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How to set up custom monitoring schedules

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

M
Written by Melissa Shires
Updated over 7 months ago

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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