Choose continuous or manual evidence collection
Where to switch evidence collection and tests between continuous and manual only, for the whole workspace, one connector, one framework or one test, and how to attach evidence by hand.
Choose continuous or manual evidence collection
Safeguard collects evidence and runs compliance tests in one of two modes.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Continuous | Runs on a schedule, and whenever someone chooses Run now. |
| Manual only | Never runs on a schedule. Only a person can start a run. |
You can set the mode in four places. The most specific setting wins: a test, then its connector, then its framework, then the workspace. Each place also offers Inherit, which follows the next level up and shows what it currently resolves to, for example Inherit (Continuous).
The workspace setting is on the Scope tab of Manage, below two other cards. The Monitoring page in the sidebar is the history of monitoring events, not the setting.
Who can change it
A workspace administrator can change the workspace setting. A compliance reviewer or an administrator can change a framework, connector or test setting. The AI assistant can never change them. Anyone else sees the selector greyed out, and auditors do not see it.
Whole workspace
- In the sidebar open Frameworks › Manage.
- Open the Scope tab and scroll to the Monitoring card (below Scope settings and Discovered people and devices). You can also choose Monitoring settings on the dashboard's Monitoring card.
- Set:
| Field | Options |
|---|---|
| Mode | Continuous or Manual only |
| How often | Every 6 hours (each test keeps its own pace), Every hour, Every day, Every week. Used only when the mode is Continuous. |
| Who can press Run now | Anyone who can edit compliance, compliance reviewers and administrators, compliance managers and administrators, or administrators only |
| Let the AI assistant start runs | On or off |
- Choose Save.
The dashboard's Monitoring card shows the current mode, how often it runs, when it last ran and whether a person or the schedule started it, and a Run now button for the whole workspace.
One connector
- Open Integrations › Connectors and choose the connector's card.
- In the connector panel, scroll past Manage connection to What this connector collects.
- Under When this runs, choose Inherit, Continuous or Manual only. The line below shows when it last ran, and Run now starts it.
- Each test and evidence check the connector feeds is listed below with its own On switch (named "Collect ... from this connector"). Switching one off stops that test from running on this connector. Another connector that collects the same evidence can still supply it.
One framework
Open the framework from Frameworks. The strip at the top of its page has the same When this runs selector and Run now.
One test
Open Frameworks › Scope, expand a control, and find the test under Tests. A test that is on has a small Inherit / Continuous / Manual only selector beside its switch. Under it, each connector the test runs on has its own selector as well.
What manual only means
With Manual only, nothing runs or collects on a schedule for that workspace, framework, connector or test. A test held this way keeps its last results, and not running is never treated as a fail. Evidence still goes stale when it gets old, so start a run before an audit. A banner on the dashboard reminds you when the whole workspace is manual.
Start a run by hand
- Run now on the dashboard, a framework, a connector or a test starts a run for that scope.
- Collect evidence now on the Connectors page collects from every connected connector.
Attach evidence by hand
Use this for evidence no connector can collect, such as a signed policy, an audit report or a screenshot.
- Open Frameworks › Evidence and choose Attach evidence (or attach it from a control's page).
- Choose the control from Select a control.
- Set the Type (screenshot, document, link or attestation) and a Title.
- Add the File (PDF, PNG, JPG, CSV, JSON, XML, TXT, Word, Excel or ZIP) or a URL, and an optional Note.
- Under Re-collect, choose how often the evidence must be refreshed, or leave it as the control requires.
- Choose Attach evidence.
Manual evidence is submitted for review and counts once a reviewer accepts it. By default the reviewer must be a different person from the one who submitted it. The Review queue tab on the Evidence page lists what is waiting.
Every change to a mode or switch is recorded in the audit history.