The Basics Of MSP Automation

 What is MSP automation?

MSP automation uses software and technology to automatically manage routine and repetitive tasks for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), such as patch management, system monitoring, and ticket routing. By reducing manual work and human errors, it improves efficiency, lowers costs, and ensures consistent service delivery. This allows technicians to focus on complex, high-value tasks, enhancing productivity, client satisfaction, and overall business performance. Today's msp automation software encompasses everything from monitoring and remediation to msp billing automation, creating a comprehensive solution for service delivery.

10 ways to get the most out of MSP automation

Here are some quick ways to enhance MSP automation: 

Look for automation opportunities that will add the most value

When looking for ways to make processes more efficient, please speak to your people and ask what is causing them the most pain. Some common areas where automation could help include:

• Help or service desk tasks and ticket management
• Events and alerts 
• Patching and updates

Use templates and workflows to increase efficiency

In short, if in doubt, use a template! Templates will provide a consistent look and feel, making your tech and supporting work practices easier to navigate. A further benefit of templates is that you can use them to model responses. For example, you can pre-populate forms and build in triggers for implementing workflows from within your RMM tool. 

Workflows make practices more repeatable, and you can make processes leaner by reusing or expanding your existing workflows. Look for work practices with common triggers, inputs, and outputs, and consider if you can use what you already have in place for standard practices like a ticket, patch, and event management.

Ticket management

Look for ways to automate ticket management so that new tickets can be automatically routed to the correct team based on category, allowing your team to respond more quickly to client issues. Another potential option is to look for ways to automate responses to common issues so that your team has more time to respond to complicated tasks requiring more human intervention. 

Explore our best it ticketing systems

Event management

Use automation to notify technical teams by linking services to support groups and intelligent alerting to set a threshold for when support needs to be called out. The threshold will allow the system to differentiate between requiring human intervention (for example, in the event of network failure) and merely being given an informational notification (for example, a backup has finished running successfully).

This is important because it will help you cut through the noise and ensure that your team only responds to alerts that need to be actioned, saving time and effort. Ensure the tool has the correct contact details for each team so they can be notified by email or text in the event of an appropriate occasion.

Related reading: Future of MSP management

Fault management can be optimized by automating incident escalations

There are two key types of escalation: functional (for the next level of technical support) and hierarchical (for management escalations). For both types of escalation, make sure there is a defined process with the right people mapped to the correct path by using an escalation matrix. 

Runbooks

Runbooks are a complication of routine procedures for sysadmins and technical teams to manage the systems they are responsible for. They can be used for onboarding, automation, and collaboration. Runbooks can start, stop, monitor, or debug an IT system. Runbooks can enable you to configure the system in question to initiate a series of conditional steps to maintain or restore service.

Runbook automation software takes this concept further by enabling conditional logic, automated execution, and integration with monitoring systems to create self-healing IT environments.

Another benefit of runbooks is that you begin to build an index of all routine processes, making adding more automation over time more accessible. Examples include issuing service notifications, data enrichment, or containing threats automatically as part of an IT security response process.

Updates and patch management

Automation can improve updates and patch management by improving accuracy and reducing the potential for human error. When looking to automate this, build in steps so your environment can be scanned for vulnerabilities and patches can be automatically deployed in line with your patch management policy.

Invoicing and billing

Let’s face it, bills are always painful, but there are ways to lighten the load. Some examples could include automating billing workflows to calculate various charges and combine them into a single invoice. This can be used to invoice clients to save time and eliminate errors automatically.

Address pain points by using analytics

Use reporting and analytics to identify your most frequently logged tickets and find ways to solve them. Look at the frequent flyers and see if they can be addressed, mitigated, or automated.

Use dashboards to aid focus

We love a report or dashboard in MSP land. Walk into any MSP support environment; you’ll see entire walls devoted to reports and performance metrics. However, we often focus on creating reports and metrics because we can rather than because they add value. This has to stop. Instead, when looking to create reports, use the Lean Sigma approach of the voice of the customer.

Ask yourself, “what would my customers and stakeholders want to see?” and build your reports around that. Create reports to monitor key metrics such as service availability, system capacity, storage alerts, event notifications, and network performance so support teams can focus their efforts and that any issues can be quickly identified, acted on, and fixed. 

