Create Scheduled Automation

This guide explains how to create scheduled automation in Trello using Butler's calendar and date-based triggers. Scheduled automation allows you to automate recurring tasks, board maintenance, and regular actions based on specific dates, times, or intervals.

When to Use Scheduled Automation

Scheduled automation is ideal for:

• Recurring task creation (daily standup cards, weekly reports)
• Regular board maintenance (archiving old cards, sorting lists)
• Periodic notifications and reminders
• Creating new lists or moving cards on specific dates

Key Concepts

Scheduled automation differs from regular automation rules in important ways:

• Calendar Triggers: Run based on dates, times, or intervals rather than user actions
• Recurring Execution: Can repeat daily, weekly, monthly, or on specific dates
• Board Maintenance: Perfect for automated housekeeping tasks

Prerequisites

Before creating scheduled automation, ensure you have:

• Access to Butler automation features (available on most Trello plans)
• Board admin or workspace admin permissions
• Understanding of the tasks you want to automate

To access the automation dashboard, navigate to your board menu and select Automation from the sidebar. For detailed instructions, see Access Automation Dashboard.

Creating Scheduled Automation

1

From the Automation dashboard, locate the Scheduled automations section. This shows three main calendar-based automation options:

• Every day at 8
  : Creates recurring daily automation
• Every first Wednesday: Creates monthly recurring automation
• Every year on the 15th: Creates annual recurring automation

2

Click on any of the scheduled automation templates or the Create Automation button to open the automation builder. The interface displays:

• Trigger section: Where you define when the automation runs
• Add Trigger button: To configure the schedule

3

Click the + Add Trigger button to open the trigger selection menu. You'll see various trigger options including calendar-based triggers for scheduled automation.

4

Select your desired calendar trigger from the available options. Common scheduling patterns include:

• Daily at specific times
• Weekly on specific days
• Monthly on specific dates
• Yearly on specific dates

5

After setting the trigger, configure what actions the automation should perform. Click + Add Action to select from available actions such as:

• Creating new cards with specific titles and descriptions
• Moving cards between lists
• Archiving old cards
• Adding labels or due dates
• Creating new lists

6

Fill in the specific details for your chosen action. For example, if creating a card, specify:

• Card title: Use dynamic variables like dates if needed
• Target list: Where the card should be created
• Description: Optional description text
• Labels and due dates: Additional card properties

7

Review your automation configuration to ensure:

• The trigger schedule matches your requirements
• Actions are configured correctly
• Target lists and parameters are accurate

Use the Test button if available to verify the automation works as expected.

8

Click Save or Create Automation to activate your scheduled automation. The automation will now run according to your specified schedule and perform the configured actions automatically.

Schedule Configuration Options

Butler offers several scheduling patterns for different use cases:

Daily Schedules

• Every day at [time]: Runs daily at a specific time
• Every weekday: Runs Monday through Friday only
• Every weekend: Runs Saturday and Sunday only

Weekly Schedules

• Every [day] at [time]: Runs weekly on a specific day
• Every first/second/third/fourth/last [day]: Runs monthly on specific occurrences

Monthly and Annual Schedules

• Every [date] of the month: Runs monthly on a specific date
• Every year on [date]: Runs annually on a specific date

Best Practices

Timing Considerations

• Time zones: All scheduled automations run in your board's timezone
• Off-peak hours: Schedule maintenance tasks during low-activity periods
• Buffer time: Allow time between related automation rules

Action Planning

• Start simple: Begin with basic actions and add complexity gradually
• Test thoroughly: Always test automation before relying on it for critical tasks
• Monitor performance: Check automation logs regularly to ensure proper execution

Common Use Cases

Team Management

• Daily standup cards: Create cards every weekday morning for team standups
• Weekly review reminders: Add cards for weekly team retrospectives
• Monthly reports: Create recurring cards for monthly team reports

Board Maintenance

• Archive completed tasks: Automatically archive cards in "Done" lists older than 30 days
• Sort lists alphabetically: Organize lists automatically on weekends
• Create new sprint lists: Add new lists at the start of each sprint cycle

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• Automation not running: Check your workspace's automation limits and active status
• Wrong timing: Verify timezone settings and schedule configuration
• Actions failing: Ensure target lists, labels, and members still exist

Managing Scheduled Automations

After creating scheduled automations, you can:

• Edit schedules: Modify timing and actions as needs change
• Disable temporarily: Turn off automation without deleting
• View activity logs: Monitor automation execution and troubleshoot issues

For more automation techniques, see Create Automation Rules with Butler for event-driven automation rules.

Summary

Scheduled automation in Trello enables powerful time-based workflow automation that keeps your boards organized and your team on track. By setting up calendar triggers with appropriate actions, you can automate repetitive tasks, maintain board hygiene, and ensure consistent team processes without manual intervention.

Start with simple daily or weekly automations, test thoroughly, and gradually build more complex scheduled workflows as your team's needs evolve.