REWST Implementation for ConnectWise MSPs: A Phased Approach to Automation

Understanding the Implementation Challenge: Symptoms for ConnectWise MSPs

ConnectWise MSPs adopting REWST often encounter integration complexities, workflow design hurdles, and issues stemming from inconsistent data. These challenges can hinder the full potential of automation, leading to stalled projects and reduced ROI.

Why This Matters

Many MSPs overestimate the “plug-and-play” nature of automation platforms. Ideal models assume clean data and seamless integrations, but real-world ConnectWise environments often suffer from years of accumulated inconsistencies. Failure to address these issues can lead to unreliable workflows, requiring significant manual intervention and potentially impacting client service levels—at a cost of wasted engineering time and frustrated staff.

Key Insights

• Data inconsistency is a major roadblock: Poor data quality in ConnectWise Manage and Automate can lead to workflow failures, negating the benefits of REWST.
• State Machines enhance complex processes: REWST’s State Machine functionality provides a robust framework for managing multi-stage workflows like onboarding or offboarding.
• Custom API integrations offer flexibility: REWST’s HTTP Request module enables integration with niche tools lacking native modules, expanding automation possibilities.

Working Example

{
"name": "Validate_Company_Type_for_Server_Provisioning",
"module": "Logic",
"action": "If/Else",
"condition": "$.ticketDetails.company.companyType.name == 'Client - Managed Services'",
"ifTrue": [
{
"module": "Log",
"message": "Company type '{{ $.ticketDetails.company.companyType.name }}' is valid for server provisioning. Proceeding with workflow."
}
],
"ifFalse": [
{
"module": "Throw Error",
"message": "Workflow aborted: Server provisioning is only allowed for 'Client - Managed Services' type. Current type: '{{ $.ticketDetails.company.companyType.name }}'."
}
]
}

Practical Applications

• Use Case: An MSP uses REWST to automatically create a ticket in ConnectWise Manage when a server goes down, triggered by an alert from a monitoring tool.
• Pitfall: Attempting to automate complex processes without first standardizing data in ConnectWise Manage, resulting in inaccurate or failed automation runs.

References:

• https://dev.to/techresolve/solved-any-connectwise-msps-out-there-that-recently-in-the-past-year-implemented-rewst-2g99