# Auto-scheduling How-to Guide

## **Introduction**

Auto-Scheduling is Motion’s core feature that automatically plans your day. Instead of manually dragging tasks around, Motion finds the best time for each task based on your working hours, deadlines, and priorities. With the right setup, you can focus on doing the work while Motion handles when it happens.

**At a glance**

* **Create your schedule**: Define your working hours and availability.
* **Update or delete your schedule**: Adjust your settings as your routine changes.
* **Assign a schedule to your task**: Assign tasks to one of your saved schedules for better context.
* **Set a custom schedule for a recurring task**: Lock repeating tasks to a specific schedule and time.
* **Set priorities for tasks**: Tell Motion which tasks matter most so it can schedule them first (see scheduling hierarchy guidelines for more info).
* **Customize scheduling options**: Control where tasks appear and add breaks between them.
* **Pause auto-scheduling**: Temporarily prevent Motion from placing this task on your calendar. When paused, the task won’t appear in your schedule until you turn auto-scheduling back on.

***

### Create your schedule

<details>

<summary>How to create your schedule</summary>

**Goal:** Set up your working hours so Motion knows when to place tasks.

1. Go to **Settings** (⚙️gear icon) from the left sidebar.
2. Select **Schedules**.
3. Click **+ New schedule**.
4. Enter a name for your schedule (e.g., \[*Company*] *hours*, *Personal time*).
5. Define your working hours by dragging and selecting the days and times you’re available.
   * **Alternative option**: You can also create a schedule directly while creating a task. In the task modal, open the **Schedule** dropdown and click **+ Add schedule**.
   * **Faster execution:** Copy one day's schedule to the next.&#x20;
6. Save your schedule. Motion will now use these hours when auto-scheduling tasks.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Create multiple schedules (e.g., Work, Personal, Weekend) so motion can auto-schedule tasks in the timeframes you want to work on those types of tasks.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmkpoj6jv1ohmcydyyvl501od" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmkpoj6jv1ohmcydyyvl501od>" %}

### Update or delete your schedule

<details>

<summary>How to update or delete your schedule</summary>

**Goal**: Adjust your working hours or routines as your availability changes.

1. Go to **Settings** (⚙️gear icon) from the left sidebar.
2. Select **Schedules**.
3. Find the schedule you want to change and click the **pencil icon ✏️** to edit or **trash bin** 🗑️ to delete.
   1. There is no schedule restore function, if you want it again you will need to recreate that schedule.
4. Update the schedule name, days, or time blocks as needed.
5. Save your changes. Motion will immediately apply the new schedule to future auto-scheduled tasks.
   1. To use it, you’ll need to either set it as your default schedule (so it applies to any new tasks you create afterward) or manually assign it to existing tasks.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Review your schedules regularly. Small tweaks (like adding several schedules or adjusting for new working hours) can make auto-scheduling much more effective.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmfgy20p7ch3839ozhm38n7ao" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmfgy20p7ch3839ozhm38n7ao>" %}

### Assign a schedule to your task

<details>

<summary>How to assign a schedule to your task</summary>

**Goal**: Assign a specific task to one of your custom schedules so Motion knows when to place it.

1. Open the task you want to edit.
2. In the **right-hand sidebar**, scroll down to the **Schedule** field.
3. Open the dropdown menu and select one of your saved schedules (e.g., Working *hours*, *Personal hours*, *Weekend hours*).
4. The task will now only be scheduled within the time blocks you defined for that schedule.
   1. When Hard Deadline is enabled, Motion could auto schedule the tasks outside of the assigned schedule so that you avoid missing the tasks' deadline.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Use different schedules for different types of work (e.g., *Crunch Time* for focus-heavy tasks, *Weekend hours* for personal projects). This ensures Motion respects your context and boundaries.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmfgyb6jsch8l39oz7771jghp" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmfgyb6jsch8l39oz7771jghp>" %}

