The present approach relates to systems and methods for facilitating an interrupt or change in automated tasks in progress, and using a control token (e.g., flag) to modify the progress of the automated task. In contrast to current automated tasks that may not be modified once the request for the automated task has been sent, the presently disclosed techniques allow for controlling and/or changing an automated task by using the control token and an associated status in conjunction with logical checkpoints defined for a thread at which the thread can be paused and the status changed.