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How to set up custom monitoring schedules
How to set up custom monitoring schedules

Customizing when and how often your robots check for changes on target websites

Nick Simard avatar
Written by Nick Simard
Updated today

Why customize your monitoring schedule?

Custom schedules help you optimize both monitoring effectiveness and credit usage by:

  • Targeting specific times when changes are most likely

  • Avoiding unnecessary checks during inactive periods

  • Aligning notifications with your workflow

  • Managing credit consumption efficiently

Setting up a custom schedule

Basic scheduling: Quick set up guide

  1. Select your robot

  2. Navigate to the Monitor tab

  3. Click Create new monitor

  4. Configure your schedule:

    • Frequency (hourly, daily, weekly)

    • Days of the week

    • Time of day

  5. Set additional parameters:

    • Monitor name

    • Origin URL and input parameters

    • Email notifications

  6. Click Save to activate

Detailed view of Monitor options

The first three parameters are for configuring the frequency and scheduling:

  • Run once every: Choose how often you want the robot to check for changes (E.g., every hour, daily, weekly).

  • Days of the week: Select the days on which you want the monitoring to occur (E.g., every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc.,)

  • Time of day: Specify the time you want the robot to check for changes. You can set a specific time or choose "Anytime" if the exact time doesn't matter.

The latter three parameters are for the monitoring scope/target and notification:

  • Origin URL and input parameters: If you want to monitor multiple pages with the same robot, you can specify different origin URLs and input parameters for each monitor.

  • Monitor name: Give your monitor a unique and descriptive name for easy identification.

  • Notifications: Choose whether you want to be notified via email.

Advanced scheduling (RRULE)

For more complex monitoring needs, use RRULE to create custom patterns:

  • Monitor at specific intervals

  • Set irregular schedules

  • Create date-specific monitoring

  • Configure seasonal variations

Best practices for scheduling

Optimize for website updates

  • Identify when your target website typically updates

  • Schedule checks shortly after expected update times

  • Avoid monitoring during known maintenance periods

Credit management

  • Start with less frequent checks

  • Increase frequency only when needed

  • Use bulk monitoring for multiple URLs

  • Review and adjust based on change patterns

Schedule examples

Common scenarios and recommended settings:

  1. E-commerce price monitoring

    • Frequency: Daily

    • Time: Early morning

    • Days: Monday through Friday

  2. News website updates

    • Frequency: Hourly

    • Time: During business hours

    • Days: All week

  3. Weekly inventory checks

    • Frequency: Weekly

    • Time: Monday morning

    • Days: Mondays only

Managing your monitors

Access all monitors through the Monitor tab where you can:

  • View monitor status

  • Edit schedules

  • Enable/disable monitors

  • Review monitoring history

Troubleshooting

  1. Missed updates

    • Check if monitoring frequency matches update patterns

    • Verify website accessibility during scheduled times

    • Review any failed monitoring attempts

  2. Excessive credit usage

    • Analyze change frequency patterns

    • Adjust schedule to match actual update times

    • Consider using bulk monitoring for multiple URLs

  3. Notification issues

    • Verify email settings

    • Check spam folders

    • Confirm notification preferences

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