*Thisarticle is based on a YouTube video by Sophie Hundertmark, an expert in the use of artificial intelligence with a focus on chatbots and strategic AI applications in companies and public institutions. Sophie is a researcher and lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and is doing her doctorate in Conversational AI at the University of Fribourg. The blog text was created using a custom GPT model that was trained on Sophie’s video content, language style and expertise. The result is well-founded, up-to-date articles based on Sophie Hundertmark‘s own expertise.
You can find the link to the video at the end of this article.
ChatGPT can do more than just help you with individual questions or tasks. With scheduled tasks, you can also have ChatGPT perform certain tasks for you on a regular basis. These may include recurring research, reviewing information, or regularly verifying certain details.
This transforms ChatGPT from a tool you have to actively call up for every request into an assistant that performs specific tasks for you at set times.
In this post, I’ll show you how scheduled ChatGPT tasks work, what use cases they’re suitable for, and what information you should include when creating a task. You’ll also find a prompt template that you can copy directly and customize for your own assignments.
What are planned ChatGPT tasks?
With scheduled tasks, you can set ChatGPT to perform a specific action at a later time or on a regular basis.
For example, instead of searching for a specific offer yourself every week, you can ask ChatGPT to do this research for you on a regular basis. You can also specify the conditions under which you actually want to be notified.
Possible use cases include, for example:
- regularly search for specific information
- check whether a specific product is available or on sale
- Set up recurring reminders
- Monitor developments on a specific topic
- Compile information at regular intervals
This feature can be particularly useful—and save you time—when it comes to tasks that you would otherwise have to perform manually over and over again.
An example of a planned task
Here’s a practical example from my everyday life: I can have ChatGPT check regularly to see if certain cashmere sweaters are back on sale at Aldi.
Instead of having to search for it myself over and over again, ChatGPT handles the research according to the schedule I set. This becomes especially convenient when I also specify that I want to be notified only when a suitable offer has actually been found.
The example also shows that scheduled tasks aren’t just useful for work-related processes. You can also use them for personal research and recurring everyday tasks.
What should a good prompt for ChatGPT tasks include?
As with many applications that use generative AI, the prompt determines how accurately ChatGPT understands your requirements.
For scheduled tasks, you should therefore describe as specifically as possible what is supposed to happen. It’s not just about the task itself.
Also, consider the following:
- When should the task start?
- At what time should it be carried out?
- What time zone applies?
- How often should the task be repeated?
- What information and guidelines must ChatGPT take into account?
- What should the result look like?
- When would you like to be notified?
The more precisely you define these parameters, the more clearly the task is described.
Prompt Template for Your Planned ChatGPT Tasks
To help ChatGPT understand as clearly as possible which task you want to automate, you can use a structured prompt.
You can copy the following template directly. Then simply replace the information in the square brackets with your own requirements.
Prompt:
Create the following scheduled task:
Task
[WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO FOR ME?]
Schedule
- Start Date: [DATE]
- Time: [TIME]
- Time zone: [e.g., EUROPE/ZURICH]
- Repeat: [ONCE / DAILY / WEEKLY ON … / MONTHLY ON …]
- End date, if desired: [DATE / INDEFINITE]
Content and Procedure
- Take into account: [TOPICS, SEARCH TERMS, CRITERIA, OR SPECIFICATIONS]
- Use the following sources, if available: [WEBSITES OR OTHER SOURCES]
- Exclude: [UNWANTED CONTENT]
- When conducting follow-up research: Focus on new developments and avoid results that have already been reported, if earlier results are available.
- Don’t make up information. If sources are not available or there are no relevant results, make that clear.
Desired result
- Format: [e.g., BRIEF REMINDER, SUMMARY, LIST, OR TABLE]
- Scope: [e.g., A MAXIMUM OF FIVE POINTS]
- Language and Tone: [E.g., GERMAN, BRIEF AND FACTUAL]
- When conducting research: Include links to sources and, if applicable, the publication date.
Notification
[FOR EACH EXECUTION / ONLY IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITION IS MET: …]
Check to see if you can complete the task using the available functions. Ask for clarification if key information is missing. Do not confirm the setup until the task has actually been created, and specify the schedule. If something isn’t technically possible, explain it briefly and suggest a feasible alternative.
Why is the prompt template so detailed?
Not every task requires all the information from the template. For example, significantly less information is needed for a simple reminder than for regular research.
However, the structure helps you make sure you don’t forget any important points. Especially for recurring searches, it’s worth specifying exactly what ChatGPT should search for and how it should handle the results.
For example, if you regularly commission research on a specific topic, you probably don’t want to receive the same results every week. For this reason, the template specifies that authors should focus as much as possible on new developments and should not repeat results that have already been reported, provided that this information is available.
You can also specify the sources you want. For example, you can tell ChatGPT which websites you’d like it to prioritize.
Define Notifications in a Targeted Manner
An important part of scheduling a task is deciding when you actually want to be notified.
Let’s take the example of cashmere sweaters again. In this case, it wouldn’t be very helpful to receive regular notifications that the product you’re looking for is still unavailable.
Instead, you can choose to be notified only when the product is actually available or on sale.
For another task, however, it may be helpful to receive feedback after each attempt.
So when creating a prompt, think not only about what you want ChatGPT to do, but also about when a result is truly relevant to you.
The desired result should also be included in the prompt
One thing that’s often overlooked when it comes to prompts is the output format.
If ChatGPT is conducting regular research for you, you can, for example, specify that you’d like to receive a short list of no more than five results. For more detailed information, however, a table may be a good option.
You can also specify the language and tone, and when conducting research, request that source links and—where applicable—publication dates be included.
This way, you not only determine the task itself, but also how you can use the results in your future work.
You can work with ChatGPT to refine your task
The first prompt doesn’t have to be perfect right away. Once you’ve submitted your prompts, they can spark a conversation with ChatGPT.
This allows you to check whether the task has been understood correctly, add additional information, and adjust specific instructions.
Especially when dealing with more complex tasks, it’s worth clarifying the requirements step by step. If crucial information is missing, ChatGPT should ask for it first before setting up the task.
It’s also important that you don’t rely solely on a confirmation in the chat. A planned task should not be considered set up until it has actually been created and the corresponding schedule has been finalized.
Use Scheduled Tasks Effectively
Scheduled ChatGPT tasks are particularly useful if you have recurring tasks that involve regularly checking, compiling, or providing information at a specific time.
The key step is not just to think about what ChatGPT should do. Also specify when, how often, what information, in what format, and under what conditions you would like to receive a result.
This way, you can turn a single request into a recurring process and integrate ChatGPT more effectively into your daily life or workflows.
And even with all this automation, one thing remains true: Don’t forget to think for yourselves.
Any further questions?
Do you have any questions? I am happy to support you, act as a sparring partner and answer your questions. I am always happy to receive your messages, preferably by WhatsApp message or e-mail.
