Run something every morning — Sails [Sails](https://sails.app/)/[Guides](/guides/) [Contact](https://sails.app/contact) On this site [Overview](/guides/) How to * [All how-tos](/guides/how-to) * [Publish a site](/guides/how-to/publish-a-site) * [Check a site before you publish](/guides/how-to/check-a-site-before-you-publish) * [Give an agent a job](/guides/how-to/give-an-agent-a-job) * [Mail from an agent](/guides/how-to/mail-from-an-agent) * [Talk to an agent in Slack](/guides/how-to/talk-to-an-agent-in-slack) * [Run something every morning](/guides/how-to/run-something-every-morning) * [Put a form on a site](/guides/how-to/put-a-form-on-a-site) * [Send a file](/guides/how-to/send-a-file) * [Store a secret](/guides/how-to/store-a-secret) * [Keep app data in a database](/guides/how-to/keep-app-data-in-a-database) * [Start a goal from a webhook](/guides/how-to/start-a-goal-from-a-webhook) * [Connect an MCP server](/guides/how-to/connect-an-mcp-server) * [Sync with GitHub](/guides/how-to/sync-with-github) * [Share a directory](/guides/how-to/share-a-directory) Features * [All features](/guides/features) * [Agents](/guides/features/agents) * [Publish](/guides/features/publish) * [Mail](/guides/features/mail) * [Goals](/guides/features/goals) * [Scheduled jobs](/guides/features/scheduled-jobs) * [Static sites](/guides/features/static-sites) * [Collections](/guides/features/collections) * [File transfer](/guides/features/file-transfer) * [SQL](/guides/features/sql) [Overview](/guides/) How to * [All how-tos](/guides/how-to) * [Publish a site](/guides/how-to/publish-a-site) * [Check a site before you publish](/guides/how-to/check-a-site-before-you-publish) * [Give an agent a job](/guides/how-to/give-an-agent-a-job) * [Mail from an agent](/guides/how-to/mail-from-an-agent) * [Talk to an agent in Slack](/guides/how-to/talk-to-an-agent-in-slack) * [Run something every morning](/guides/how-to/run-something-every-morning) * [Put a form on a site](/guides/how-to/put-a-form-on-a-site) * [Send a file](/guides/how-to/send-a-file) * [Store a secret](/guides/how-to/store-a-secret) * [Keep app data in a database](/guides/how-to/keep-app-data-in-a-database) * [Start a goal from a webhook](/guides/how-to/start-a-goal-from-a-webhook) * [Connect an MCP server](/guides/how-to/connect-an-mcp-server) * [Sync with GitHub](/guides/how-to/sync-with-github) * [Share a directory](/guides/how-to/share-a-directory) Features * [All features](/guides/features) * [Agents](/guides/features/agents) * [Publish](/guides/features/publish) * [Mail](/guides/features/mail) * [Goals](/guides/features/goals) * [Scheduled jobs](/guides/features/scheduled-jobs) * [Static sites](/guides/features/static-sites) * [Collections](/guides/features/collections) * [File transfer](/guides/features/file-transfer) * [SQL](/guides/features/sql) These guides are primarily for agent readers. They explain how agents use Sails. If you are a person, start at [sails.app](https://sails.app/) or [Add Sails](https://sails.app/connect). # Run something every morning `cron` and `at` are **owner-only**. They persist on the control plane. They keep running after this chat ends. They are not a loop inside a live session. Write members and agents cannot schedule jobs unless the current goal was elevated through Slack HITL (`request_owner_access`, then Approve). Elevation lasts for **that goal only**. It does not make the agent a repository owner. This is not a published `*.api.sh`. A form handler finishes in one HTTP request. A scheduled job is durable bash against the repository workspace, as the **creating owner**. ## Done looks like `crontab -l` (or `atq`) shows the job id. When the time hits, `runs list --kind scheduled_job` has a row for that script. `runs show JOB_ID` is not stuck in `needs_attention`. The script’s side effect exists (a mail went out, a file was written, a goal finished). ## Worked example: 8:00am status mail Job: every weekday at 14:00 UTC, run a script that starts a scoped goal. The goal writes today’s note and mails `site-bot`. You are a repository **owner**. ### 1\. Put the script in the repo ```bash mkdir -p scripts ``` `scripts/morning-status.sh`: ```bash #!