Every automation needs a trigger – something that tells it when to run. You can trigger an automation at a fixed schedule (for example: every day at 9 AM) or when a change happens in a connected app, like receiving an email. Picking the right trigger depends entirely on how time-sensitive your workflow is.
Run on a schedule
Scheduled automations run at a specific, set time – once a day, once a week, or on a custom recurring interval. Use these for any tasks that should happen at a predictable moment:
- Reschedule overdue tasks every morning.
- Send a weekly summary every Friday afternoon at 3 PM.
- Clear your Inbox every Sunday night.
When you create or edit a scheduled automation, you can set the time and frequency directly in the Automation setup. The schedule always runs in your local time zone.
Run when something changes
Some automations watch a connected app for activity and trigger automatically when a specific change happens, like a new email arriving, a calendar event being added, or a file being updated. These are useful for real-time workflows:
- Turn a starred Gmail into a Todoist task the moment you star it.
- Create a task whenever a new GitHub PR is assigned to you.
- Log a Todoist task when a new Calendly booking is made.
For these automations to work, the connected app needs a connection for updates, not just a connection for actions. You can check or add this by selecting Connections in your sidebar.
Choose the right trigger
Use this quick reference table to find the best option for your workflow:
| If you want to… | …use this trigger |
|---|---|
| Run a task at a specific time every day | Schedule |
| Do something the moment an event happens | Check for updates |
| Catch up on activity in batches (for example: hourly) | Check for updates with an hourly interval |
Get in touch
Not sure which trigger fits your workflow? Head to Automations, describe what you want to achieve in the chat bar, and the Automation preview will suggest the right setup for you.
If you run into any issues setting up your trigger, get in touch with us. We’re happy to look into your automation settings with you.