Schedule Trigger

The Schedule Trigger block automatically starts your workflow based on a customizable schedule, enabling seamless automation for recurring tasks.

Key Features

• Flexible Intervals: Choose from preset intervals (minutes, hours, days) or define custom schedules
• Cron Expression Support: Use powerful cron syntax for complex scheduling needs
• Timezone Aware: Configure schedules in your preferred timezone
• Reliable Execution: Workflows run consistently at scheduled times
• Visual Schedule Preview: See when your workflow will next execute

Configuration

Setup Guide

Step 1: Add the Schedule Trigger Block

1. Open your workflow in the editor
2. Navigate to the Triggers section in the block palette
3. Drag the Schedule Trigger block onto your canvas
4. Position it as the starting point of your workflow

Step 2: Choose Your Schedule Type

Select from the following options:

• Every X Minutes: Run at regular intervals (e.g., every 15, 30, 60 minutes)
• Hourly: Run once every hour at a specific minute
• Daily: Run once per day at a specific time
• Weekly: Run once per week on a specific day and time
• Monthly: Run once per month on a specific date and time
• Custom Cron: Use cron expressions for complex schedules

Step 3: Configure Schedule Details

1. Set the specific time, day, or interval based on your chosen schedule type
2. Select your timezone to ensure accurate scheduling
3. Review the schedule summary displayed on the node

Step 4: Publish and Activate

1. Publish your workflow to activate the schedule
2. The scheduler will begin running at the configured times
3. Monitor execution logs to verify successful runs

Schedule Types Explained

Interval-Based Schedules

Time-Based Schedules

Cron Expressions

For advanced scheduling needs, use cron expressions:

Example Usage

Daily Report Generation

Schedule Trigger (Daily at 8 AM) → Query Database → Generate Report → Send Email

Automatically generate and send daily reports to stakeholders each morning.

Hourly Data Sync

Schedule Trigger (Every Hour) → Fetch External API → Transform Data → Update Database

Keep your data synchronized with external sources on an hourly basis.

Weekly Cleanup Tasks

Schedule Trigger (Sunday at 2 AM) → Archive Old Records → Clean Temp Files → Send Summary

Run maintenance tasks during off-peak hours.

Monthly Billing

Schedule Trigger (1st of Month at 12:01 AM) → Calculate Charges → Generate Invoices → Process Payments

Automate monthly billing cycles.

Node Display

The Schedule Trigger block displays:

• Schedule Summary: Human-readable description (e.g., "Every 30 minutes")
• Next Run: When the workflow will next execute
• Timezone: The timezone being used for scheduling
• Status: Active, paused, or error state
• Last Run: Timestamp and status of the most recent execution

Error Handling

Best Practices

1. Choose Appropriate Intervals: Match your schedule to actual business needs - don't run every minute if hourly is sufficient

2. Consider Timezone: Always set the timezone explicitly to avoid confusion, especially for distributed teams

3. Use Descriptive Names: Label your scheduled workflows clearly (e.g., "Daily Sales Report - 8 AM EST")

4. Stagger Schedules: If you have multiple scheduled workflows, offset their times to distribute system load

5. Monitor Execution: Regularly check logs to ensure scheduled workflows are running as expected

6. Test Before Deploying: Use the Manual Trigger to test your workflow before activating the schedule

7. Plan for Failures: Add error handling and notifications in case the scheduled workflow fails

8. Document Your Schedules: Keep a record of all scheduled workflows and their purposes for team reference