---
title: Synchronization situations and actions
description: The synchronization process assesses source and target objects, and the links between them, and then determines the synchronization situation that applies to each object. The process then performs a specific action, usually on the target object, depending on the assessed situation.
component: pingidm
version: 8.1
page_id: pingidm:synchronization-guide:chap-situations-actions
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingidm/8.1/synchronization-guide/chap-situations-actions.html
keywords: ["Synchronization"]
---

# Synchronization situations and actions

The synchronization process assesses source and target objects, and the links between them, and then determines the *synchronization situation* that applies to each object. The process then performs a specific *action*, usually on the target object, depending on the assessed situation.

The action that is taken for each situation is defined in the `policies` section of your synchronization mapping.

The following excerpt of a sample mapping shows the defined actions in that sample:

```json
{
    "policies": [
        {
            "situation": "CONFIRMED",
            "action": "UPDATE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "FOUND",
            "action": "LINK"
        },
        {
            "situation": "ABSENT",
            "action": "CREATE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "AMBIGUOUS",
            "action": "IGNORE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "MISSING",
            "action": "IGNORE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "SOURCE_MISSING",
            "action": "DELETE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "UNQUALIFIED",
            "action": "IGNORE"
        },
        {
            "situation": "UNASSIGNED",
            "action": "IGNORE"
        }
    ]
}
```

You can also define these actions using the admin UI:

1. From the navigation bar, click Configure > Mappings, and click the mapping to edit.

2. Click the Behaviors tab, expand the Situational Event Scripts node, and configure event actions.

3. Click Save.

|   |                                                                                                               |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | If you do not define an action for a particular situation, IDM takes the *default action* for that situation. |