1. SitecoreAI development

Scheduled tasks

The built-in scheduler in SitecoreAI allows you to run periodic background operations without editing configuration files. Tasks are defined as items in the content tree (database), making them easy to manage, version, and deploy.

Two Sitecore item types participate in scheduled task execution:

  • Command items
  • Schedule items

Command items

A Command item defines what code should be executed. It is located in /sitecore/system/Tasks/Commands.

A Command item points to an executable code and includes the following fields:

  • Type - the assembly-qualified class name.
  • Method - the method Sitecore should invoke.
A Command item with Type and Method fields.

Schedule items

A Schedule item defines when and how often the command runs. It is located in /sitecore/system/Tasks/Schedules.

A Schedule item includes the following fields:

  • Command - reference to the associated Command item.
  • Items - a query used to fetch items passed into the command.
  • Schedule - a pipe-separated string that defines execution timing.
  • Async - if enabled, runs the task in a background thread as a Sitecore Job.
  • Auto remove - automatically deletes the schedule after expiration.
  • Last run - timestamp of the most recent execution.
A Scheduled item with Command, Schedule, Items, Async, Auto remove, and Last run fields.

Schedule field format

The Schedule field on a Sitecore Schedule item uses a pipe-separated (|) four-part syntax:

<StartDateTime>|<EndDateTime>|<DaysOfWeek>|<Interval>

Example:

20231125|99990101|127|12.00:00

Field breakdown

The following table describes each field in the Schedule item syntax.

Field nameDescriptionFormatExample
StartDateTimeDefines when the schedule becomes active.yyyyMMddTHHmmss20260220T000000Meaning
20, 2026 at 00:00
EndDateTimeDefines when the schedule expires.yyyyMMddTHHmmss99990101Meaning
value is commonly used to indicate that the schedule does not expire.
DaysOfWeekA numeric bitmask that specifies the days on which the task should run.Each day has an assigned bit value
= 1Monday = 2Tuesday = 4Wednesday = 8Thursday = 16Friday = 32Saturday = 64To combine multiple days, sum their bit values.		127 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64Meaning
task runs every day of the week.
IntervalDefines how frequently the task runs.NoteSitecore uses interval-based polling rather than clock-time execution.d.HH:mm
1.02:05:10Meaning
task runs every 1 day, 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 10 seconds.

How Sitecore determines when a task runs

Sitecore does not use a cron‑style (absolute time) scheduler. Instead, it uses interval-based execution.

The scheduling process works as follows:

  • The system polls the database at regular intervals (default: every 10 minutes).
  • If a schedule is due, the associated command runs.
  • Tasks cannot be triggered at an exact minute.

If the Last run field contains a value, the next execution is calculated from that timestamp plus the configured Interval.

Important

When you modify or reschedule a recurring task:

  • The system does not automatically reset the Last run field.

  • If the time between the current Last run value and your newly scheduled StartDateTime is less than the Interval, the first execution after rescheduling will be skipped.

To ensure execution at the newly configured start time:

You must clear the Last run field.

Create a scheduled task

Use the following procedure to create a scheduled task.

  1. Write task code

    Create a class containing the logic you want to automate.

    Simple example:

    cs
    public class MySimpleTask
{
    public void Execute()
    {
        // Custom logic goes here
    }
}

    Example with parameters:

    cs
    public class MyComplexTask
{
    public void Execute(Item[] items, CommandItem command, ScheduleItem schedule)
    {
        // Custom logic
    }
}

  2. Create a Command item

    Create a new Command item:

    • Path - /sitecore/system/Tasks/Commands/
    • Template - /sitecore/templates/System/Tasks/Command - {58119A3E-560E-4DA6-97C6-1ACE8A5B1219}

    Configure the fields:

    • Type - Namespace.ClassName, Assembly
    • Method - Execute

  3. Create a Schedule item

    Create a new Schedule item with the following details:

    • Path - /sitecore/system/Tasks/Schedules/
    • Template - /sitecore/templates/System/Tasks/Schedule - {70244923-FA84-477C-8CBD-62F39642C42B}

    Configure the fields:

    • Command - link to your new Command item.
    • Schedule - a string that defines the timing.
    • Items - optional query
    • Async - enable if background execution is recquired.

Verify task execution

You can verify that a scheduled task has executed by:

  • Checking the Last run field

    Ensure it has been updated with a recent timestamp.

  • Reviewing logs

    Review SitecoreAI logs for task execution entries. Look for entries similar to:

    ManagedPoolThread
#3 27 Jun 2025 06:58:38 INFO Examining schedules (count:2)
ManagedPoolThread #3 27 Jun 2025 06:58:38 INFO Starting: Task Schedule
ManagedPoolThread #3 27 Jun 2025 06:58:38 INFO Ended: Task Schedule
ManagedPoolThread #3 27 Jun 2025 06:58:38 INFO Starting:
TaskScheduleForPublishingComponentBuilderDemoPage
If you have suggestions for improving this article, let us know!