---
title: "Choose your automation level"
description: "Set which parts of outreach and pre-screening Finlay handles for a job, and understand the follow-ups and reviews those choices trigger."
plans: ["source"]
roles: ["hiring-manager","recruiter"]
url: https://help.finlay.ai/jobs/automation-levels/
lastReviewed: 2026-10-05
---

# Choose your automation level

Set which parts of outreach and pre-screening Finlay handles for a job, and understand the follow-ups and reviews those choices trigger.

Automation is part of Finlay Source. On the Free plan, the job's
**Automation** tab shows what Finlay Source adds, with the presets you would
choose between. See [Plans and limits](https://help.finlay.ai/billing/plans-and-limits/).

## Choose a preset

Finlay always sources candidates. The automation setting determines what
happens after sourcing.

- **Autopilot** sends outreach and offers interested candidates a short AI
  pre-screen conversation. It is the default on Finlay Source.
- **Sourcing only** leaves outreach and candidate conversations with you.
  You select candidates, review Finlay's drafts, and send them from your
  LinkedIn account. See
  [Reach out to candidates yourself](https://help.finlay.ai/outreach/reach-out-yourself/).

![The automation selector shows Autopilot and Sourcing only before a job is published.](https://help.finlay.ai/images/choose-automation-level.jpg)

## Customize the job

On a published job, open **Automation** to combine the two stages:

- **Outreach:** let Finlay send LinkedIn outreach, or handle it yourself.
- **Pre-screen:** use an AI pre-screen call, have the job owner run a call,
  or skip pre-screening.

Human pre-screening is available only when Finlay handles outreach, because
Finlay sends the job owner's booking link to candidates who reply. The owner
must save that link first in [Integrations](https://help.finlay.ai/integrations/linkedin/).

![A published job can use custom outreach and pre-screen settings.](https://help.finlay.ai/images/automation-settings.jpg)

## Know the consequences

With **Sourcing only**, you choose candidates, approve outreach drafts and
handle candidate replies and follow-ups yourself. With Finlay outreach,
Finlay handles first contact and qualifying conversation steps. The selected
pre-screen determines whether an interested candidate gets an AI link, the
job owner's booking link or no screening link.

Changing automation affects future activity. It does not rewrite messages or
pre-screening already in progress. For the detailed behavior, see
[Automated outreach](https://help.finlay.ai/outreach/automated-outreach/) and
[AI pre-screening](https://help.finlay.ai/prescreening/ai-prescreening/).