Time Trigger
Overview
The Time trigger, similar to the Cron trigger, allows you to specify dates and times at which a task will be triggered.
With both Time and Cron triggers, you can define:
- Simple date and times, such as "every weekday at 12:00 a.m."
- Specific dates and times, such as "March 15 at 12:00 a.m."
- A series of dates and times, such as "every Friday at every hour."
- A mixture of specific dates/times and a series, such as "every Monday at 9 a.m."
- Complex dates and times, such as "every 3 hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the last business day of the year."
(Read Daylight Saving Time for details about how Universal Controller handles Daylight Saving Time.)
If you want to schedule time intervals for triggering a task on multiple days, use the trigger type (Time or a Cron) that allows you to most accurately select the scheduling parameters (see Scheduling a Time Interval, below).
Creating a Time Trigger
Step 1 | From the Automation Center navigation pane, select Triggers > Time Triggers. The Time Triggers list displays. |
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Step 2 | Enter/select Details for a new Time trigger, using the field descriptions below as a guide.
To display more of the Details fields on the screen, you can either:
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Step 3 | Clicka Save button. The trigger is added to the database, and all buttons and tabs in the Trigger Details are enabled. |
Step 4 | Enable the trigger(s) as desired. |
Note
To open an existing record on the list, either:
- Click a record in the list to display its record Details below the list. (To clear record Details below the list, click the New button that displays above and below the Details.)
- Clicking the Details icon next to a record name in the list, or right-click a record in the list and then click Open in the Action menu that displays, to display a pop-up version of the record Details.
- Right-click a record in the a list, or open a record and right-click in the record Details, and then click Open In Tab in the Action menu that displays, to display the record Details under a new tab on the record list page (see Record Details as Tabs).
Time Trigger Details
The following Time Trigger Details is for an existing Time trigger. See the field descriptions below for a description of the fields that display in the Time Trigger Details.
Time Trigger Details Field Descriptions
The following table describes the fields, buttons, and tabs that display in the Time Trigger Details.
Field Name | Description |
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General | This section contains general information about the trigger. |
Name |
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Version | System-supplied; version number of the current record, which is incremented by the system every time a user updates a record. Click the Versions tab to view previous versions. For details, see Record Versioning. |
Description | Description of this record. Maximum length is 255 characters. |
Member of Business Services | User-defined; Allows you to select one or more Business Services that this record belongs to. (You also can Check All or Uncheck All Business Services for this record.) You can select up to 62 Business Services for any record type, and enter a maximum of 2048 characters for each Business Service. If the Business Service Visibility Restricted Universal Controller system property is set to true, depending on your assigned (or inherited) Permissions or Roles, Business Services available for selection may be restricted. |
Calendar |
Select a Calendar from the drop-down list of all existing Calendars. To display detailed information about a selected calendar, click the Details icon next to the Calendar field. |
Time Zone |
User-defined; allows you to specify the time zone that will be applied to the time(s) specified in the trigger. For example, if you specify 23:00 and a time zone of Canada/Central, the task will run at 11:00 p.m. Central Canada time. |
Task(s) |
Name of the task(s) being triggered when this trigger is satisfied. When selecting tasks from the Details, click on the lock icon to unlock the field and select tasks. |
Purge By Retention Duration |
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Exclude Backup | If Purge By Retention Duration is selected; Specification for whether qualifying task instances can be excluded from the backup when being purged by retention duration. |
Retention Duration | If Purge By Retention Duration is selected; Minimum retention duration for the selected Retention Duration Unit before triggered task instances can qualify for purge. If Retention Duration Unit = Days, valid values are 1 to 366. If Retention Duration Unit = Hours, valid values are 1 to 24. |
Retention Duration Unit | |
Execution User |
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Forecast | If checked, the Controller calculates the date and time when this trigger will be satisfied for the next number of days, as specified in the Forecast Period In Days Universal Controller system property. The Controller writes the forecasting entries to the Forecasts List. Note If this field is checked on a trigger and the trigger is promoted, it will not be checked for that trigger on the target system. |
Simulate | Enables the override of the Enable Trigger Simulation Universal Controller system property specification for whether or not to simulate the launching of tasks when triggers are eligible to fire. (If simulation is enabled, only the scheduled launch of the task by the trigger is inhibited.)
