I think Automation allow other systems to triggered FME to run base on different events, like Webhooks, Email inbox watcher, Directory watcher, as well as initiated FME Flow Schedule. Automation allow you to set up a workflow or a chain reaction, run this workspace when webhook received, and if the workspace give out failure result, then email failure to group etc. Automation is definitely more superior and allow you to customize things compare to schedules.

Where Schedule is just one and done type deal. Set schedule for FME workspace to run at specific time and doesn’t required other triggered from different system to triggered it. (Schedule database backup etc).

I personally use Automation more than schedule for sure. But I do use schedule sometimes, probably 90% automation and 10% schedule.

I’d hope they’re not looking to retire schedules any time soon….
 

Schedules are simple, I want X to run at Y. They’re quick to setup and easy to quickly look at at a high level and see when the collective are going to run.

Automations, whilst they can achieve a basic schedule, in my view, are too ‘complex’ for such a simple task. Automations should be more focused on stringing processes A,B and C together to get triggered when XYZ happens.

One thing to note in you comment above, you said setting up topics are to complex to send an email, you should only need to set up a few that can cover all your bases. Whilst in an Automation (or workbench) it is simple to add an Emailer, think down the track and what happens when your email server config changes. You’ll need to go through and find every workbench and automation that has an Emailer and to update it. With a topic and notification, it’s all in one place