> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.n8n.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.scheduletrigger.md).

# Schedule Trigger

Learn how to use the Schedule Trigger node in n8n. Follow technical documentation to integrate Schedule Trigger node into your workflows.

Use the Schedule Trigger node to run workflows at fixed intervals and times. This works in a similar way to the Cron software utility in Unix-like systems.

{% hint style="info" %}
**You must publish the workflow**

If a workflow uses the Schedule node as a trigger, make sure that you save and publish the workflow.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="info" %}
**Timezone settings**

The node relies on the timezone setting. n8n uses either:

1. The workflow timezone, if set. Refer to [Workflow settings](/build/manage-workflows/configure-workflow-settings.md) for more information.
2. The n8n instance timezone, if the workflow timezone isn't set. The default is `America/New York` for self-hosted instances. n8n Cloud tries to detect the instance owner's timezone when they sign up, falling back to GMT as the default. Self-hosted users can change the instance setting using [Environment variables](/deploy/host-n8n/configure-n8n/basic-configuration/use-environment-variables/timezone-and-localization.md). Cloud admins can change the instance timezone in the [Admin dashboard](/deploy/use-n8n-cloud/configure-cloud/set-your-timezone.md).
   {% endhint %}

## Node parameters <a href="#node-parameters" id="node-parameters"></a>

Add **Trigger Rules** to determine when the trigger should run.

Use the **Trigger Interval** to select the time interval unit of measure to schedule the trigger for. All other parameters depend on the interval you select. Choose from:

* [Seconds trigger interval](#seconds-trigger-interval)
* [Minutes trigger interval](#minutes-trigger-interval)
* [Hours trigger interval](#hours-trigger-interval)
* [Days trigger interval](#days-trigger-interval)
* [Weeks trigger interval](#weeks-trigger-interval)
* [Months trigger interval](#months-trigger-interval)
* [Custom (Cron) interval](#custom-cron-interval)

You can add multiple **Trigger Rules** to run the node on different schedules.

Refer to the sections below for more detail on configuring each **Trigger Interval**. Refer to [Templates and examples](#templates-and-examples) for further examples.

### Seconds trigger interval <a href="#seconds-trigger-interval" id="seconds-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Seconds Between Triggers**: Enter the number of seconds between each workflow trigger. For example, if you enter `30` here, the trigger will run every 30 seconds.

### Minutes trigger interval <a href="#minutes-trigger-interval" id="minutes-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Minutes Between Triggers**: Enter the number of minutes between each workflow trigger. For example, if you enter `5` here, the trigger will run every 5 minutes.

### Hours trigger interval <a href="#hours-trigger-interval" id="hours-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Hours Between Triggers**: Enter the number of hours between each workflow trigger.
* **Trigger at Minute**: Enter the minute past the hour to trigger the node when it runs, from `0` to `59`.

For example, if you enter `6` **Hours Between Triggers** and `30` **Trigger at Minute**, the node will run every six hours at 30 minutes past the hour.

### Days trigger interval <a href="#days-trigger-interval" id="days-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Days Between Triggers**: Enter the number of days between each workflow trigger.
* **Trigger at Hour**: Select the hour of the day to trigger the node.
* **Trigger at Minute**: Enter the minute past the hour to trigger the node when it runs, from `0` to `59`.

For example, if you enter `2` **Days Between Triggers**, **9am** for **Trigger at Hour**, and `15` **Trigger at Minute**, the node will run every two days at 9:15am.

### Weeks trigger interval <a href="#weeks-trigger-interval" id="weeks-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Weeks Between Triggers**: Enter the number of weeks between each workflow trigger.
* **Trigger on Weekdays**: Select the day(s) of the week you want to trigger the node.
* **Trigger at Hour**: Select the hour of the day to trigger the node.
* **Trigger at Minute**: Enter the minute past the hour to trigger the node when it runs, from `0` to `59`.

For example, if you enter `2` **Weeks Between Triggers**, **Monday** for **Trigger on Weekdays**, **3pm** for **Trigger at Hour**, and `30` **Trigger at Minute**, the node will run every two weeks on Monday at 3:30 PM.

### Months trigger interval <a href="#months-trigger-interval" id="months-trigger-interval"></a>

* **Months Between Triggers**: Enter the number of months between each workflow trigger.
* **Trigger at Day of Month**: Enter the day of the month the day should trigger at, from `1` to `31`. If a month doesn't have this day, the node won't trigger. For example, if you enter `30` here, the node won't trigger in February.
* **Trigger at Hour**: Select the hour of the day to trigger the node.
* **Trigger at Minute**: Enter the minute past the hour to trigger the node when it runs, from `0` to `59`.

