Scheduling Issues

If campaigns aren’t starting or ending at the expected times, or recurring campaigns (Pro) aren’t following their schedule, this guide helps diagnose and resolve scheduling issues.

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Quick Checklist #

• ☐ WordPress timezone is correctly configured
• ☐ WP-Cron or Action Scheduler is functioning
• ☐ Server time matches expected timezone
• ☐ Campaign dates are set correctly
• ☐ Recurring settings are properly configured

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Common Causes #

1. Timezone Misconfiguration #

Symptom: Campaigns activate hours early or late.

Check:

1. Go to Settings → General
2. Look at “Timezone” setting
3. Verify it matches your intended timezone

Solution:

1. Set correct timezone (city-based is best, e.g., “America/New_York”)
2. Save settings
3. Campaign times will use this timezone

Note: UTC offsets don’t handle daylight saving time automatically.

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2. WP-Cron Not Running #

Symptom: Scheduled campaigns don’t activate on time.

Why This Happens:

• WP-Cron triggers on page visits
• Low-traffic sites may not have visits at scheduled times
• Some hosts disable WP-Cron

Check:

1. Go to SC Discounts → Tools
2. Run Health Check
3. Look for WP-Cron status

Solution A: Server-Level Cron (Recommended)

1. Add to server crontab:

   */5 * * * * wget -q -O - https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php?doing_wp_cron >/dev/null 2>&1

2. Add to wp-config.php:

   define( 'DISABLE_WP_CRON', true );

Solution B: Cron Plugin

• Install a plugin like “WP Crontrol”
• Use external service like UptimeRobot to ping wp-cron.php

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3. Action Scheduler Issues #

Symptom: Scheduled actions are pending but not running.

Check:

1. Go to Tools → Scheduled Actions
2. Look for pending Smart Cycle Discounts actions
3. Check if actions are stuck or failing

Solution:

• Failed actions can be retried manually
• Clear very old pending actions
• Ensure WP-Cron is running (Action Scheduler needs it)

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4. Server Time Mismatch #

Symptom: Timing is off by a consistent amount.

Check:

Add this temporarily to a page to check server time:

<?php echo 'Server time: ' . date('Y-m-d H:i:s'); ?>

Solution:

• Contact hosting provider if server time is wrong
• Server should use NTP for time synchronization

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5. Campaign Dates Set Incorrectly #

Symptom: Campaign activates at unexpected time.

Check:

1. Edit the campaign
2. Go to Schedule step
3. Verify start and end dates/times

Common Mistakes:

• AM/PM confusion (12:00 PM vs 12:00 AM)
• Wrong date (December 15 vs November 15)
• Date format confusion (MM/DD vs DD/MM)

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6. Recurring Schedule Misconfiguration #

Symptom: Recurring campaign runs on wrong days/times.

Check:

1. Edit the campaign
2. Go to Schedule step
3. Review recurring settings:
   • Frequency (daily, weekly, etc.)
   • Selected days
   • Active time window

Common Issues:

• Wrong days selected for weekly schedule
• Time window set incorrectly
• End date reached for recurring campaign

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Diagnostic Steps #

Step 1: Verify Timezone #

Go to: Settings → General
Check: Timezone setting
Best: Use city-based timezone (e.g., "New York")

Step 2: Check Current Time #

WordPress shows current time at:
Settings → General (below timezone)
Should match your expected local time

Step 3: Review Campaign Schedule #

Edit campaign → Schedule step
Verify:
- Start date and time
- End date and time
- Recurring settings (if enabled)

Step 4: Check Scheduled Actions #

Go to: Tools → Scheduled Actions
Filter by: "scd" or "smart_cycle"
Look for: Pending activation/expiration tasks

Step 5: Test Cron #

Visit: https://yoursite.com/wp-cron.php
Or go to: SC Discounts → Tools → Health Check

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Recurring Campaign Scheduling #

Understanding Recurring Windows #

Recurring campaigns have active windows:

Example: Weekend Sale
Frequency: Weekly
Days: Saturday, Sunday
Time: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM

Active: Saturday 12:00 AM → Sunday 11:59 PM
Inactive: Monday → Friday
Active: Next Saturday 12:00 AM → Sunday 11:59 PM

Why Recurring Campaign Seems Inactive #

• Current time is outside the recurring window
• Campaign is between occurrences
• This is expected behavior

Verifying Next Occurrence #

1. Open campaign overview panel
2. Look for “Next occurrence” information
3. Shows when campaign will next be active

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Daylight Saving Time #

DST Transitions #

If using city-based timezone (recommended), DST is handled automatically.

Spring Forward:

• Campaign scheduled for 2:30 AM may skip (time doesn’t exist)
• Activates at next valid time

Fall Back:

• Campaign may trigger twice if scheduled during repeated hour
• System handles gracefully

UTC Offset Issues #

If using UTC offset (e.g., “UTC-5”):

• DST is NOT automatically handled
• You must manually adjust twice per year
• Recommend switching to city-based timezone

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Manual Intervention #

Force Campaign Activation #

If a scheduled campaign should be active now:

1. Edit the campaign
2. Change start date to past date/time
3. Save
4. Campaign should activate immediately

Force Campaign Expiration #

If a campaign should have expired:

1. Edit the campaign
2. Change end date to past date/time
3. Save
4. Campaign will expire

Manually Run Scheduled Tasks #

1. Go to Tools → Scheduled Actions
2. Find the pending task
3. Click “Run” to execute immediately

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Preventing Scheduling Issues #

Best Practices #

1. Use city-based timezone – Handles DST automatically
2. Set up server cron – More reliable than WP-Cron
3. Test before launch – Create test campaigns first
4. Double-check times – Especially AM/PM
5. Monitor scheduled actions – Check for stuck tasks

Scheduling Notifications #

Enable notifications to confirm scheduling works:

• Campaign Start notifications confirm activation
• Campaign Expiration warnings alert before end

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Still Having Issues? #

Enable Debug Mode #

1. Go to SC Discounts → Settings → Advanced
2. Enable Debug Mode
3. Wait for scheduled event to occur
4. Check debug log for scheduling information

Contact Support With #

• System report
• Campaign schedule settings (screenshot)
• WordPress timezone setting
• Current time vs. expected activation time
• Scheduled Actions screenshot if relevant