> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.aseeflow.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manual Activation Rule

**Can be used with**: [Task](/reference/cmmn11/tasks), [Stage](/reference/cmmn11/grouping-tasks/stage)

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/aseeflow/OpLRJy6TPnBLn55c/img/short-codes/cmmn-marker-manual-activation.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=OpLRJy6TPnBLn55c&q=85&s=f5f74cf84d559fe190c2d5d7865ac36f" alt="" width="28" height="22" data-path="img/short-codes/cmmn-marker-manual-activation.png" />

Whether the actual work of a task or stage can be performed depends on its [entry criteria](/reference/cmmn11/concepts/entry-exit-criteria). Given that an entry criterion is fulfilled, there are two ways to activate a task:

* By manual activation
* By automatic activation

Automatic activation is the default behavior in which it is not required that a user manually activates a task. In camunda, manual activation can be done by using the `CaseService` API with `caseService.manuallyStartCaseExecution(caseExecutionId)`. By specifying a *manual activation rule*, it is possible to omit this step or make it depend on case variable payload. With manual activation, a user can decide to activate a task or instead disable it. A task that is automatically activated *must* be carried out.

In XML, a manual activation rule can be specified for an individual plan item or for a plan item definition. For a plan item it looks as follows:

```xml theme={null}
<planItem id="PlanItem_HumanTask_1" definitionRef="HumanTask_1">
  <itemControl>
    <manualActivationRule>
      <condition>${true}</condition>
    </manualActivationRule>
  </itemControl>
</planItem>

<humanTask id="HumanTask_1">

</humanTask>
```

The specified expression `${true}` evaluates to the boolean value `true` and means that the plan item should become active in only through the human intervention.

For a plan item definition, the following XML can be used:

```xml theme={null}
<planItem id="PlanItem_HumanTask_1" definitionRef="HumanTask_1"/>

<humanTask id="HumanTask_1">
  <defaultControl>
    <manualActivationRule>
      <condition>${true}</condition>
    </manualActivationRule>
  </defaultControl>
</humanTask>
```

The rule specified in the `humanTask` element is valid for all plan items that reference it, here `PlanItem_HumanTask_1`.

<Warning>
  **Tricky Specification**

  Automatic activation is the default behavior. Thus, by specifying the element `manualActivationRule` you can express exceptions from that default for cases in which a task `does` need a manual activation.
</Warning>

As with any expression, you can use case variables to determine the result of a manual activation rule. The following snippet expresses that manual activation is required when a variable `var` has a value greater than 100:

```xml theme={null}
<manualActivationRule>
  <condition>${var > 100}</condition>
</manualActivationRule>
```

In terms of the [task/stage lifecycle](/reference/cmmn11/concepts/lifecycle), manual activation corresponds to the transition from `AVAILABLE` to `ENABLED` when an entry criterion occurs, and from `ENABLED` to `ACTIVE` when the task is manually activated. In contrast, automatic activation corresponds to the direct transition from `AVAILABLE` to `ACTIVE` that fires immediately when an entry criterion occurs.