# Implementation methods

> The four ways an approved saving reaches your cloud, and what each one needs before it can run.

Source: https://docs.levelfour.ai/savings-recommendations/implementation-methods


Every saving runs through one implementation method. You pick it from the **Implementation method** list in the recommendation drawer, before you approve. The drawer's **Implementation** step then shows what that method still needs.

| Method                                   | What happens                                                                                                    | What it needs                                                         |
| ---------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Automated Savings**                    | LevelFour applies the change in your cloud account                                                              | A connected access grant for this saving                              |
| **IaC Pull Request**                     | LevelFour opens a pull request with the code change, and you merge it                                           | A connected GitHub or GitLab organization and at least one repository |
| **Automated Savings + IaC Pull Request** | LevelFour applies the change, then opens a pull request with the matching code so your IaC state does not drift | Both of the above                                                     |
| **Manual Setup**                         | You apply the change yourself from step-by-step instructions                                                    | Nothing from LevelFour                                                |

**Approve Savings** stays disabled until the chosen method has what it needs.

> **Note**
>
> Once a saving is approved, its method is locked. The one exception is a failed run, which re-opens the choice so you can [retry](/savings-recommendations/approvals-and-rollout#when-a-run-fails) with the same method or another.

## Automated Savings

On AWS, Automated Savings acts through a grant: scoped, time-limited access that covers exactly the actions and resources of one saving, and expires on its own.

### Choose Automated Savings

In the drawer's **Implementation method** list, pick **Automated Savings**.

### Authorize in AWS

Select **Authorize in AWS**. CloudFormation opens in your AWS account with a stack that attaches this saving's permissions to the `LevelFourSavingsExec` role. The panel states how many actions and resources the grant covers. Create the stack.

### Wait for Access granted

The panel reads **Waiting for approval** until AWS reports the stack back to LevelFour, then **Access granted**. [Approvals and rollout](/savings-recommendations/approvals-and-rollout#access-grants) lists every state a grant can be in.

### Approve

**Approve Savings** unlocks once access is granted.

To apply the permissions yourself instead of launching the stack, expand **Set up manually**. It shows the IAM role and the IAM policy JSON for this saving.

> **Note**
>
> An account onboarded before the `LevelFourSavingsExec` role existed shows **One-time setup required**. Create the role once with [Automated Savings setup](/connectors/aws/automated-savings), then run the action again.

On Datadog there is no grant to authorize for each saving. Automated Savings runs with the write key you add to your Datadog connection, as [Datadog Automated Savings](/connectors/datadog/automated-savings) describes.

## IaC Pull Request

### Choose the organization

Pick **IaC Pull Request**. Under **Version control and organization**, choose a connected GitHub or GitLab organization, or select **Connect organization** to add one. [GitHub](/integrations/github) and [GitLab](/integrations/gitlab) cover connecting each.

### Choose the repositories

Under **Repositories**, pick the repositories that define this resource. **Repository missing? Manage access** opens that organization's connection page in the dashboard, where you give LevelFour access to another repository.

After approval, LevelFour opens the pull request in the repositories you chose. IaC Pull Request edits Terraform code.

## Automated Savings + IaC Pull Request

This method applies the change in your cloud first, then opens a pull request with the matching code, so the next plan of your infrastructure code does not undo it. It needs a connected grant and at least one repository before it can be approved. Follow both sections above.

## Manual Setup

The **Implementation** step shows the instructions for this saving, with the commands to run in your own cloud console.

When you have applied the change, open the row menu on the **Savings** page and select **Mark as completed**. The saving moves to **Saved** and appears in [Savings Audit](/savings-audit).

## From other surfaces

* The MCP server records a method with `set-implementation-method` and mints a grant with `create-savings-grant`. See [Tools](/mcp/tools)
* [`l4 rec execute`](/cli/commands/recommendations/execute) requests execution with a method from a terminal