Schedules

Use a Schedule when work should start at a chosen time or repeat on a cadence. Set the timing and timezone deliberately, then review the upcoming occurrences. A due date expresses when a result is needed and does not replace a scheduled start.

Schedule a Task

Choose the timing that matches the responsibility:

• One time: the Task becomes actionable at the chosen time.
• Recurring: each due point creates the next scheduled occurrence.

The root task stays stable while each scheduled task keeps its own status and history, so repeated work does not flood the Tasks board.

An actionable Agent-assigned Task enters its execution queue without another instruction from you. Its dependencies, approvals, budget, and execution availability still apply.

Describe the cadence in plain language, such as “every Monday at 9.” Task Machine previews upcoming Runs in your timezone. Check those times before saving.

An advanced disclosure keeps the underlying expression editable when you need precise control.

A recurring task also stops adding new schedule runs when its current scheduled task is blocked or its latest agent attempt is still being retried or has failed. The scheduled task remains available from the root task's Schedule runs tab while its schedule waits, and retrying the work does not create a second schedule run.

Task Machine places one schedule-attention item in your Inbox with the current blocker and the choices to cancel the scheduled task, stop the recurrence, or dismiss the notice. An unanswered question, approval, or run-error item remains the place to resolve that specific blocker, while the schedule item explains the consequence without copying its failure content.

Once the retry succeeds, or you deliberately cancel or archive the scheduled task, the schedule resumes at the next due point without replaying every missed cadence. Other recurring tasks continue normally, so one stalled routine does not hold up the workspace.

Schedule a Workflow

A workflow does not have to wait for you to start it. Scheduling belongs to a specific workflow, so open its row menu on the Workflows page or the Schedule action in the builder header. Choose whether it runs once at a future time or repeats on a recurring cadence.

The Workflows list, workflow Settings, and builder sidebar show the workflow's schedule, and you can edit it directly from Settings or the builder sidebar. Task Machine creates one stable root task for the schedule, then starts a run when the chosen time comes due.

Each firing creates its own run and backing task under that root, exactly as if you had started it by hand, but the generated task does not become another root card in Tasks.

Keep scheduling on the Workflow itself rather than creating another Task to start it. Its stable root Task gives you one place to inspect and steer the schedule's history.

You describe the cadence in plain language rather than cron syntax, such as "every weekday at 8". Task Machine resolves it, previews the next runs in your timezone so you can confirm them, and keeps the raw expression editable behind an advanced disclosure when you want precise control.

A one-time schedule fires its run at the chosen moment and is then finished. A recurring schedule keeps creating the next run on its cadence until you cancel it. Cancelling a schedule stops future runs and leaves any runs it already created untouched, so ending a cadence never disturbs work already in flight.

A blocked invocation pauses further recurrence

If a recurring scheduled task is blocked or fails, Task Machine leaves the schedule due but pauses that cadence so it does not create a growing queue of copies.

The existing scheduled task and run remain available from the root task's Schedule runs tab, and a schedule-attention item in Inbox explains the blocker and lets you cancel the scheduled task, stop the recurrence, or dismiss the notice. A question, approval, or run-error item remains the direct path for resolving its underlying blocker.

A successful retry resumes the next schedule run. Deliberate cancellation or archival also releases the pause. The other schedules keep running, and recovery skips missed cadence points rather than replaying a backlog.

Future runs use the latest published version

A schedule follows the workflow's current published version rather than the one that was live when you set it up: publish a new version and the next firing runs that version, with no schedule to recreate. Each firing creates the backing task in the workflow's project and copies the schedule's execution brief into its description.

A schedule without its own brief uses the current published workflow description instead, so the agent receives useful context while the scheduled run remains as legible and steerable as one you started yourself.

Starting a workflow by hand follows the same principle: a new backing task uses the workflow description unless the caller supplied a more specific one.

Finish timing setup

A Playbook can create work that still needs timing. The Needs schedule state and Not set timing keep this visible rather than substituting an invented date or cadence. Open its Inbox Set schedule action to choose one-time or recurring timing and confirm the timezone. Connector-dependent work can also wait for the required connection to be ready.

Inspect occurrences

Recurring work keeps individual occurrences and their execution history. Workflow schedules have a stable root Task with a Schedule runs view for the generated work. Use the occurrence's Task to inspect that result without treating every firing as a new unrelated responsibility.

A schedule root also has Schedule runs. It lists the generated scheduled tasks newest first, with the scheduled time and current status, and loads 25 records at a time.

The rows are not separate Tasks-board cards: opening one takes you to that scheduled task's own Activity and Runs history, where its questions, approvals, artifacts, and execution evidence remain complete.

Future firings can use the current published Workflow version. Existing Runs retain their own history. Downtime does not promise a replay of every missed occurrence.

Resolve a paused schedule

A blocked or failed invocation can pause later recurrence. Read the incident and its owning Task before choosing the remedy. Cancelling that invocation and stopping the recurring schedule have different effects: stopping prevents future cycles, while cancelling addresses the current work.

A schedule waiting for approval, access, or setup needs that decision completed. Retrying an execution attempt does not supply missing timing or authorize access. Inbox owns the decisions and Troubleshooting helps distinguish the waits.