Triggers
⚡Trigger
Schedule Trigger
Run workflows on a recurring schedule using cron expressions
Schedule Trigger
The Schedule trigger runs workflows automatically on a time-based schedule. Define when and how often using cron expressions or preset intervals.
Overview
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | schedule |
| Category | Trigger |
When to Use
- Run daily reports, weekly summaries, or hourly checks
- Poll APIs or inboxes on a regular cadence
- Automate recurring tasks (data sync, cleanup, notifications)
- Batch processing at off-peak hours
Configuration
| Setting | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Dropdown | Preset: Every minute, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly |
| Cron Expression | Short input | Custom cron (e.g., 0 9 * * 1-5) |
| Timezone | Dropdown | Schedule timezone |
Cron Expression Format
┌─── minute (0–59)
│ ┌─── hour (0–23)
│ │ ┌─── day of month (1–31)
│ │ │ ┌─── month (1–12)
│ │ │ │ ┌─── day of week (0–7, 0 and 7 = Sunday)
│ │ │ │ │
* * * * *Common Patterns
| Pattern | Cron | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Every 5 min | */5 * * * * | Every 5 minutes |
| Hourly | 0 * * * * | Every hour at :00 |
| Daily 9am | 0 9 * * * | Every day at 9:00 AM |
| Weekdays 9am | 0 9 * * 1-5 | Monday–Friday at 9:00 AM |
| Weekly Monday | 0 9 * * 1 | Every Monday at 9:00 AM |
| Monthly 1st | 0 9 1 * * | First day of each month |
Example: Daily Metrics Dashboard
Workflow:
[Starter (schedule: daily 8am)] → [Snowflake: Query] → [Agent: Analyze] → [Slack: Post]Schedule: 0 8 * * 1-5 (weekdays at 8am)
Every weekday morning:
- Snowflake queries yesterday's metrics
- Agent analyzes trends and anomalies
- Slack posts a formatted dashboard summary to
#metrics
Tips
- Use presets for common intervals — they're easier to maintain
- Timezone matters — set it to your team's timezone, not UTC
- Starter input is empty on scheduled runs — design workflows accordingly
- Powered by Trigger.dev — reliable, distributed schedule execution