Routines and recurring work.

When to use a routine

A routine is a scheduled assignment for one agent. Use routines for work that repeats with a predictable input and output: daily research, weekly reports, inbox review, content preparation, monitoring, or recurring data checks.

Do not automate a task until one manual run produces the result you expect.

Create a routine

1. Open the agent that should own the work.
2. Open the right-side panel and find Routines.
3. Select New routine.
4. Name the routine so its purpose is obvious.
5. Write complete instructions, including sources, constraints, and output format.
6. Choose the schedule and save.

The routine uses that agent's model, memory scope, computer mode, tools, and permissions.

Write routine instructions

Routine instructions must work without extra conversation. State what changes between runs and what remains fixed.

Every weekday at 8:00 AM, review the connected support inbox for unresolved conversations from the previous 24 hours. Group them by theme, flag urgent items, and deliver a summary with owner and next action. Do not send replies.

Ask for a clear completion artifact, such as a report, updated file, status summary, or list of exceptions.

Run and review

Use Run now to test a routine before relying on its schedule. Follow the run in the agent conversation and Activity. Confirm that it used the correct sources, respected approval boundaries, and produced the requested format.

After scheduled runs, review failures and questions promptly. If the agent repeatedly needs the same clarification, add it to the routine instructions or agent description.

Edit or stop a routine

Open the agent's Routines list and select the routine. Change its instructions or schedule, or disable/delete it when the work is no longer needed. Review downstream expectations before stopping a routine that supplies another process.

Keep automated work safe

Use action confirmations for external email and purchases. For other sensitive work, explicitly require the agent to prepare a draft and wait for approval before acting. Avoid broad credentials and separate high-risk work into a dedicated agent or computer.