:
– Time savings: Tasks that previously took minutes per ticket can run instantly.
– Reduced errors: Consistent execution eliminates missed steps.
– Faster response: Automated alerts and remediation reduce downtime.
– Cost savings: Growth without proportional hiring improves margins.
– Improved service quality: Standardized processes lead to predictable outcomes.
– Stronger security posture: Continuous monitoring and response reduce exposure to cyber threats.
– Lack of process clarity: Automating unclear workflows leads to inconsistent results. Documentation must come first.
– Ownership issues: Without a dedicated owner, automation initiatives lose momentum.
– Unclear success metrics: Without defined KPIs, it is difficult to measure impact or justify further investment.
– Integration complexity: APIs change, and maintaining connections across tools requires ongoing effort.
– Over-automation: Trying to automate everything at once slows progress. Starting small is more effective.
– Tool sprawl: Multiple overlapping tools create complexity instead of efficiency.
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