How to create recurring actions

Recurring Actions repeat a bulk action you have already saved as a template, so your agency can keep an outreach or record update running on a schedule instead of starting each run by hand.

### Overview

- **What it is:** A **Recurring Action** points at one bulk action template and runs it on a **Frequency** of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or annually at a **Schedule Time** you choose.
- **Why it matters:** Repeat work such as weekly reminders or monthly outreach runs on its own once the schedule is active, and every run is recorded as its own bulk action you can open and review.
- **Who uses it:** Agency staff who manage bulk actions and want a saved bulk action to repeat on a set cadence.
- **Expected outcomes:** A named schedule with a start date, an optional end date, an active or inactive status, and a running list of the bulk actions it has created.

### Prerequisites

- An active eCourtDate agency account with access to **Bulk Actions**
- A bulk action already saved as a template. **Action Template** lists only bulk actions marked as templates, and the recurring action page repeats that with the note "Must be saved as a template first." under the field.
- Your agency business days configured in **Settings** if you plan to use **Only on Business Days**

### How-To Steps

#### Save the bulk action as a template

1. Go to **Bulk Actions**.
2. Find the bulk action you want to repeat in the results table.
3. Click the button in the **Template** column for that row. A star icon means the bulk action is saved as a template.
4. Confirm the **Template saved** message appears.

#### Create the recurring action

1. Go to **Bulk Actions** > **Recurring Actions**, the page tab next to **Bulk Actions** and **Bulk Templates**.
2. Enter a **Name** in the **Create Recurring Action** card.
3. Select your bulk action from **Action Template**.
4. Enter a **Schedule Time**.
5. Click **Create**. eCourtDate opens the new recurring action for editing.

#### Set the schedule

1. Select a **Frequency** in the **Edit Recurring Action** card: daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or annually.
2. Enter a **Start Date**.
3. Enter an **End Date**, or leave it blank to keep the schedule ongoing.
4. Adjust the **Schedule Time** if you want a different time of day.
5. Check **Only on Business Days** to skip days outside your business days and federal holidays.
6. Select **Active** in **Status**.
7. Click **Save**.

#### Review what the schedule will run

1. Review the card beside the edit form, which names the linked bulk action and its type.
2. Review the **Action Settings** and **Search Filters** lists on that card to confirm the message settings and filters.
3. Click **Edit Bulk Action** to open the template and change the message, settings, or filters.
4. Click **Run One-Time Action** to run a copy of the bulk action immediately without waiting for the schedule.

#### Review past runs

1. Open the recurring action from the **Recurring Actions** list.
2. Review the **Ran Actions** card, which lists the 10 most recent bulk actions this schedule created with their type, status, and date.
3. Click a listed run to open that bulk action.
4. Click the **Ran Actions** heading to open the full list of bulk actions created by this recurring action.

#### Stop a recurring action

1. Open the recurring action.
2. Select **Inactive** in **Status**.
3. Click **Save**.
4. Use **Archive** or **Trash** in the **Tools** menu at the top of the page if you want it out of the default list.

### What to Expect

A new recurring action is created with **Status** set to inactive and **Frequency** set to monthly, so nothing runs until you set **Status** to **Active** and click **Save**. Each scheduled run creates its own bulk action record, which appears in the **Ran Actions** card and in **Bulk Actions** filtered to this schedule. The recurring actions table shows **Ongoing** in the **End Date** column when you leave the end date blank. **Run One-Time Action** creates a separate bulk action named after the schedule plus "One-Time Action" and runs it right away without changing the schedule.

### Best Practices

- Test the bulk action from **Bulk Actions** before you mark it as a template, because the recurring action runs it exactly as saved.
- Name each recurring action for the work it repeats so your team can identify it in the **Name** column.
- Check **Only on Business Days** for outreach so runs skip days outside your business days and federal holidays.
- Set an **End Date** for time bound work and leave it blank only when the schedule should keep running.
- Click **Run One-Time Action** once and review the result before you set **Status** to **Active**.

### Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: Why is my bulk action missing from the Action Template list?**

A: The list includes only bulk actions marked as templates. Go to **Bulk Actions**, click the button in the **Template** column for that action so it shows a star, then return to **Recurring Actions**.

**Q: Which frequencies can I choose?**

A: **Frequency** offers daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, and annually. There is no custom interval in days.

**Q: How do I pause a recurring action without deleting it?**

A: Open it, select **Inactive** in **Status**, and click **Save**. The record, its settings, and its **Ran Actions** list stay in place.

**Q: Where do I change the message or the filters that the schedule sends?**

A: The recurring action does not hold that configuration. Click **Edit Bulk Action** on the recurring action page to open the linked template and edit it there.

**Q: Can I run the action once outside the schedule?**

A: Yes. Click **Run One-Time Action**. eCourtDate copies the bulk action, names it after the schedule plus "One-Time Action", runs it immediately, and adds it to **Ran Actions**.

### Troubleshooting

**Issue:** The recurring action never runs.

**Symptoms:** No **Ran Actions** card appears on the recurring action page and no new bulk actions are created.

**Solution:** Open the recurring action and confirm **Status** is **Active**, **Frequency** and **Schedule Time** are set, **Start Date** has passed, and **End Date** is either blank or still in the future. Click **Save**. New recurring actions are created as inactive, so this is the most common cause.

**Issue:** The **Action Template** dropdown is empty.

**Symptoms:** No options appear when you open **Action Template** on **Recurring Actions**.

**Solution:** No bulk actions are saved as templates yet. Go to **Bulk Actions**, click the button in the **Template** column for the action you want, wait for the **Template saved** message, then reload **Recurring Actions**.

**Issue:** Runs are missing on some days.

**Symptoms:** The schedule skips weekends or holidays even though the frequency is daily.

**Solution:** Check whether **Only on Business Days** is selected. With that box checked the action does not run on days outside your business days or on a federal holiday. Clear the checkbox, or update **Enabled Business Days** in **Settings**.

### Related Articles

- [How Bulk Actions Work](/how-bulk-actions-work)
- [How to save and reuse bulk action templates](/how-to-save-and-reuse-bulk-action-templates)
- [How to Schedule Recurring Bulk Actions](/how-to-schedule-recurring-bulk-actions)
- [How to Send a Mass Message using Bulk Actions](/how-to-send-a-mass-message-using-bulk-actions)