Schedules

Quick guide #

XOAP Schedules let you run Image Definitions and Scripted Actions automatically on a defined time pattern (minutes, hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly). Each schedule can be assigned to one or more Images and/or Scripted Actions, and XOAP shows the Next scheduled run in the Schedules list.

Create a new Schedule #

1. Go to Schedules and click + New Schedule.
2. In Schedule details, enter:
   • Name (required)
   • Description (optional)
   • Tags (optional)
3. Select the recurrence pattern using the tabs:
   • Minutes, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly
   • Configure the timing options shown for the selected tab (e.g., “Every X minute(s)”, “Every X hour(s) on minute Y”, etc.).
4. Click Next to open Assign schedule.
5. Assign the schedule to the targets:
   • Use the Images tab to select one or more images
   • Use the Scripted Actions tab to select one or more scripted actions
6. Click Finish to create the schedule.

Edit a Schedule #

1. In the Schedules table, click the Action menu (⋮) for the schedule.
2. Select Details.
3. Update Name, Description, Tags, and/or the recurrence pattern (Minutes/Hourly/Daily/Weekly/Monthly).
4. Review or adjust the assigned Images / Scripted Actions (if applicable in your workflow).
5. Click Save.

Delete a Schedule #

1. In the Schedules table, click the Action menu (⋮) for the schedule.
2. Select Delete.
3. Confirm the deletion.

Additional useful information #

What a schedule can target #

A schedule can be assigned to Images and/or Scripted Actions (you can use one schedule for both).

Visibility of upcoming runs #

The Schedules list shows Next scheduled run so you can quickly verify timing.

Tags for governance #

Use tags like Prod, PoC, AWS, Hardening, WeeklyAudit to filter and manage schedules at scale.

Troubleshooting #

If scheduled executions don’t occur as expected, validate the schedule pattern, assignments (Images/Scripted Actions), and check the relevant Activity log for execution evidence.

Technical documentation #

Schedules in XOAP define recurring execution times for Images and Scripted Actions. A schedule is a reusable object that combines:

• Metadata (name, description, tags, audit info)
• Recurrence pattern (minutes/hourly/daily/weekly/monthly)
• Assignments (which Images and/or Scripted Actions are linked to the schedule)

Schedules help standardize automation and make recurring runs predictable and auditable.

Where schedules are used #

Schedules can be assigned to:

• Images (Image Management)
• Scripted Actions

A single schedule can be assigned to multiple targets, and to both categories at the same time.

Schedules list view #

The Schedules list shows the most important schedule metadata at a glance.

Columns (typical) #

• Name – Schedule name
• Description – Optional short description
• Next scheduled run – Calculated next run timestamp based on the selected recurrence pattern
• Tags – Optional labels for filtering and governance

Toolbar and list controls #

• Search – Filters schedules by name/description (and commonly tags depending on UI implementation)
• Columns selector – Choose visible columns
• Row selection checkboxes – Select items (if bulk actions exist in your environment)
• Pagination – Navigate through result pages

Row actions (Action menu ⋮) #

• Details – Opens schedule details
• Delete – Removes the schedule (after confirmation)

Schedule details page #

The Schedule details view is the authoritative place to inspect and manage a schedule. It includes:

1) Metadata section #

• Name (required): Unique human-friendly identifier for the schedule.
• Description (optional): Free-text documentation for intent/purpose.
• Tags (optional): Used for filtering, governance, and grouping (e.g., aws, prod, weekly-audit).

2) Audit information (read-only) #

• Created by / Updated by – User identity that created/last modified the schedule
• Creation time & date / Update time & date – Timestamps for lifecycle tracking

3) Recurrence pattern configuration #

Schedules support the following recurrence modes:

• Minutes
• Hourly
• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly

Only one recurrence configuration is active at a time. The UI shows the relevant controls for the selected tab. The schedule engine uses these settings to calculate the Next scheduled run shown in the list view.

Note: The UI typically expresses these patterns in a “human Cron-like” way (e.g., “Every X minutes”, “Every hour on minute Y”). The exact available fields depend on the selected mode.

4) Assignment section (targets) #

Schedules can be assigned to two target types via tabs:

• Images tab
  Shows the list of Image Definitions currently assigned to the schedule.
• Scripted Actions tab
  Shows the list of Scripted Actions currently assigned to the schedule.

These tabs provide visibility into what will be triggered by this schedule.

The table commonly includes columns like:

• Name
• Status (Latest run) (where applicable)
• Output (Latest run) (where applicable)
• OS / Role / Builder (for images, depending on your workspace)

This section is primarily for association management and visibility (what is attached to the schedule).

Create schedule flow (wizard) #

When creating a schedule, XOAP uses a two-step flow:

Step 1 – Schedule details #

• Provide Name, optionally Description and Tags
• Choose and configure the recurrence pattern (Minutes/Hourly/Daily/Weekly/Monthly)
• A Summary bar typically displays the chosen name and recurrence info

Step 2 – Assign schedule #

• Select target objects under:
  • Images
  • Scripted Actions
• The Summary bar typically shows how many targets are selected per type
• Finalize with Finish

This wizard ensures schedule definition and assignments are captured together.

Actions and behavior #

Save #

• Commits schedule configuration changes (metadata + recurrence)
• The Next scheduled run is recalculated based on new settings

Delete #

• Removes the schedule definition from XOAP
• Any automation based on that schedule stops (because the schedule object no longer exists)

Details #

• Opens the schedule configuration and assignment view for inspection/editing

Operational notes and best practices #

• Add tags that help future governance and filtering (e.g., prod, poc, aws, audit, weekly).
• Prefer names that express intent and cadence (e.g., Weekly-CIS-Hardening, Daily-AVD-Image-Refresh).
• A schedule without assignments will exist but won’t trigger anything useful. Always confirm the assigned Images/Scripted Actions.
• Very frequent schedules (minutes/hourly) can generate significant compute and operational load depending on what your Images/Scripted Actions do.
• For targets shown in the assignment tables, “Latest run” indicators are the quickest way to spot issues; deeper investigation should use the relevant activity/log views in XOAP.

Limits and scope #

• Schedules apply only to Image Definitions and Scripted Actions.
• The UI provides Next scheduled run as the primary indicator that the recurrence definition is valid and active.