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A scheduled task is a set of instructions that one agent runs on a schedule, even while you are away. Each time it fires, the agent starts one run. All scheduled tasks for all agents are on the Scheduled screen in the sidebar.

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Create a scheduled task

You can create a task on the Scheduled screen, or ask an agent in chat.
Ask any agent
The agent creates the task, and it shows on the Scheduled screen. To create it yourself:
1

Open Scheduled

Select Scheduled in the sidebar.
2

Start a new task

Select + New task.
3

Pick the agent

Under For which agent?, select the agent.
4

Add a title

In Title, type a short name.
5

Write the instructions

In Instructions, write what the agent must do on each run. See Write instructions that work alone.
6

Set the schedule

In Schedule, select a preset, or Custom (cron) and type a cron expression.
7

Pick a model (optional)

Optional: in Model, select a model. Agent default uses the agent’s own model.
8

Change the timeout (optional)

Optional: in Timeout (seconds), change the time limit for a run.
9

Choose what happens after a run

Under When it finishes, select Notify me (Sends you the result of each run) or Run quietly (Runs without sending a message).
10

Create the task

Select Create task.

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Schedule presets

The presets are Every 5 minutes, Every 10 minutes, Every 15 minutes, Every 30 minutes, Every 45 minutes, Hourly, Every 2 hours, Every 4 hours, Every 12 hours, and Daily. A new task starts with Hourly. The presets repeat at a fixed interval. Daily runs every 24 hours, not at a set clock time. To run at a set time, use Custom (cron). For example, 0 7 * * 1 runs at 07:00 every Monday. Squad shows the schedule in words under the field, or an error if the expression is not valid. A cron expression has five fields: minute, hour, day, month, and weekday.

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Model and timeout

  • Model: each task can use its own model. Run now also uses the task’s own model. For models, see Choose models and manage AI accounts.
  • Timeout (seconds): the default is 86400 seconds (24 hours). Squad shows the value in words under the field. Your workspace computer can also stop a run that shows no progress for 15 minutes, even if the timeout is longer.
A timeout below 86400 seconds lasts only until your workspace computer restarts. At each restart, the workspace computer raises every scheduled task timeout below 86400 to 86400. Squad does not stop a run because it is slow. It stops a run that shows no progress.

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Write instructions that work alone

A scheduled run is a minimal session. Your agents’ instructions say that a scheduled run loads only the agent’s core files: its operating manual, its tool list, its Personality, its Identity, and About you. Do not rely on the agent’s Notes or on your chats in a scheduled run. So the instructions must carry the whole brief:
  • The inputs, by name: the docs, apps, or searches to read.
  • The work, step by step.
  • The output: where the result goes and in what form.
  • What to do in the edge cases, and when to open a ticket.
Instruction template

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Manage tasks on the Scheduled screen

The summary at the top counts tasks, active tasks, paused tasks, and tasks that need attention. Up next shows the next runs. The caption says whether the times are in your local time or as scheduled on your workspace.
  • Select List or Week to change the view. Week shows seven day columns with the active tasks that fit a weekly grid. Select a task in it to edit the task. Paused tasks, and schedules that do not fit a weekly grid, show only in List.
  • Use All agents and the agent chips, the status list (All statuses, Active, Paused, Needs attention), and Search tasks… to filter.
Each row shows the schedule, the model, and notifies or quiet. The badge shows the last run: ✓ last run, skipped, or ✗ with the status. Select the badge to see that run in Runs.
Delete removes the task. You cannot restore it.
If an action fails, the row shows an error, for example Couldn’t update that schedule. Try again. or Couldn’t start. If a copy could not be paused, Squad shows Duplicated, but the copy couldn’t be paused. It is LIVE on the same schedule. Pause the copy yourself. With no tasks, the screen says No scheduled tasks yet. Create one with + New task, or just ask an agent in chat. At the bottom, Looking for what already ran? Runs → opens Runs.

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Fix the health warnings

  • can never run: the task is set to remind the agent in the background, but background reminders are off, so it skips. Select Fix in Agent Configuration.
  • tasks fire at the same minute: several tasks start at minute :00 and wait behind each other. Select Stagger them. This moves only the start minutes. How often each task runs does not change.

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Turn on heartbeats

A heartbeat is a scheduled task that wakes an agent to check its work. On each heartbeat the agent clears its mentions and assigned missions and moves its own work forward. If nothing needs attention, it does nothing. Setup creates the lead’s heartbeat. The lead creates a heartbeat for each agent that it adds. Every heartbeat is created switched off. Until you turn them on, agents work only when something wakes them, for example a chat message, an @mention, a mission you assign, a ticket you answer, or an email to their inbox. To turn on a heartbeat yourself:
1

Open Scheduled

Select Scheduled in the sidebar.
2

Find the heartbeat task

Find the heartbeat task. Its name ends in -heartbeat, for example lead-heartbeat.
3

Turn it on

Select the switch on the row. The pill shows ACTIVE.
The lead’s heartbeat runs more often than the heartbeats of the other agents. For the intervals, see Limits and defaults. The lead turns its own heartbeat on only when you clearly ask for it. You can also ask the lead to turn on the other agents’ heartbeats.
Ask your lead
Each heartbeat is a run on your connected AI account, even when nothing needs attention. Heartbeats do not use credits. See What Squad costs and what uses credits.

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See your week on the calendar

The Schedule calendar shows your agents’ recurring tasks by day and time. It is not in the sidebar. To open it, select View full calendar → in the TODAY’S SCHEDULE card on Home.
  • Select Week or Agenda. In Week, use Previous week and Next week, and This week or Back to today.
  • Agenda groups tasks under Runs continuously, Every day, Weekdays · Mon–Fri, and Specific days.
  • Select a task to see its schedule, model, typical duration, last run, next run, whether it notifies you, and its last result.
  • In the task details, select Pause task or Resume task. To change anything else, select Open in and the agent’s config →.
With no recurring tasks, the calendar says No scheduled work yet.

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Pause and resume an agent’s tasks

When you pause an agent, Squad pauses all of that agent’s scheduled tasks. For how to pause an agent, see Add, change, and pause agents.
When you resume the agent, Squad turns on all of that agent’s scheduled tasks. This includes tasks that you paused one by one and heartbeats that were off. After you resume an agent, open Scheduled and pause the tasks you want to keep off.

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What agents can do with schedules

Agents create scheduled tasks when you ask in chat, and the task shows on the Scheduled screen. The lead sets up a heartbeat, switched off, for each agent that it adds. It turns heartbeats on only when you clearly ask.
Ask your lead

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Common questions

Tasks that start at the same minute wait behind each other. Select Stagger them when Squad warns about it.

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Check that it works

  • The new task shows in the list with ACTIVE and a next run in Up next.
  • After Run now, a run for the task shows in Runs. See See what your agents did.
  • With Notify me, the result of each run is sent to you.

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Troubleshooting

  • The Scheduled screen shows This agent is asleep. Cause: Squad reads schedules from your workspace computer, and it did not answer. Fix: select Wake & retry.
  • A task shows NEVER RUNS. Cause: it is a background reminder while background reminders are off. Fix: select Fix in Agent Configuration.
  • A daily task runs at a different time than you expected. Cause: Daily is an interval of 24 hours, not a clock time. Fix: use Custom (cron) with a set time.
  • A run skipped work it did last time. Cause: scheduled runs do not load the agent’s Notes or your chats. Fix: put the facts and doc names in the task’s instructions.