Set a Schedule
Set a schedule to specify the period of time that a task is active. A scheduled task becomes active when the start date is reached.
Access Scheduling Options
Open the task and access scheduling options in one of these ways:
- If the task has an Orchestration tab, click it. Click Schedule.
- For all other tasks, hover over the Send Options section and click Edit.
Update Schedule
- Enable or select Set a
schedule.
Note: By default, a task that is associated with a real-time journey inherits the journey's schedule. If you set a schedule for the task, the start and end dates must occur within the journey's duration.
- Use the real-time journey's schedule
for your task.
- If the task has an
Orchestration tab, select Same
schedule as journey if you want the task to use the
same schedule as the journey that is associated with the
task.
Note: This selection is available only for tasks that are associated with a real-time journey.
- If the task has a Send Options section, the task uses the journey's schedule unless you enable the Set a schedule option.
- If the task has an
Orchestration tab, select Same
schedule as journey if you want the task to use the
same schedule as the journey that is associated with the
task.
- (Optional) Click
to change the time zone. For example, you might want to select a time zone that is different from the default if the task is targeted to a specific locale. By default, the time zone is the same as the time zone that is set for the tenant. If a valid time zone is not set for the tenant, the default time zone is UCT.
- Specify recurrence
options.
- Select Single Recurrence and set a start date and an end date for a task that occurs once. The start date cannot be edited after the task is activated.
- Select
Recurrence to specify a recurring schedule
for the task and click
.
Note: You must reactivate the task before changes in the recurrence schedule take effect. If you change the recurrence pattern without reactivating the task, the task will be out of sync and the table in the Tasks page might not reflect the accurate date for the next occurrence of the task. - (Optional) By default, the
application continues collecting data for 7 days after the last
occurrence of the task. Extending data collection more effectively
measures task performance because it accounts for those customers who
might respond several days after the last occurrence. To change the
default number of days that the application collects data, select a
different value for Extend metrics analysis.
For example, if you use the default value, and the Start
time is 9:00 PM, data collection continues until 9:00
PM seven days after the End by
date.
During the extended period of data collection, the status is active - metrics only. The status changes to complete when the extended data collection period is over.
Recurrence Options
Tasks with a recurring schedule are marked
with a in the Scheduled Date column. Click
to see details.
Options for Web and Direct Marketing Tasks
If you are editing a web task or direct marketing task, specify these details for a recurring schedule:
- In the
Time section, enter the start time of the first
run in Start time. If available, enter an
End time to specify the last time that a run
might occur.
TipIf available, you can set the Duration instead of specifying an end time.
- In the Recurrence
Pattern section, specify how often a task runs in the
Frequency field. You can choose to have the
task run daily, weekly, or monthly. The weekly option supports selecting
multiple days of the week. The monthly option supports either a specific
date or a relative date. If the date that you select does not exist for a
month, the task does not run on that day. For example, if you select 31, the
task will not run in February.
Note: You can edit the weekly or monthly frequency after the task is published and the start date has passed. The recurrence must occur within the start and end dates.
- In the Range of Recurrence section, set the Start date. Select No ending date if you do not want to set an end date for the recurrence. Otherwise, select End date and enter the end date.
Options for All Other Task Types
If you are editing a task that is not a web or direct marketing task, specify these details for a recurring schedule:
- In the
Frequency section, specify how often the task
runs in the Occurs field. You can choose to run the
task daily, weekly, or monthly. The weekly option supports selecting
multiple days of the week. The monthly option supports either a specific
date or a relative date. If the date that you select does not exist for a
month, the task does not run on that day. For example, if you select 31, the
task will not run in February.
Note: You can edit the weekly or monthly frequency after the task is activated and the start date has passed. The recurrence must occur within the start and end dates.
- In the
Time section, Start
time is the start time for the first occurrence. If
available, enter an End time to specify the last
time that a run might occur.
TipIf available, you can set the Duration instead of specifying an end time.
- In the Range section, set the Start date and End date. If you do not want to set an end date for the recurrence, disable Set an end date.