A genuine, server-level cron job runs independently of WordPress itself, which makes it more reliable for time-sensitive tasks than WordPress’s own pseudo-cron system — and because it keeps running indefinitely after we set it up, the same ownership question applies as any persistent automation: someone needs to know it exists and notice if it stops.
The monitoring in the title means alerting, not us watching it forever
“Monitoring” here means we configure the cron job to report its own success or failure somewhere you can check, and set up notification where feasible if it fails. It doesn’t mean we’re personally watching this job run indefinitely after the engagement ends — that ongoing attention is yours, using the monitoring we’ve built in.
Custom cron job creation & monitoring
A genuine server-level cron job, with logging and alerts — watching it stays your responsibility.
- Full backup taken before we start
- If we can’t fix it, you get your money back
- We never ask for your own password
What we need from you
- A clear spec of what the cron job should do and how often it should run
- Server or hosting access sufficient to configure a genuine, server-level cron job
- Confirmation of who should be notified if the job fails, and how
This or something else?
| You want a genuine server-level cron job, more reliable than WordPress’s own pseudo-cron scheduling | This fix covers it |
| WordPress’s own scheduling (WP-Cron) is sufficient for your needs, without needing server-level access | Scheduled task automation setup, the WordPress-native version |
| You have a one-time operation, not something that needs to recur on a schedule | WP-CLI batch operation from supplied spec |
| An existing cron job has stopped working correctly | Worth describing the specific failure directly — likely a diagnostic fix rather than a fresh setup |
What we do
- Confirm the job’s logic and required timing precision
- Configure the job at the server level, independent of WordPress’s own scheduling
- Set up logging so the job’s success or failure is visible and checkable
- Configure failure notification to your specified recipient, where feasible
- Test the job’s first scheduled execution to confirm correct behaviour
- Provide written documentation covering the job’s logic, schedule, and how to check its status
What is included
- A genuine server-level cron job configured to your specified logic and timing
- Logging so success or failure is visible and checkable
- Failure notification configured where feasible
- Written documentation of ownership and expected behaviour
Not included
- Ongoing, indefinite monitoring of the job’s continued success by us — that responsibility transfers to you, using the monitoring and notification we’ve built in
- Fixing the job if it breaks due to an unrelated future server or environment change, unless engaged separately at that time
- Guaranteeing continued hosting-level support for server cron access, which depends on your hosting plan
- Server-level access setup itself, if your hosting doesn’t currently provide it
Questions about this fix
Why would I need a genuine server cron job instead of WordPress's own scheduling?
WordPress's built-in scheduling only actually checks and runs pending tasks when someone visits your site, which can be unreliable for a very low-traffic site or a task that genuinely needs to run at a precise time regardless of visitor activity — a server-level cron job runs independently of any visitor triggering it.
Does 'monitoring' in this fix's name mean you're watching it for us?
No — it means we set up logging and, where feasible, failure notification so the job's status is visible and checkable; actually watching for and responding to that status ongoing is a responsibility that transfers to you once the fix is complete.
What happens if my hosting doesn't support server-level cron access?
We'd confirm this upfront, since it's a genuine prerequisite — some hosting plans don't provide this level of access, in which case WordPress's own scheduling system would be the more realistic option.
Who do I contact if this job stops working a year from now?
At that point it would be a new, separate diagnostic engagement, since ongoing indefinite support isn't part of this initial setup — the documentation we provide should help identify that it's failed, even if resolving the new cause requires further work.
Is server-level cron more reliable than WordPress's scheduling in general?
For time-sensitive or infrequent tasks, generally yes, since it doesn't depend on visitor traffic to trigger — though it does require server-level access your hosting plan may or may not provide.
Related fixes
If this is the second time this year
A bad update breaking the site is a symptom of updates not being tested first. Care plans run every update on a staging clone before it reaches your live site, which is the actual fix for this happening again.
Your access, your rules
Create a separate admin account for us and delete it when we are done. For anything else, we get in touch and agree a method — never a form field on this site, never by reply to an email.
We back up first, always
Before anything is touched we take a full backup and keep it for 30 days. If a fix goes wrong, we put the site back exactly as it was.
If it is not what you bought
If the problem turns out smaller than what you ordered, we refund the difference. If it is bigger, we stop and send a quote before doing any extra work.
If we cannot fix it
You get back what we received. Diagnosis is on us — you only pay when the problem is actually solved. The payment processor takes its fee before the money reaches us, so we never hold it and it is not ours to return. That is true here as everywhere else.
If it comes back
Reply within seven days of delivery and we put it back on the bench at no cost. The fix is not finished until it holds.
What we are responsible for
If something goes wrong with a fix, our responsibility is limited to what you paid for it. We take a full backup first so mistakes can be undone, and we tell you before doing anything outside what you bought.