Set up recurring automations that run on their own. Morning email briefings, weekly market reports, daily invoice processing, file cleanup. Define the task once, and Claude handles it on schedule.
Works with all 38+ connectors, plugins, and local files.
Scheduled tasks are recurring automations inside Claude Cowork. You define a task once, pick a cadence (daily, weekly, or monthly), and Claude runs it automatically at the time you set.
Each scheduled task spins up its own Cowork session. That means it has full access to your connectors (Gmail, Slack, Google Drive, Stripe, HubSpot, and 30+ others), your installed plugins, and any local files or folders you've granted Cowork access to.
You set them up using the /schedule command in any Cowork session, or through the "Scheduled" sidebar panel in Claude Desktop. The setup takes about 60 seconds.
There's one requirement: your computer needs to be awake and Claude Desktop needs to be open for the task to execute. If your machine is asleep at the scheduled time, the task won't run until the next window. This isn't a cloud service. It's an automation running locally on your machine, which also means your data never leaves your computer unless a connector explicitly sends it somewhere.
Morning briefings, inbox sorting, file cleanup. Tasks that keep you current every day.
Market reports, revenue summaries, competitive monitoring, team presentation prep.
Invoice reconciliation, trend analysis, compliance checks, portfolio reviews.
Setup takes under a minute. Here's the step-by-step process.
Launch Claude Desktop and start a new Cowork session (not a regular Chat session).
Type /schedule in the message bar, or click "Scheduled" in the left sidebar panel.
Select daily, weekly, or monthly. Pick the specific time and, for weekly tasks, the day of the week.
Write clear instructions for what Claude should do. Be specific: name the connectors, files, folders, and output format you want. The more detail you provide, the better the results.
Claude shows you a summary of the task, schedule, and connectors it'll use. Confirm to activate. You can edit or delete any scheduled task later from the Scheduled sidebar.
Real examples from businesses using Cowork. Each one runs hands-free at the cadence you choose.
Daily, 7:30 AM
Connects to Gmail, scans unread messages, and produces a one-page briefing. Surfaces high-priority items at the top, groups the rest by sender or topic, and drafts quick replies for routine messages. You start your day with a clear picture instead of a cluttered inbox.
Daily, 6:00 PM
Monitors a designated inbox folder on your desktop. Sorts new files into categorized subfolders: clients, finances, projects, contracts. Renames files to follow your naming convention. Generates a daily summary report listing every file moved and where it went.
Weekly, Sunday 9:00 PM
Scans specified folders for duplicate files, outdated versions, and naming inconsistencies. Flags exact duplicates for removal, renames files that don't match your conventions, and produces a cleanup report. Keeps your file system organized without manual effort.
Weekly, Monday 8:00 AM
Built for real estate teams. Pulls new listings from connected data sources, calculates median price changes by neighborhood, identifies notable sales above or below ask, formats everything using your template, and drafts a newsletter-ready report. Takes 2 minutes instead of 2 hours.
Weekly, Monday 7:00 AM
Connects to Stripe via the Finance plugin connector. Pulls the past week's charges, refunds, and subscription changes. Calculates MRR, churn rate, and net new revenue. Outputs a formatted report to a Google Sheet or local spreadsheet. Useful for accounting firms managing client billing.
Daily, 5:00 PM
Scans an invoices folder for new PDFs and images. Extracts vendor name, date, amount, and line items from varying formats. Compiles everything into a master billing spreadsheet. Flags invoices with missing fields or amounts that look unusual. Saves hours of manual data entry each week.
Weekly, Friday 3:00 PM
Uses the Chrome extension and web skills to check competitor websites for pricing changes, new features, updated messaging, and blog posts. Compiles a weekly brief comparing what changed versus last week. Keeps your sales and product teams informed without anyone spending time on manual research.
Daily, 10:00 AM
Monitors flight prices for specific routes and dates you care about. Logs daily prices to a spreadsheet, calculates the trend, and sends you an alert (via Slack or email connector) when prices drop below your target. Particularly useful for teams booking frequent business travel.
Weekly, Thursday 4:00 PM
Connects to Notion for project notes and Jira for sprint progress. Pulls completed tasks, blockers, and upcoming milestones. Generates a PowerPoint deck using your company template with one slide per project. Your Friday standup deck is ready before you leave on Thursday.
Weekly, Monday 9:00 AM
Scans industry news sources and social platforms for trending topics in your niche. Classifies each topic by content potential and business impact. References previous weeks' results so coverage builds over time instead of repeating the same ground. Outputs a ranked list with suggested angles for your content team.
These are starting points. The real value comes from tasks built around your specific workflows.
See more Cowork use casesScheduled tasks are powerful, but they run with some constraints worth knowing upfront.
Scheduled tasks run locally, not in the cloud. If your machine is asleep, shut down, or in hibernation mode when a task is due, it won't execute. For daily morning tasks, set your computer's energy settings to wake before the scheduled time.
The app doesn't need to be in the foreground, but it does need to be running. Add Claude Desktop to your login items so it launches automatically when your computer starts.
You won't be prompted to approve each step during a scheduled run. Claude follows the instructions you gave during setup. Review your task definitions carefully before activating them, especially tasks that create, move, or delete files. Test with a manual run first.
Each scheduled task consumes compute like any other Cowork session. If you're on a Pro plan with limited usage, be mindful of how many tasks you schedule and how complex they are. Max and Enterprise plans give more headroom.
Setting up one scheduled task is simple. Building a system of 5 to 10 tasks that work together, use the right connectors, and produce reliable output takes more thought. That's where we come in.
We design scheduled tasks around your specific workflows. We write the task instructions, set the cadence, and configure which connectors and folders each task accesses.
Most scheduled tasks need at least one connector (Gmail, Slack, Stripe, Google Sheets) to be useful. We handle the authentication flows, permission scoping, and testing to make sure everything works before the first scheduled run.
We train your team on creating, editing, and troubleshooting scheduled tasks. You'll know how to adjust cadences, update instructions, review session logs, and build new tasks on your own.
/schedule command or the Scheduled sidebar in Claude Desktop.
Book a free 15-minute call. We'll look at your current workflows, identify which tasks belong on a schedule, and configure everything so it runs without you.
Book a Free 15-Minute CallNo commitment. No sales pitch. Just a straight look at what's possible.