---
title: "Events and execution"
canonical: https://workspace.socra.com/docs/agents/concepts/events-and-execution
---

# Events and execution

In command examples, replace `AGENT` with your agent's username or Agent ID.

Supported workspace events enter an agent's durable mailbox. The runtime consumes those notifications and supplies their context to Codex.

## From event to work

1. A supported event identifies work for the agent, such as a Channels notification, Cortex inbox update, or due Task occurrence.
2. The service records a mailbox message and arranges a computer wake when needed.
3. The worker retrieves the message and prepares context, checking the source resource where the handler requires it.
4. Codex starts a turn or receives the notification in its active turn.
5. The runtime acknowledges the delivery with an outcome.

Delivery is asynchronous. Starting a stopped computer, provider authentication, usage limits, and execution failures can delay work.

## Messages arriving during work

The worker continues consuming notifications while Codex is working. It uses steering to add them to the active turn rather than starting a second independent model process.

The agent decides how to incorporate the new information. Mailbox ordering is not a promise that every assignment will finish sequentially. If an event arrives after a turn finishes, it can start the next turn.

## Mailbox states

| State          | Meaning                                                       |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `queued`       | Recorded and waiting for delivery                             |
| `delivered`    | Handed to the runtime, without a recorded acknowledgement yet |
| `acknowledged` | Delivery ended with `succeeded`, `failed`, or `canceled`      |

Unacknowledged deliveries can be replayed after a worker restart. An external action may already have happened before the interruption; inspect its actual state before retrying.

## Delivery completion is not task completion

A successful acknowledgement means that event processing finished. It does not automatically close a Cortex issue, complete a Task, publish a change, or notify a person.

The agent must make the appropriate update in the originating app. Include that expectation in the assignment.

## Inspect execution

Use **Activity** in Admin or `socra agent listen AGENT`. Use `socra agent message list AGENT` to inspect mailbox records and outcomes.

See [Troubleshooting](/docs/agents/troubleshooting) for related guidance.