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Status | This section contains information about the current status of the trigger. |
Status | |
Next Scheduled Time | System-supplied; for time-based triggers. If Status = Enabled, the next date and time this trigger will be satisfied. See Displaying Trigger Forecast Information. |
Enabled By | System-supplied. If Status = Enabled, ID of the user who most recently enabled this trigger. |
Disabled By | System-supplied; If Status = Disabled, ID of the user who most recently disabled this trigger. (By default, all new triggers are disabled.) |
Enabled Time | System-supplied. If Status = Enabled, Date and time that the trigger was enabled. |
Disabled Time | System-supplied. If Status = Disabled, Date and time that the trigger was disabled. |
Skip Details | This section contains detailed information about skipping the trigger. |
Task Launch Skip Condition | User-defined; Controls when launching a task for the trigger will be skipped. Default is the value of the Trigger Task Launch Skip Condition Default Universal Controller system property. Options:
Task Launch Skip Condition is not applicable when using the Trigger Now... command and will be ignored. |
Skip Restriction | User-defined; Specification for when this trigger should skip and not launch the task(s). Options:
Default is - - None - -. |
Skip Count |
User-defined; Allows you to specify that the Controller should skip the next N times this task is triggered. |
Skip Before Date | If Skip Restriction is Before or Span; Date before which the Trigger will skip. |
Skip Before Time | If Skip Restriction is Before or Span; Time before which the Trigger will skip on the specified Skip Before Date. |
Skip After Date | If Skip Restriction is After or Span; Date after which the Trigger will Skip. |
Skip After Time | If Skip Restriction is After or Span; Time after which the Trigger will skip on the specified Skip After Date. |
Skip Date List | If Skip Restriction is On; List of dates on which the trigger will skip. |
Time Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about the trigger. |
Time Style | Specifies whether this trigger is for a specific time or a series of times. Options:
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Time | Required if Time Style = Time; time of the trigger in hours and minutes, using 24-hour time. For example, 01:45 means trigger the task at 1:45 a.m.; 13:45 means trigger the task at 1:45 p.m. (See also Daylight Saving Time.) |
Time Interval | Required if Time Style = Time Interval; number of Time Interval Units. For example, for a Time Interval of every three hours, specify 3 in this field and select Hours in the Time Interval Units field. Note See Scheduling a Time Interval, below, for information on using a Time Trigger to schedule a time interval for triggering a task. |
Time Interval Units | Required if Time Style = Time Interval; Type of time interval. Used in conjunction with the Time Interval field. For example, for a Time Interval of every three hours, specify 3 in the Time Interval field and select Hours in this field. Options:
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Enable Offset | If Time Style = Time Interval, allows you to define (in the Initial Time Offset field) a starting time, in minutes offset from the hour, for the trigger to run. |
Initial Time Offset (hh:mm) | If Enable Offset is selected, allows you to define a starting time, in minutes offset from the hour. The default value ( * ) lets you select a starting hour (0 to 23) other than the next hour. For example:
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Day Details | This section contains assorted detailed information about the trigger day. |
Day Style | Allows you to indicate when this trigger will be run: Options:
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Daily | If Day Style = Simple, allows you to specify that the trigger is active every day of the week. |
Business Days | |
Specific Day(s) | |
Date Adjective | If Day Style = Complex, allows you to specify which in a series of days you want to select. Used in conjunction with the Date Noun(s) and the Date Qualifier(s) fields. For example, to specify "the 2nd Monday and Friday of January and December," select Date Adjective = Nth, Nth Amount = 2, Date Noun(s) = Monday, Friday, Date Qualifier(s) = Jan, Dec. Options:
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Nth Amount | If Day Adjective = Nth, allows you to specify the value of N. |
Date Noun(s) | If Day Style = Complex, allows you to specify the type of days that you want to select. Used in conjunction with the Date Adjective and the Date Qualifier(s) fields. For example, to specify "the 2nd Monday and Friday of January and December," select Date Adjective = Nth, Nth Amount = 2, Date Noun(s) = Monday, Friday, Date Qualifier(s) = Jan, Dec. This drop-down menu is populated as follows:
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Date Qualifier(s) | If Day Style = Complex, allows you to specify the period for your selection formula. Used in conjunction with the Date Noun(s) and Date Adjective fields. For example, to specify "the 2nd Monday and Friday of January and December," select Date Adjective = Nth, Nth Amount = 2, Date Noun(s) = Monday, Friday, Date Qualifier(s) = Jan, Dec. Options:
