> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://ona.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Time-based triggers

> Schedule Automations on a recurring basis

Time-based triggers run Automations on a schedule: dependency updates, security scans, compliance checks, nightly builds.

Use them when the work should happen predictably without someone clicking **Run** each time.

## Good fits for scheduled runs

* nightly validation and cleanup
* weekly dependency maintenance
* regular backlog triage
* periodic reporting or compliance checks

## Configuration

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/gitpod-13c83c2b/xk3kxfJmgKP2B21t/images/automations/edit-trigger-scheduled.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=xk3kxfJmgKP2B21t&q=85&s=658d34b2e734d543e6244f87ba79bbcb" alt="Scheduled trigger configuration" width="1322" height="1386" data-path="images/automations/edit-trigger-scheduled.png" />

### Runs on

* **Projects** (recommended): select projects. Runs on all repositories within them.
* **Repositories**: use a search query (see [manual triggers](/ona/automations/triggers/manual#repositories) for examples).

### Schedule

| Frequency | Options                                   |
| --------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Hourly    | Minute (0-59)                             |
| Daily     | Hour, minute. Runs every day.             |
| Weekdays  | Hour, minute. Runs Monday through Friday. |
| Weekly    | Day of week, hour, minute                 |
| Monthly   | Day of month, hour, minute                |

**Examples:**

* Weekly dependency updates: every Monday at 2 AM UTC
* Weekday backlog triage: every weekday at 9 AM UTC
* Nightly security scans: every day at 1 AM UTC
* Monthly compliance: first day of the month at midnight UTC

## Timezone

Schedules are evaluated in UTC. Weekday schedules run Monday through Friday in UTC, so keep timezone differences in mind when choosing times for teams that work in other timezones.

## Scheduling tips

* Run outside peak working hours when the workflow is resource-intensive.
* Leave enough time for one run to finish before the next one begins.
* Start with a narrower target set before scheduling the Automation broadly.
* Pair scheduled runs with [service accounts](/ona/organizations/service-accounts) when you want stable credentials independent of an individual user.

## After you enable the trigger

Once saved, the Automation waits for the next matching schedule window. Review the first few runs in [Execution History](/ona/automations/running-automations#execution-history) to confirm the cadence and targets are correct.

## Next steps

* [Run an Automation](/ona/automations/running-automations)
* [Manual triggers](/ona/automations/triggers/manual)
* [Pull request triggers](/ona/automations/triggers/pullrequest)