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Overview

The Cron Node is a powerful trigger node that automatically starts workflows on a schedule. It enables you to build automated tasks that run at specific intervals - from every minute to monthly - without any manual intervention.

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Required Configuration

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Basic Settings

  • Label - Display name for the node
  • Identifier - Unique ID for this cron job (must be unique across your entire app)
  • Trigger Interval - Schedule type: custom, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or monthly

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Schedule Configuration

The configuration varies based on your selected trigger interval:

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Custom Cron Expression

  • Cron Expression - Standard 5-part cron format: minute hour day month weekday
  • Examples:
    • 0 0 * * * - Daily at midnight UTC
    • 0 9 * * 1-5 - Weekdays at 9:00 AM UTC
    • */15 * * * * - Every 15 minutes
    • 0 0 1 * * - First day of each month at midnight

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Minutes

  • Days Interval - Number of minutes between runs (e.g., 5 = every 5 minutes)

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Hours

  • Days Interval - Number of hours between runs
  • Trigger Minute (Optional) - Minute of the hour to run at

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Days

  • Days Interval - Number of days between runs
  • Trigger Hour - Hour of the day (0-23, UTC)
  • Trigger Minute - Minute of the hour (0-59)

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Weeks

  • Trigger Hour - Hour of the day (0-23, UTC)
  • Trigger Minute - Minute of the hour (0-59)
  • Runs every Monday by default

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Monthly

  • Trigger Hour - Hour of the day (0-23, UTC)
  • Trigger Minute - Minute of the hour (0-59)
  • Runs on the 1st of each month

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How It Works

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Step 1: Create the Trigger

Drag a Cron Node onto your canvas. This will be the starting point of your automated workflow.

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Step 2: Configure the Schedule

  1. Set a unique identifier (e.g., “daily-cleanup” or “hourly-sync”)
  2. Choose your trigger interval type
  3. Configure the specific timing based on your selected interval
  4. Remember: all times are in UTC, not your local timezone

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Step 3: Build Your Workflow

Connect the Cron Node to other nodes to define what happens when the schedule triggers. Unlike Frontend Element nodes, cron jobs start with empty input data ({}).

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Important Notes

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UTC Timezone

All cron schedules run in UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), not your local timezone. Make sure to convert your desired local time to UTC:
  • 9:00 AM PST = 5:00 PM UTC
  • 9:00 AM EST = 2:00 PM UTC
  • Use a timezone converter when setting up your schedules

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No Input Data

Unlike webhooks or frontend triggers, cron jobs don’t receive any input data. To work with data in cron-triggered flows:
  • Use fixed values in downstream nodes
  • Query data from your collections
  • Fetch data from external APIs using HTTP Request nodes

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No Return Node Needed

Cron flows are backend-only and run automatically - there’s no caller waiting for a response. End your flows with:
  • Mutation nodes (to save results)
  • HTTP Request nodes (to call external APIs)
  • Email/notification nodes
Do NOT add Return nodes to cron flows.

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Common Use Cases

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1. Daily Data Cleanup

Cron (daily at midnight)
→ Query (fetch expired sessions)
→ Mutation (delete expired records)
Clean up old data every day to keep your database optimized.

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2. Hourly External Sync

Cron (every hour)
→ HTTP Request (fetch latest data from API)
→ Mutation (save to database)
Keep your app synchronized with external data sources.

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3. Weekly Reports

Cron (Monday at 9 AM UTC)
→ Query (fetch weekly metrics)
→ Agent (generate summary)
→ Mutation (save report)
Automatically generate and store weekly reports.

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4. Batch Notifications

Cron (custom: "0 9 * * 1-5")
→ Query (fetch active users)
→ For Loop
  → HTTP Request (send reminder email)
Send scheduled reminders to users on weekdays.

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5. Every 15 Minutes Check

Cron (*/15 * * * *)
→ Query (fetch pending tasks)
→ If-Else (check if overdue)
  → Mutation (update status)
Monitor and update task statuses frequently.

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Connections

Cron nodes are starting points for workflows - they have no inputs, only outputs. Output to: Any node type:
  • Query nodes (fetch data to process)
  • Mutation nodes (perform scheduled updates)
  • Agent nodes (AI-powered scheduled tasks)
  • HTTP Request nodes (call external APIs)
  • For Loop nodes (batch processing)
  • If-Else nodes (conditional logic)
Cannot connect to:
  • Frontend Element nodes (cron is backend-only)
  • Return nodes (no caller to return to)

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Cron vs Other Triggers

FeatureCron NodeFrontend ElementWebhook
TriggerTime-basedUser actionHTTP request
Input DataNone ()Form/UI databody/params/headers
Runs WhenOn scheduleOn user clickOn API call
EnvironmentDeployed onlyAlwaysAlways
Return NodeNoYesYes
Use CaseAutomationUser interactionsExternal events

Query Node

Fetch data to process on schedule

Mutation Node

Save automated task results

HTTP Request Node

Call external APIs on schedule

Agent Node

Run AI tasks automatically