Task Scheduler¶
Automatically run scripts and tasks at regular intervals.
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Automation
Reduces the need for manual operations.
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Reliability
Tasks run at scheduled times without intervention.
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Notifications
Email alerts on errors.
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CRON Compatible
Same principle as Linux CRON.
What Is the Scheduler Used For?¶
- Backup
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Automatic database and file backups.
- Maintenance
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Cache clearing, deleting temporary files.
- Emails
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Sending newsletters, reminders.
- CMS Cron
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WordPress wp-cron.php, Drupal cron.
CRON Syntax¶
A CRON job is governed by 5 fields:
| Field | Range | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0–59 | 30 → at minute 30 |
| Hour | 0–23 | 3 → at 03:00 |
| Day of month | 1–31 | 15 → 15th day |
| Month | 1–12 | 12 → December |
| Day of week | 0–7 | 1 → Monday |
CRON Notation Examples¶
| CRON | Meaning |
|---|---|
30 3 * * * |
Every day at 03:30 |
*/5 * * * * |
Every 5 minutes |
0 */2 * * * |
Every 2 hours |
0 0 * * 0 |
Every Sunday at midnight |
0 6 1 * * |
First day of month at 06:00 |
Creating a Scheduled Task¶
Open Scheduled Tasks¶
In Plesk interface, select your domain and click Scheduled Tasks.
View Existing Tasks¶
Here you'll find all currently scheduled tasks.
Add New Task¶
Click Add Task.
Task Types¶
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Run a command
Runs a shell command.
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Fetch a URL
Opens URL as HTTP request.
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Run a PHP script
Runs PHP file with selected PHP version.
Task Settings¶
Execution Time¶
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Hourly | Every hour |
| Daily | Every day |
| Weekly | Every week |
| Cron style | Custom CRON notation |
Notifications¶
| Option | When sends email |
|---|---|
| Do not notify | Never |
| Errors only | Only on error |
| Every time | On each execution |
Configuration Example¶
WordPress cron running every 5 minutes:
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Task type | Run a PHP script |
| Script | httpdocs/wp-cron.php |
| PHP version | 8.2 |
| Run | */5 * * * * |
| Notify | Errors only |
Common Issues¶
Task doesn't run
Incorrect CRON notation or script path.
Solution: Check CRON syntax and verify file path.
Error emails
Script returns an error.
Solution: Check logs and test script manually.
Too frequent execution
Task overloads server.
Solution: Increase interval between executions.