Trigger workflows periodically

You can automate workflows using a custom schedule. This enables you to build workflows that automatically perform actions on a regular basis.

Every workflow contains a Start block that contains Trigger settings for you to configure. Whenever these trigger conditions are met, the Start block triggers the workflow to run automatically.

You can use Interval mode to specify the frequency using a set of options, or Cron mode to set a schedule with more granularity using cron syntax. For either mode, you also specify a timezone so that the workflow schedule runs based on local time.

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Workflows are not triggered automatically by default. After verifying that a workflow runs as expected, toggle Enable.

Configure an interval schedule

Select the Schedule trigger to configure a workflow to run periodically. You can configure a schedule that triggers every n minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months.

Configure a cron schedule

Retool Workflows supports cron syntax when configuring a schedule. The block displays a human-readable version of the values you provide. You can also hover the cursor over the label for each input to display a tooltip with syntax reference.

Cron syntax enables you to define a schedule with more granularity. For example, you can schedule a workflow to trigger at 9.30am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but only between January and September:

If you aren't sure how to define the schedule you want, you can review more examples to get a better idea.