> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.usemotion.com/help/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://www.usemotion.com/help/project-management/task/reference-tasks/troubleshooting-why-tasks-arent-scheduling-as-expected.md).

# Troubleshooting: Why Tasks Aren’t Scheduling as Expected

Motion’s auto-scheduler follows strict parameters. If a task isn’t appearing where you expect, it’s usually due to one of the following reasons:

<table><thead><tr><th width="167.875">Issue</th><th>Likely Cause</th><th>How to fix</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Task doesn’t appear on calendar</strong></td><td>Missing <strong>duration</strong>, <strong>start date</strong> set in the future, or conflicting deadline/priority rules.</td><td>Add a duration, check start date, or adjust deadline/priority.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Task stays unscheduled</strong></td><td>No available time in your defined schedule, or all slots blocked by events.</td><td>Expand your schedule, free up time, or shorten task duration.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Task keeps moving</strong></td><td>Higher-priority tasks or new events override placement.</td><td>Lower competing tasks’ priority, adjust deadlines, or lock the task manually.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Task not respecting personal events</strong></td><td>Event isn’t marked as <strong>busy</strong> or doesn’t belong to your personal calendar (e.g., a “Frequently Met With” shared calendar).</td><td>Confirm event ownership and mark it as busy so Motion treats it as unavailable time.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Recurring task doesn’t schedule</strong></td><td>Recurrence created without valid parameters (no duration, no deadline).</td><td>Ensure each recurrence has a valid duration and scheduling parameters.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Task appears outside working hours</strong></td><td>Task marked as <strong>Free</strong>, or schedule boundaries not set correctly.</td><td>Check if the task is free/busy and update your schedule settings.</td></tr><tr><td><strong>Deadline missed</strong></td><td>Duration or effort too large to fit before the due date.</td><td>Break task into smaller chunks, adjust deadline, or rescope work.</td></tr></tbody></table>

#### Key Takeaway

Most scheduling issues are caused by missing parameters or conflicts with deadlines, priorities, or schedules. Adjusting task metadata usually resolves the issue.


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