Here, you can automate processes against groups of resources through a series of steps via SSM documents. This helps to simplify the management of your resources and your EC2 fleet, as it enables you to implement common tasks using both custom and pre-defined documents that are written in JSON. These SSM documents enable you to perform recurring and common operational tasks automatically, for example, patching your EC2 instances or creating AMIs. Another common use is to implement operational changes at scale, with the inclusion of approval steps and controls to prevent unexpected behavior.
In order to access the automation documents, you can navigate to the Shared Resources menu on the left and select Documents:
Automation should be used wherever possible to ensure tasks and operations are carried out predictably and accurately without human intervention, so the automation action is a great feature of SSM.