How to build an effective MSP automation strategy?

Implementing automation can transform how MSPs operate, saving time, reducing errors, and improving service delivery. A clear strategy ensures maximum impact and smooth adoption.

• Evaluate workflows: Review all processes, including client onboarding, support, and billing, to identify repetitive tasks, inefficiencies, and bottlenecks.
• Set clear goals: Establish measurable objectives, such as reducing ticket resolution times, improving cash flow, or boosting client satisfaction.
• Choose the right tools: Select automation solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing PSA and RMM systems.
• Start small and pilot: Begin with quick-win automations, test them on a smaller scale, collect feedback, and refine processes before full rollout.
• Scale and optimize: Expand successful automations across the organization, track key metrics, and continuously improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Foster culture and ensure security: Train staff, encourage adoption, celebrate wins, and maintain robust security and compliance throughout automated processes.

How does MSP automation work?

MSP automation uses advanced software and tools to simplify routine IT and business tasks, reduce manual work, minimize errors, and boost overall efficiency. By automating repetitive processes, MSPs can focus on high-value client services and strategic initiatives.

• Automated workflows: Set up sequences of tasks that run automatically, ensuring consistency and reliability without manual intervention.
  
  Triggers and actions: Workflows are activated by triggers- such as new support tickets, scheduled tasks, or system alerts- and execute predefined actions like patching, notifications, or report generation.

• System integration: Automation tools often connect with RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) and PSA (Professional Services Automation) platforms, enabling centralized management across multiple systems.
• Repetitive task automation:

• System maintenance: Apply patches, update software, and reboot devices automatically.
• Monitoring and alerts: Track device and network performance continuously and trigger alerts before issues escalate.
• Client management: Simplify client onboarding, offboarding, and user management.
• Support and ticketing: Auto-assign tickets, route them efficiently, and send standardized responses.
• Data collection and reporting: Collect data, generate usage, compliance, or invoicing reports, and streamline audit processes.

What are the key benefits of MSP automation?

MSP automation brings significant advantages that help managed service providers operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and deliver better client experiences.

• Time savings: By automating repetitive and routine tasks, such as patch management, ticket routing, and system monitoring, technicians can focus on high-value, strategic activities rather than manual work.
• Reduced errors: Automation reduces human mistakes that can occur in manual processes, ensuring tasks like updates, backups, and reporting are completed accurately and consistently.
• Improved efficiency: Streamlined workflows and faster task execution increase overall operational productivity, allowing MSPs to handle more clients without adding extra staff.
• Consistent service delivery: Standardized automation ensures reliable results, reducing variability and helping maintain high service quality across all clients.
• Scalability: Automation makes it easier to expand operations, handle growing workloads, and onboard new clients without significant increases in resources or staffing.
• Better client satisfaction: Faster response times, proactive monitoring, and accurate reporting improve the overall customer experience and foster trust.
• Cost reduction: By reducing manual labor and optimizing processes, MSPs can lower operational costs and increase profitability while maintaining high service standards.

What makes SuperOps the best MSP automation tool?

SuperOps stands out as a leading MSP automation solution because it combines powerful features, ease of use, and seamless integration to help managed service providers operate efficiently and deliver exceptional client services.

• All-in-one platform: SuperOps unifies RMM, PSA, ticketing, billing, and reporting, reducing the need for multiple tools and simplifying operations.
• Automated workflows: It allows MSPs to automate repetitive tasks such as patch management, ticket routing, client onboarding, and reporting, saving time and reducing errors.
• Seamless integrations: Works effortlessly with existing tools and platforms, ensuring smooth data flow and centralized management.
• Enhanced productivity: Technicians can focus on high-value tasks while automation handles routine processes, improving efficiency across the organization.
• Scalable and flexible: SuperOps supports growing MSPs, allowing them to manage more clients and workloads without increasing overhead.
• Improved client experience: Faster response times, proactive monitoring, and automated reporting enhance client satisfaction and trust.
• Security and compliance: Built-in security features and compliance tracking help MSPs maintain regulatory standards and protect client data.