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Date Adjustment | If Day Style = Complex, allows you to adjust your date setting by a less or plus number of Days or Business Days. For example, to specify the 2nd to last day of the month (last day of the month less one day), select Date Adjective = Last, Date Noun(s) = Day, Date Qualifier(s) = Month, Data Adjustment = Less, Adjustment Amount = 1, and Adjustment Type = Day. Options:
Default is None. |
Adjustment Amount | Required if Day Adjustment = Less or Plus; Allows you to specify the number of Days or Business Days to adjust your date setting. Maximum is 366. Default is 1. |
Adjustment Type | If Day Adjustment = Less or Plus, allows you to specify the type of day by which to adjust your date setting. Options:
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Day Interval | If Day Style = Every, allows you to specify the interval (in days) at which this trigger will run. |
Interval Start | If Day Style = Every, allows you to specify the first day of the interval on which this trigger will run. |
Restrictions | This section specifies any restrictions that apply to the trigger. |
Restrict Times | If Time Style = Time Interval, period during which the trigger is active. Enable this field and specify the start and end times in the Enabled Start and Enabled End fields. |
Enabled Start | If Restrict Times is enabled, allows you to specify the start time of the period during which the trigger should be active. Use 24-hour time. |
Enabled End | If Restrict Times is enabled, allows you to specify the end time of the period during which the trigger should be active. Use 24-hour time. |
Adjust Interval To Enabled Start | If Restrict Times is enabled; Specification for whether to always begin at the Enabled Start, regardless of the time interval, or to begin based on the actual interval. If Adjust Interval To Enabled Start is not selected, the start time and end time specify only the time frame/window during which the trigger is active; they do not modify the actual time interval (see Restrict Times). |
Special Restriction | Enable this field in order to specify additional parameters that tell the Controller how to handle exceptions, such as when the trigger is satisfied on a holiday or non-business day. You can specify simple and/or complex restrictions. For example, you can specify a Simple Restriction that disables the trigger if it is satisfied on a holiday identified in the calendar and/or a Complex Restriction that disables the trigger on the last business day of every month. |
Simple Restriction | |
Situation | If Simple Restriction is enabled, allows you to select the situation that causes the system to initiate the action specified in the Action field. Options:
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Action | If Special Restriction is enabled, allows you to select an action to take on a non-business day or holiday (see Situation field). Options:
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Complex Restriction | If enabled, allows you to specify a set of parameters that determine one or more situations when this trigger should not be satisfied. Used in conjunction with the following fields: Restriction Mode, Restriction Adjective, Restriction Noun, Restriction Qualifier. For example, you may specify that you do not want to satisfy this trigger on the last business day of the year or the first day of each month. |
Restriction Mode | If both Simple Restriction and Complex Restriction are enabled, specifies whether you want to use both restriction types (AND) or one or the other (OR). Options:
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Restriction Adjective | If Complex Restriction is enabled, the type of selection. Options:
Example: The last business day of the month. |
Restriction Noun(s) | If Complex Restriction is enabled, the day(s) you want to select. Options:
Example: The last Business Day and Sunday of the month. |
Restriction Qualifier(s) | If Complex Restriction is enabled, the period(s) you are selecting from. Options:
Example: The last Day of Quarter, Year, and January. |
Restriction Nth Amount | If Restriction Adjective is Nth, allows you to specify the value of N. If Restriction Qualifier is Week, Restriction Nth Amount must be <= 7. |
Metadata | This section contains Metadata information about this record. |
UUID | Universally Unique Identifier of this record. |
Updated By | Name of the user that last updated this record. |
Updated | Date and time that this record was last updated. |
Created By | Name of the user that created this record. |
Created | Date and time that this record was created. |
Buttons | This section identifies the buttons displayed above and below the Trigger Details that let you perform various actions. |
Save | Saves a new task record in the Controller database. |
Save & New | Saves a new record in the Controller database and redisplays empty Details so that you can create another new record. |
Save & View | Saves a new record in the Controller database and continues to display that record. |
New | Displays empty (except for default values) Details for creating a new record. |
Update |
Saves updates to the record. |
Enable | Activates this trigger and writes your User ID to the Enabled By field. |
Disable |
Deactivates this trigger. |
Trigger Now... | Immediately triggers all the tasks specified in this trigger.
