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Schedule a Macro

Goal: run a macro automatically at a time of day, on certain days, or relative to sunrise/sunset.

A macro schedule is GEM's time-based automation — daily routines, seasonal adjustments, a weekly backup.

Before you start​

  • You're logged in as an administrator.
  • The macro to run exists and is enabled (see Build a Macro) — or create one inline (step 3).

Steps​

  1. Open Macro Schedules and click Add.

    Open Macro Schedules

  2. Basic Information

    • Name — lowercase_with_underscores (e.g. morning_lights, sunset_shades).
    • Description — a human-readable purpose ("Close shades at sunset").
    • Enabled — activate the schedule.

  3. Macro — pick the macro to run. If you haven't built it yet, leave the picker empty and click the + button to create a new macro named after the schedule and open its step editor immediately.

  4. When to run — set the timing:

    • Cron pattern for clock-based schedules (a specific time, certain weekdays, intervals).
    • Variable reference to tie execution to sunrise, sunset, or another variable — ideal for lighting and shades that should follow the sun rather than a fixed clock.

  5. Date range (optional) — set a Start Time and/or End Time to limit the schedule to a season or a temporary period.

  6. Save.

Verify it​

  • Use View Calendar to see when the schedule will fire and confirm it lands where you expect.
  • For a quick functional check, run the macro manually (its Run action) to confirm the actions are correct, independent of timing.

:::note Time zone and exceptions Schedules respect the system time zone set in Configuration. To suppress runs on holidays or specific dates, use Schedule Exceptions (see the Admin Reference). :::

  • Create a Trigger — the event-based counterpart.
  • Macro Schedules and Schedule Exceptions in the Admin Reference.