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Running, Scheduling, or Triggering Scripts and Flows

important

Always check the official source. Because the platform is constantly evolving, the capabilities for schedules and triggers may expand. For the most accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date instructions, Windmill's own documentation should always be treated as the ultimate source of truth.

You can set scripts and flows to run on a set schedule, or automatically trigger them to run in the background whenever specific events happen in your other tools.

Scheduling​

The most common way to run scripts is on a set schedule, so they run automatically at regular times without you needing to do anything.

Regular Data Syncing with Schedules​

For example, you can set a script to pull data from KoboToolbox every hour, or every night at midnight. Once the schedule is set up, Windmill handles everything automatically — you simply check the results when you're ready.

To set this up, you open your script or flow in Windmill, find the Schedule option, and choose how often you want it to run (for example, every hour, daily, or weekly). For full details, see Windmill's scheduling documentation.

Webhooks​

Real-Time Syncing with KoboToolbox Webhooks​

When using KoboToolbox to collect data in the field, you don't need to manually run a script, or rely on a schedule, every time you want to pull down the newest form submissions. Instead, you can use Webhooks (REST Services in KoboToolbox) to automate the process.

As soon as a surveyor submits a new record, KoboToolbox automatically triggers your Windmill script to run and process the new data. This ensures your datasets in Guardian Connector are updated in real-time, without any manual intervention.

To set this up, first open your "KoboToolbox: Fetch Survey Responses" script (kobotoolbox/kobotoolbox_responses) in Windmill, and fill out the required details for your survey. Once that's done, go to the Triggers tab, select Webhooks, generate a new webhook token and keep it. Windmill will also provide a URL, and a body — keep these handy, as you will need all three.

Next, switch over to KoboToolbox. Open your survey, navigate to Settings → REST Services, and configure the following:

  • Paste the URL from Windmill into the Endpoint URL field.
  • Set the Type to JSON.
  • Add a custom HTTP Header with the key Authorization and the value Bearer <your webhook token>.
  • Paste the body from Windmill into the Add custom wrapper around JSON submission field.
  • Click Save.

For the full details, see KoboToolbox's REST Services documentation.

Other Ways to Trigger Scripts​

  • Manual Runs: Run a script whenever you need to, with a single click, right from the Windmill interface. Use this when you don't want to wait for a schedule, or when you only need to run a script occasionally.
  • HTTP: Run a script whenever a specific web link is visited or pinged.
  • Example: Creating a custom web address that your team can click on their mobile browser to quickly process a file.