Reviewed 05/10/2026

Run a Script on a Device

Phase 5 — Scripts & Automation · OpenFrame Onboarding

There are two places you can kick off a script: from the Scripts section (run one script against many devices) and from a device's own page (run against just that machine). They look similar but behave a little differently — especially around variables — so it's worth knowing both.

Before you start

• The target device needs the OpenFrame agent installed and online (offline devices can't execute).
• The script's Supported Platform has to match the device's OS — OpenFrame only offers a script to machines that can run it.
• Know whether the script takes arguments, environment variables, or neither (the script's description/comments usually say).

Option A — Run from Scripts (one script → many devices)

This is the way to push a single script across a fleet.

1. Go to Scripts → Scripts List and open the script (click its arrow, or "…").
2. On the detail page, click Run Script.
3. Set the Timeout (seconds) if the default doesn't fit.
4. Add Script Argument and/or Add Environment Var to pass values for this run. This is your chance to override defaults without editing the script.
5. Pick your targets in the device selector — tick individual machines, filter by Device Tags, or Add All Devices. Switch to Selected Devices to review scope.
6. Click Run Script. You'll get an Execution Started confirmation, and you can track progress in the activity logs (see Script Results & Output Logs).

Option B — Run from a Device (one device → pick a script)

When you're already looking at a single machine and want to act on it, run from there instead. Open the device's detail page and use its Run Script action (covered step-by-step in Running a Script, Phase 3). You choose a script, supply any inputs, and it runs against that one device.

Use this when you're troubleshooting a specific machine; use Option A when you're rolling something out broadly.

Why variables can behave differently

This is the part that trips people up:

• Script Arguments are passed on the command line (an argument with an empty value acts as a flag).
• Environment Variables are passed to the script's environment instead. If you pass a value as a command-line argument when the script expects an env var (or vice versa), the script ignores it and uses its defaults.

So before you run: check how the script expects to receive input, and put your value in the matching field. When in doubt, open the script's Syntax on its detail page and read the top comments — they tell you which variables it looks for.

Tip: the Run Script screen exposes both Add Script Argument and Add Environment Var precisely because different scripts want different things. Match the field to what the script reads.

After you run

OpenFrame queues the execution and reports back as each device finishes. You won't see output inline — it lands in the activity logs. Head to Script Results & Output Logs to read results and debug anything that failed.

Quick checklist

• Confirmed the device is online and the OS matches the script
• Chose the right entry point: Scripts (many devices) vs device page (one device)
• Passed inputs in the correct field — Script Argument vs Environment Var
• Selected targets (individually, by tag, or Add All)
• Ran it and noted to check the activity logs for results

What's next

Ready to build your own instead of running a library script? Create Your First Script walks through the editor, variable inputs, and a test run. To make a script run on a cadence, see Schedule a Script.

Based on OpenFrame v0.9.19. The bundled scripts and their variable conventions come from the RMM ecosystem and can change — always read the script's own comments before running.