### Set a custom schedule for a recurring task

<details>

<summary>How to set a custom schedule for a recurring task</summary>

**Goal**: Make sure a recurring task always follows a specific schedule you define.

1. Create a **new recurring task**.
   1. Click **+New** on the top left part of the Motion interface
   2. Click **New task** and a task modal will appear
2. In the right-hand sidebar, click **Recurring** button at the top right corner of the task modal to make the task repeat.
3. Scroll down to the **Schedule** field.
4. From the dropdown, select **Custom**.
5. Define the **Custom schedule** by choosing the days and time range (e.g., 8:00 am – 5:00 pm).
6. (Optional) Add an **ideal start time** if you prefer the task to begin at a specific time within that range.
7. Save the task — Motion will auto-schedule the recurring task within your custom window.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Custom schedules are especially useful for routines like daily check-ins or weekly reviews, so they always land in the right part of your day.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmfgyfizbchfd39ozacms3hws" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmfgyfizbchfd39ozacms3hws>" %}

### Set priorities for tasks

<details>

<summary>How to set priorities for tasks</summary>

**Goal**: Tell Motion which tasks matter most so auto-scheduling can place them first (*see* [*scheduling hierarchy guideline*](/help/time-management/auto-scheduling.md) *for more info*).

1. Open a task from your list or calendar or create a new task.
2. Find the **Priority** parameter in the task details.
3. Choose a priority level (e.g., ASAP, High, Medium, Low).
4. Save the task. Motion automatically schedules higher-priority tasks with earlier deadlines earlier in your day, ensuring they’re completed first.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Combine high priorities with early deadlines. Motion balances both to make sure urgent tasks are never missed.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmfgyqvurchtx39oz0ighcxvy" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmfgyqvurchtx39oz0ighcxvy>" %}

### Customize scheduling options

<details>

<summary>How to customize scheduling options</summary>

**Goal**: Adjust how Motion places tasks on your calendar with simple scheduling preferences.

1. Go to **Settings** from the left sidebar.
2. Select **Auto-scheduling**.
3. Next choose where your tasks appear:
   1. **Show tasks on Motion Calendar** to view all tasks in Motion. When toggled off, no tasks will appear on your Motion calendar.
   2. **Show tasks on Google & Outlook calendars** if you want tasks synced to your external calendar. (see more about [Google](/help/time-management/all-things-calendars/reference-all-things-calendars/all-things-google.md) & [Outlook](/help/time-management/all-things-calendars/reference-all-things-calendars/all-things-microsoft.md) calendar here)
   3. Set breaks between tasks:
4. Enable **Schedule a break** and define how long and how often (e.g., a 15-minute break every 2 hours).
5. (Advanced tip) Use **Travel Time** in your calendar settings to block time before or after meetings so tasks aren’t scheduled during transitions. Not supported for iCloud calendars or recurring events.
   1. When you create an event, under the date and time section there is a **Travel time** button.
   2. Click and select the duration
   3. Select if you want it for before and/or after the event.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Adding breaks helps prevent back-to-back scheduling and keeps your day realistic.
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmkpp5efs1pzqcydyi5eepp8h" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmkpp5efs1pzqcydyi5eepp8h>" %}

### Pause auto-scheduling

<details>

<summary>How to pause auto-scheduling</summary>

**Goal**: Stop Motion from automatically scheduling a specific task so you can manage it manually.

1. Open the task you want to adjust.
2. In the **right-hand sidebar**, near the top, find the **Auto-scheduling toggle**. It will show if the task is currently auto-scheduled (the purple toggle will be on)
3. Turn **Auto-schedule off.** The task will no longer move automatically and it won't get scheduled nor appear on your calendar.
4. To re-enable, toggle **Auto-schedule on** again.

{% hint style="info" %}
💡 **Pro Tip:** Auto-scheduling is how Motion works its magic. Without it, tasks may not appear on your calendar and you won’t see when a task is at risk of missing its deadline. Look for the **“No ETA”** label as an indicator that a task isn’t being auto-scheduled. Find your tasks by going to: **Projects & Tasks** > **Task List.**
{% endhint %}

</details>

{% @supademo/embed demoId="cmkppddu81qfrcydyfjnvsmig" url="<https://app.supademo.com/demo/cmkppddu81qfrcydyfjnvsmig>" %}


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