Scheduling administrative tasks
 
Scheduling administrative tasks
Note  The following information is for server administrators and group administrators.
The Schedules pane lists the scheduled tasks performed on databases hosted by FileMaker Server that you are allowed to manage. If you are a server administrator, the Schedules pane lists all scheduled tasks for all hosted databases. If you are a group administrator, the Schedules pane lists only the scheduled tasks associated with the hosted databases in your administrator group.
Scheduled tasks run automatically if Allow enabled schedules to run is selected and the selected schedule is enabled. See Enabling and disabling schedules.
Viewing scheduled tasks details
The list displays a summary of each defined schedule, including the task it performs, the last time it ran, and the next time it will run. If a schedule performs a task on a database that is in an administrator group, the list also displays the group’s name if you are a server administrator.
You can view selected schedule details in the Details for table by selecting a schedule in the list.
Creating and managing scheduled tasks
Use the Schedules pane to create new schedules, edit existing ones, and manage other schedules. When you create a new schedule, you use the Schedule assistant to define each part of the scheduled task.
The Schedule assistant guides you through the steps to specify the scheduled task details, set the frequency, and send an email notification when the scheduled task is completed.
To create or manage a schedule, click Schedule management icon in Schedules pane, then choose one of the following commands.
 
Choose
To
Create a Schedule
Use the Schedule assistant to create one of the following scheduled tasks:
•Back up databases: Back up all hosted databases, databases in selected folders, or selected databases. See Scheduling database backups.
•Send message: Send messages to clients of hosted databases. See Sending scheduled messages to clients of hosted databases.
•Script: Run FileMaker scripts, run system-level script files, or create a script sequence. See the section you need: Running FileMaker scripts, Running system-level script files, or Creating Script Sequence tasks.
•Verify databases: Verify the integrity of all hosted databases, databases in selected folders, or selected databases. See Verifying the integrity of databases.
Edit a Schedule
Use the Schedule assistant to change scheduled tasks. See Creating, editing, duplicating, and deleting a schedule.
Duplicate a Schedule
Duplicate an existing schedule. See Creating, editing, duplicating, and deleting a schedule.
Delete Selected Schedules
Run a Schedule Now
Run the selected schedule immediately. See Running a schedule manually
Enabling or disabling schedule tasks
In the Schedules pane, you can enable or disable a schedule. Click Checkbox icon, then choose one of the following commands. See Enabling and disabling schedules.
 
Choose
To
Enable Selected Schedules
Enable schedules that you select.
Disable Selected Schedules
Disable schedules that you select.
Enable All Schedules
Enable all listed schedules in the Schedules pane.
Disable All Schedules
Disable all listed schedules in the Schedules pane.
Notes
•If you are a group administrator, your server administrator must configure your administrator group to allow you to enable, disable, create, run, edit, or view the details of the scheduled tasks associated with the databases in your group folder. For more information, contact your server administrator.
•A new scheduled task is not enabled by default but can be enabled by selecting that option in the Schedule assistant. See Enabling and disabling schedules.
•You can directly interact with the list. For example, you can sort items in the list by clicking a column heading, put the columns in a different order by dragging the column heading, and resize the width of a column by dragging a column heading border.
•When a scheduled task completes, FileMaker Server can send an email notification, if you enable this feature for a specific schedule. See Enabling email notifications in schedules.
•If the Status for a schedule is listed as running after 24 hours, you may need to restart your server. If you need to run that schedule and it is not convenient to restart your server, you can duplicate the schedule and run the duplicate schedule instead.
•FileMaker Server adds entries in the Event.log file when a scheduled task runs. See Viewing log file entries.
•FileMaker Server puts tasks and file-related commands from Admin Console and the command line interface into the following separate queues:
•Back up Database, Verify Database, and file-related commands (for example, Open, Close, Pause, and Resume). Only one task or command runs at one time from this queue. The remaining tasks or commands are delayed until the current one is complete.
•Send Message and Run Script tasks (FileMaker scripts and system-level script files). Multiple tasks can run at the same time from this queue.
FileMaker Server runs tasks from both queues at the same time. For example, the first queue has a Back Up Database task and a Pause command. The second queue has a Run Script task and a Send Message task. FileMaker Server runs the Back Up Database, Run Script, and Send Message tasks at the same time. The Pause command is not executed until the Back Up Database task completes.
Related topics 
Email notification settings
Database and backup folder settings
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