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dbt scheduler

The dbt scheduler in dbt-Workbench lets you automate cron dbt runs with reliable dbt scheduling, diagnostics, and notifications. It is built for on-prem and air-gapped operations with explicit controls over timezones and retries.

Scheduler capabilities​

  • Cron expressions for recurring dbt runs.
  • Timezone support with persisted timestamps normalized to UTC.
  • Notifications via email, Slack, or webhook.
  • Retry and backoff policies for transient failures.
  • Overlap and catch-up policies to avoid duplicate runs or missing data.
  • Diagnostics for failure reasons, attempt timelines, and log/artifact links.

Operational notes​

  • SCHEDULER_DEFAULT_TIMEZONE sets the default cron evaluation timezone.
  • SCHEDULER_MAX_CATCHUP_RUNS limits backlog runs after downtime.
  • Scheduled runs inherit the dbt profile and target from their selected environment.

FAQ​

Does the dbt scheduler support cron syntax?​

Yes. dbt-Workbench uses cron-style expressions with timezone support for scheduled dbt runs.

Can I configure retry and backoff?​

Yes. Schedules include retry policies with exponential backoff and failure diagnostics.

How does overlap or catch-up work?​

Overlap and catch-up policies control whether missed runs are queued or skipped after downtime.

Are notifications supported?​

Yes. Email, Slack, and webhook notifications are available for scheduler events.

Which timezone is used by default?​

The scheduler normalizes timestamps to UTC, with a configurable default timezone for cron evaluation.