Learn more about how to user Reports, Automations & Exclusions

User Guide

What is Govern?

Govern helps you monitor users (Reports) and automatically take action on users (Automations) such as deactivating or archiving accounts, safely and consistently.

This update makes Govern easier to use by:

• Separating Reports from Automations
• Adding global exclusions to prevent unintended actions
• Simplifying notifications
• Making creation flows consistent

Reports vs Automations (What’s the Difference?)

✅ Reports

Reports help you see who meets certain conditions (for example: inactive users).

• Lists update automatically as data refreshes
• No actions are taken automatically
• Safe to explore and review
• Previously called “Rules”

Use Reports when you want visibility and manual actions.

⚡ Automations

Automations perform actions automatically like deactivating or archiving users.

• Run on a schedule configured by you
• Look and feel similar to reports for ease of use
• Results are locked between runs

Use Automations when you’re confident and ready to take action without the manual heavy lifting.

Automation Results: What Changes Over Time?

Once an automation runs, its user list stays mostly fixed until the next run.

The list shrinks if:

• Users are added to exclusions
• Users stop meeting the condition before the action runs

The list grows if:

• A previously excluded user is removed from exclusions and still matches the rules

User Automation

User Automation Status Enforcement

User automations require a mandatory status to prevent the same results from constantly appearing.

• Active users → can be Deactivated or Archived
• Deactivated users → can only be Archived

This prevents users from cycling back into automations once already handled.

Automation Care

Automation is designed to save time and effort on tasks otherwise handled manually. It promotes good system hygiene and governance. **It is advised that automations are set up with care to prevent the accidental removal of users.**

When creating automations, it is recommended that care is taken to:

• Add the right filters so only the users you want to action appear
• Suitable exclusions are added first and kept under review
• Notifications are used

Automation Schedule & Delay period: Giving Review Time

Automations can be configured to run on a schedule to return results and take the set action. You can also set a delay period, giving you time to review and if necessary edit before the action takes place.

Daily → No delay

Weekly → Delay 5 or 6 days

Monthly → Delay 5 or 6 days

Exclusions: Protecting Specific Users

Exclusions ensure certain users are never actioned by automations, even if they meet the criteria.

You can exclude users at:

• User level
• Email domain level
• Organisation level

Exclusions can last:

• 30, 60, or 90 days
• Forever

If a timebound exclusion needs to be extended, you can simply do this by editing.

✅ Excluded users still appear in reports
🚫 Automated and manual actions are blocked until exclusions are removed

Email Notifications

Reports

• Results notification only

Automations

• Results (who will be affected)
• Completion (confirming actions ran)

No extra noise. Just what you need.

Creating Reports & Automations

Wherever you start, the setup experience is consistent.

• “Create New” always opens the same modal
• You choose Report or Automation
• Smart defaults based on where you start

In Summary

This update gives you:

• Clear separation between insight and action
• Strong safeguards against mistakes
• Centralised exclusion control
• Simpler notifications
• A clearer, more predictable experience