For example, if you enter `3` **Months Between Triggers**, `28` **Trigger at Day of Month**, **9am** for **Trigger at Hour**, and `0` **Trigger at Minute**, the node will run each quarter on the 28th day of the month at 9:00 AM.

### Custom (Cron) interval <a href="#custom-cron-interval" id="custom-cron-interval"></a>

Enter a custom cron **Expression** to set the schedule for the trigger.

To generate a Cron expression, you can use [crontab guru](https://crontab.guru). Paste the Cron expression that you generated using crontab guru in the **Expression** field in n8n.

#### Examples <a href="#examples" id="examples"></a>

| Type                | Cron Expression    | Description                                                  |
| ------------------- | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Every X Seconds     | `*/10 * * * * *`   | Every 10 seconds.                                            |
| Every X Minutes     | `*/5 * * * *`      | Every 5 minutes.                                             |
| Hourly              | `0 * * * *`        | Every hour on the hour.                                      |
| Daily               | `0 6 * * *`        | At 6:00 AM every day.                                        |
| Weekly              | `0 12 * * 1`       | At noon every Monday.                                        |
| Monthly             | `0 0 1 * *`        | At midnight on the 1st of every month.                       |
| Every X Days        | `0 0 */3 * *`      | At midnight every 3rd day.                                   |
| Only Weekdays       | `0 9 * * 1-5`      | At 9:00 AM Monday through Friday.                            |
| Custom Hourly Range | `0 9-17 * * *`     | Every hour from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every day.                |
| Quarterly           | `0 0 1 1,4,7,10 *` | At midnight on the 1st of January, April, July, and October. |

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Using variables in the Cron expression**

While variables can be used in the scheduled trigger, their values only get evaluated when the workflow is published. If you alter a variable's value in the settings after a workflow is published, the changes won't alter the cron schedule. To re-evaluate the variable, unpublish the workflow and then re-publish it.
{% endhint %}

#### Why there are six asterisks in the Cron expression <a href="#why-there-are-six-asterisks-in-the-cron-expression" id="why-there-are-six-asterisks-in-the-cron-expression"></a>

The sixth asterisk in the Cron expression represents seconds. Setting this is optional. The node will execute even if you don't set the value for seconds.

|   (\*)   |   \*   |  \*  |      \*      |   \*  |          \*          |
| :------: | :----: | :--: | :----------: | :---: | :------------------: |
| (second) | minute | hour | day of month | month | day of week(Sun-Sat) |

## Node options <a href="#node-options" id="node-options"></a>

The node's **Settings** tab offers options controlling what happens when an execution misses its scheduled time, for example because the instance was down:

* **If Execution Is Missed**: What to do with missed executions. Choose from:
  * **Don't Run Missed Executions** (default): Discard missed executions and resume on schedule.
  * **Run the Most Recent Missed Execution**: Run a single catch-up execution at the most recent missed time, then resume on schedule.
  * **Run the Most Recent Missed Execution Per Rule**: Like the previous option, but each trigger rule runs its own catch-up execution.
* **Missed Execution Grace Period (Seconds)**: How late an execution may start before it counts as missed. Set to `0` to use the instance setting (`N8N_SCHEDULER_MISFIRE_GRACE`, 60 seconds by default). n8n raises values below the instance minimum (60 seconds with the defaults) to it, and caps values above 30 days.

{% hint style="info" %}
**Feature availability**

These options are available from n8n 2.36, on Schedule Trigger nodes added from that version on. They take effect only when the instance runs the [durable scheduler](/deploy/host-n8n/configure-n8n/durable-scheduler.md); the default in-memory scheduler never runs missed executions.
{% endhint %}

## Templates and examples <a href="#templates-and-examples" id="templates-and-examples"></a>

[Browse n8n-nodes-base.scheduletrigger integration templates](https://n8n.io/integrations/schedule-trigger) or [search all templates](https://n8n.io/workflows/)

## Common issues <a href="#common-issues" id="common-issues"></a>

For common questions or issues and suggested solutions, refer to [Common Issues](/integrations/builtin/core-nodes/n8n-nodes-base.scheduletrigger/common-issues.md).