Schedule Trigger
Trigger workflow execution on a recurring schedule.
Overview
The Schedule Trigger node runs workflows automatically on a time-based schedule. Supports preset intervals (every 5 minutes to daily) or custom cron expressions. Optionally limit total executions. The scheduler checks every 60 seconds and skips if the workflow is already running.
Configuration
| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | Select | every hour | Preset or custom schedule |
| Timezone | Text | UTC | Timezone for schedule evaluation |
| Max Executions | Number | — | Optional limit (empty = unlimited) |
Interval Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Every 5 minutes | Runs at :00, :05, :10, etc. |
| Every 15 minutes | Runs at :00, :15, :30, :45 |
| Every hour | Runs at the top of each hour |
| Every day | Runs at midnight |
| Custom cron | 5-field cron expression |
Custom Cron Format
minute hour day-of-month month day-of-week
* * * * *
Examples:
0 9 * * 1-5— 9:00 AM, Monday through Friday*/30 * * * *— Every 30 minutes0 0 1 * *— First day of each month at midnight
Inputs & Outputs
Inputs: None (this is a trigger node)
Outputs:
- Trigger metadata (timestamp, execution count)
Best Practices
- Start with longer intervals and decrease as needed
- Set Max Executions during testing to avoid runaway executions
- Account for timezone when scheduling (especially for daily triggers)
- The scheduler skips if the previous execution is still running
Common Use Cases
- Daily social media content generation and posting
- Recurring report generation from RSS feeds
- Scheduled video rendering during off-peak hours
- Periodic content refresh pipelines
Tips
- Plan your interval based on how frequently you need the workflow to run
- Combine with Webhook Trigger for workflows that run both on schedule and on demand
- The 60-second check interval means schedules are accurate to within 1 minute
- Workflows already in progress are skipped, preventing duplicate runs