Note If you click Trigger Now... for an Enabled trigger that does not have an assigned Execution User, the trigger will launch its task(s) under the context of the Enabled By user. |
List Qualifying Times | Lets you generate a list of future dates and times that the trigger will trigger the specified task (see Generating a List of Qualifying Times, below). |
Copy | Creates a copy of this trigger, which you are prompted to rename. |
Delete |
Deletes the current record. |
Refresh | Refreshes any dynamic data displayed in the Details. |
Close | For pop-up view only; closes the pop-up view of this trigger. |
Tabs | This section identifies the tabs across the top of the Trigger Details that provide access to additional information about the trigger. |
Variables |
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Instances | Lists all task instances that were triggered directly by this trigger. |
Notes |
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Versions |
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Scheduling a Time Interval
A Time trigger time interval lets you specify how often a task will be triggered, but for triggering a task on multiple days, you may not be able to specify the same time every day that the task will be triggered. This could produce unexpected results.
By default, a time interval count begins at 12 a.m.. If you schedule a time interval for a task to be triggered on multiple days, the task will be triggered at the first specified time interval, and then again whenever the time interval is reached. When the 24-hour clock expires, the time interval count does not reset to 12 a.m.; it continues into the next day. If the time interval is not one by which the 24-hour clock is even divisible (2, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12), the task will be triggered at different times than on the first day.
Note
See Daylight Saving Time for information on how it impacts time intervals.
For example, if you want a task to be triggered at the same time every 4 hours from Monday to Friday, a Time trigger will trigger the task on Monday at 4 a.m., 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m., and Tuesday at 12 a.m.. 4 hours later, at 4 a.m. - it will again start triggering the task every 4 hours. Since the time interval (4) divides evenly into 24, the task is triggered at the same time every day, and results will be as expected.
However, if you want a task to be triggered every 7 hours from Monday to Friday, a Time trigger will trigger the task on Monday at 7 a.m., 2 p.m., and 9 p.m., and then - 7 hours later - Tuesday at 4 a.m. The time interval "rolls over" to the next day. It does not restart at 12:00 a.m. when the 24-hour clock expires, and so the task will not be triggered at the same time every day. The same results will occur if you use Restrict Times, below, for the time interval.
Therefore, for scheduling time intervals by which the 24-hour clock is not evenly divisible, it is recommended that instead you use a Cron trigger.
For example:
Restrict Times
If you are triggering a task on a time interval, the Restrict Times field lets you select a time frame during which the trigger is active. The task will be triggered at the specified time interval only when the time interval occurs during the specified Restrict Times.
For example, if you want a task to be triggered every 4 hours from Monday to Friday and only between the hours of 8 a.m. (Enabled Start) and 7 p.m. (Enabled End), a Time trigger will check the time on Monday at 4 a.m., 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m., 8 p.m., and Tuesday at 12 a.m., but only will trigger the task at 8:00 a.m., 12 p.m., and 4 p.m. (the only three 4-hour interval times between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.). On Tuesday at 12 a.m., it will continue checking the time every 4 hours and will trigger the task at the same times it did on Monday.
However, if you want a task to be triggered every 7 hours from Monday to Friday and only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., a Time trigger will check the time on Monday at 12 a.m., 7 a.m., 2 p.m., and 9 p.m., but only will trigger the task at 2 p.m. (the only 7-hour interval time between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.). On Monday at 9 p.m., it will continue checking the time every 7 hours, beginning on Tuesday at 4 a.m., and will trigger the task on Tuesday at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. (both of which are 7-hour interval times between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.).
For example:
Generating a List of Qualifying Times
The Controller allows you to generate a list of future dates and times that a trigger will trigger the specified task.
Step 1 | Click the List Qualifying Times button in the Time Trigger Details. The List Qualifying Times Input dialog displays. |
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Step 2 | Select a Number of Dates/Times (1 - 1000) that you want to list. The default is 30. |
Step 3 | Select a Start Date from when you want the list to begin. |
Step 4 | Click the Submit button to generate the list. For example: |