Work that runs
without you.
Give Eshlon a job and a time, and it runs on its own — a morning summary, a weekly pull, a report that is waiting when you sit down.
The scheduled task dialog: name, description, frequency, time.
16/9What it is good for
Things that are only useful if they are already done
A summary you have to ask for is a summary you will skip. The tasks worth scheduling are the ones whose value is in being finished before you look — a digest, a data pull, a check that something is still true.
Be specific about the output
A scheduled task has nobody to ask for clarification, so ambiguity that would be a two-second question in conversation becomes a wrong result at three in the morning. Say where the file goes and what it should contain.
A well-written task description in the dialog.
4/3The machine has to be on
Tasks run on your computer, not on a server. A task scheduled for three in the morning runs if the machine is awake at three in the morning. This is the trade for everything being local.
Setting one up
- 1Create a taskName it and describe exactly what should happen.
- 2Pick a scheduleHow often, and at what time.
- 3Check the first runThe one time it is worth watching, to see the brief was clear enough.
FAQ
Do tasks run when my computer is asleep?
No. They run on your machine, so it has to be awake.
Can a task use plugins?
Yes, including connected ones.
Where does the output go?
Wherever you tell it to write. Say so in the task description.