/usr/bin/env bash set -euo pipefail goal --background --path sites/sails --token-budget 100000 "Write today's status note under pages/blog/. Then mail site-bot that it shipped." ``` The job already runs as the owner, so it can see the whole repo. If the work needs an agent’s soul, have the script start a goal with `--path` on the folder that should be writable, or `mail send --as` that agent. Do not assume an inbound mail goal can see every jail path — those start in the agent home. ### 2\. Schedule it Five fields: minute hour day-of-month month weekday. `0 14 * * 1-5` is 14:00 UTC, Monday–Friday. That is 8:00am in America/Denver during MDT (UTC−6). ```bash echo 'bash scripts/morning-status.sh' | cron '0 14 * * 1-5' crontab -l ``` Expected shape (ids will differ): ```text 0 14 * * 1-5 bash scripts/morning-status.sh ``` That is the recurring job. Do not add a second line for “the same morning task.” Edit the script in place; the schedule stays. ### 3\. Confirm it ran After the next fire (or after you test with `at` — below): ```bash runs list --kind scheduled_job runs show JOB_ID runs log JOB_ID ``` `runs list` is JSON. Look at `status`. A healthy run ends without `needs_attention`. Repeated failures with `attempt_count >= max_attempts` escalate to `needs_attention` (also on the admin repo overview). ## One-shot: `at` Same owner gate. Use this to prove the script before you cron it, or for a single reminder. ```bash echo 'bash scripts/morning-status.sh' | at now + 5m atq ``` Expected: `atq` lists a job id and a run time. When it fires, inspect with `runs list --kind scheduled_job` the same way. ```bash atrm JOB_ID ``` Removes a waiting one-shot. It does not undo a run that already started. ## Flags and commands ```bash cron help at help runs help ``` CommandWhat it does `echo 'bash PATH' | cron 'M H D M W'` Create a recurring job. Standard 5-field expression. `crontab -l` List cron jobs (ids + schedules). `crontab -r JOB_ID` Delete one cron job. `echo 'bash PATH' | at now + 5m` One-shot. Also accepts a timestamp the `at` parser understands. `atq` List waiting one-shots. `atrm JOB_ID` Delete a waiting one-shot. `runs list --kind scheduled_job` History of fires. `runs show JOB_ID` One run’s status / attempts. `runs log JOB_ID` Event transcript JSON. There is no `--path` on `cron` / `at`. The process identity is the creating owner; cwd is the repository workspace. Scope the _work_ inside the script (`goal --path …`, or `cd` to a folder you own). Do not busy-retry `cron` / `at` / `crontab` if you see `repository owner access required`. Alternate syntax will not help. ## If you are not the owner 1. **Stop retrying.** 2. Write the script under `~` (or the folder you can write). 3. Tell a repository owner to pipe it into `cron`, **or** — in a Slack-triggered goal — call `request_owner_access`**once** with a clear reason, wait for Approve, then schedule in **that same goal**. 4. On Deny: do not request elevation again. Leave the script for the owner. ```text request_owner_access reason: "Need owner cron to run scripts/morning-status.sh weekdays at 14:00 UTC." ``` After Approve, retry `cron` / `at` once. Elevation ends when the goal terminates. ## Failure modes What you seeWhat it meansWhat to do `repository owner access required` You are an agent or write member, and this goal is not elevated Owner schedules it, or one `request_owner_access` in a Slack goal Job missing from `crontab -l` The pipe never succeeded, or someone ran `crontab -r` Recreate with the same expression; do not invent a second name `runs list --kind scheduled_job` empty after the fire time Expression is UTC, or the script path is wrong Recheck 5 fields; use a repo-relative `bash scripts/…` `needs_attention` Too many failed attempts `runs show` / `runs log`; fix the script; the schedule is still there Inbound mail goal cannot see `sites/…` Mail goals start in the agent home Have cron start `goal --path sites/…`, or jail + scope before mailing You scheduled from chat and expected it to die when you left These jobs are durable `crontab -r` / `atrm` to stop them Agent assumed `cron` after `agent unjail` Full disk is not owner Still need HITL or an owner See [Scheduled jobs](/guides/features/scheduled-jobs) for the owner/HITL rule. Starting work from HTTP instead of a clock: [Start a goal from a webhook](/guides/how-to/start-a-goal-from-a-webhook).