Cron schedule from a plain description

Prompt that turns a schedule in everyday words into a checked cron expression with an explanation and the next runs. Paste it into an AI tool of your choice, which then writes the cron expression.

Topic: Understanding code
Type: Prompt
Level: Beginner
Time: about 4 min

Results depend on the tool, the model and what you enter.

Result preview

Example: written by our editors, not real AI output.

Sentence: every weekday (Mon–Fri) at 7:30 server time; public holidays included. 30 7 * * 1-5 minute 30 · hour 7 · every day of month · every month · Monday to Friday Next runs (Europe/London): Mon 7:30 · Tue 7:30 · Wed 7:30 · Thu 7:30 · Fri 7:30 Traps: if the server runs on UTC, the job starts at 8:30 local time in summer. Public holidays need a check inside the job.

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ScheduleWhen should the job run?

TimezoneWhich time zone does the server use?

SystemWhere is the job scheduled?

Your prompt

Write a cron expression for this schedule.
Schedule: [Schedule]
Server time zone: [Timezone]
Where the job runs: [System]
Approach: 1. Restate the schedule in one unambiguous sentence and name anything unclear, such as whether "weekdays" includes public holidays. 2. Write the expression in the syntax [System] expects and explain each field in one line. 3. List the next five run times in [Timezone]. 4. Point out traps: daylight saving changes, month ends, day of month combined with day of week, jobs that run longer than the interval. 5. If cron cannot express the schedule, say so and suggest a simple check inside the job instead.

Take particular care to clear up every ambiguity before writing the expression and show the next runs for checking.

Before you answer, check: Are all instructions met? If key information is missing or a placeholder in square brackets is still in the text, ask instead of guessing. Mark assumptions as assumptions.

This is an instruction for an AI, not the result itself.

Where this prompt works

These AI tools are a good fit for this prompt:

How to use it

Fill in the fields or tap a suggestion. Leave out names, addresses and other personal data.
Copy the finished prompt into an AI tool of your choice.
Check the five run times with a cron checker or in a test environment before the job runs in production.

Why does this work?

The unambiguous sentence exposes misunderstandings before they end up in the expression. The list of next runs shows at once whether the expression really does what was meant.

Tips

Systems differ on the seconds field, weekday numbering and time zone handling, so always name the system.

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Cron schedule from a plain description

Result preview

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