> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.perisclaw.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.perisclaw.com/what-perisclaw-can-do/automated-routines.md).

# Automated routines

Some of the work you do on WhatsApp is both repetitive and demanding. It happens on a regular schedule, but each time it needs real judgment — reading through chats, deciding what matters, and pulling it together. Going through yesterday's conversations every morning to catch anything that escalated is a perfect example.

That's exactly what routines are for: repetitive work that still needs intelligence, handled for you on a schedule.

## How a routine works

Setting one up takes a single instruction. From there Perisclaw runs the work itself and delivers the result.

* **You describe what you want in plain language, and Perisclaw sets it up.** It breaks your request into the pieces it needs — what to look at, what to do with it, and when to run — without you spelling any of that out.
* **It reviews information in real time** across the period you define — everything from the last 24 hours, the past week, whatever you choose — and acts on what it finds.
* **It works within WhatsApp and across your other apps** — surfacing what matters in a chat, summarizing and forwarding it, drafting an email from it, or logging it to a Sheet, among other things.
* **It can scope to a label**, so *"review my client chats"* stays accurate as chats get added.
* **It can be listed, edited, paused, or cancelled** whenever the routine changes.

![Perisclaw confirming a routine: "Scheduled: Every Monday at 8 AM, I'll scan the group for unanswered questions and draft a summary for you here. Want me to set this up for any other high-traffic groups?"](/files/mx0sAhT9nSZi2XEobiPE)

## Setting one up

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Describe the routine

From your [self-chat](/getting-started/using-perisclaw.md), say what you want and how often — *"every day at 9 AM, look through yesterday's chats and flag any customer escalations."*
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Perisclaw confirms the plan

It tells you what it'll look at, what it'll do, and when it'll run, so you can adjust before it's live.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### It runs on schedule and reports back

Each time it runs, the result comes to you — a flagged escalation, a summary, a drafted email ready to send.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

## Things to ask

* *"Every day at 9 AM, look through yesterday's chats and flag any customer escalations."*
* *"Every weekend, summarize the highlights from the team group and draft an email to the team."*
* *"Every morning, brief me on what's happening in my important groups."*

{% hint style="info" %}
Routines handle recurring work that needs **judgment**. For instant if-this-then-that reactions, use [triggers](/skills-and-integrations/triggers.md). For a fixed message sent on a schedule, use [scheduled messages](/what-perisclaw-can-do/schedule-reminders-and-messages.md). For a one-off task that runs in the background, see [Autonomous jobs](/what-perisclaw-can-do/autonomous-jobs.md).
{% endhint %}


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