Setting up a Gambio cronjob: starting scheduled tasks reliably

Setup

Step by step

1. Activate the task in the shop

   In the Gambio admin open Toolbox → Scheduled tasks. Click the pencil icon next to the task you want, tick “active” in the window that opens and click “Save”.

2. Copy the cronjob URL

   Copy the content of the Cronjob-URL field in full. The Gambio manual calls it the URL for the cronjob to call. Treat the address like a password and do not publish it.

3. Create an account at Cronjob.de

   Registration takes a minute and is free, no payment details needed. For the first 14 days you have all features, including the one-minute interval. After that you need the Plus plan for it.

   Start for free 14 days of Unlimited included, no payment details

4. Create a cronjob with that address

   Paste the cronjob URL and set the interval to every minute. You can assemble the schedule by clicking, type it as a crontab expression or describe it in one sentence. You can also paste the instructions from the Gambio manual: the AI assistant reads the address and schedule from them.

   * * * * *

   You can enter this expression at Cronjob.de exactly as it is – the schedule field understands crontab notation. But you do not have to know it: simply click the schedule together instead.

5. Add the remaining tasks

   Activate further tasks the same way and compare their cronjob URLs. In the Gambio shops we call, it is one shared address of the form shop.php?do=Cronjobs/Run&token=…. Then one cronjob covers all tasks. If your shop shows different addresses, create one cronjob per address.

6. Switch on error notifications

   Enter an email address under Notifications. That way you hear about a stalled shop before a customer points it out to you. Failure notifications by email are included from the Plus plan, and free during the first 14 days.

What the five fields of an expression like */5 * * * * mean is explained in the crontab reference – with examples and the most common pitfalls. You can build the expression in the crontab generator. Whether you need an outside service at all is shown in the comparison of the three ways.

Verification

Is it actually running?

Run the cronjob once by hand. The Cronjob.de call log shows the time, runtime and status code, and from Plus upwards the shop response as well. Status 200 means the shop accepted the call. A permanent 401 means a directory protection sits in front of the shop. Whether the task did its work you see from the result in the shop, for example a fresh sitemap.

FAQ

Common questions about Gambio

How often should the Gambio cronjob run?

Every minute. The Gambio manual on scheduled tasks says to set the interval to one minute. At Cronjob.de the one-minute interval is available from the Plus plan. On the free plan the shortest interval is five minutes.

Do I need a separate cronjob for every scheduled task?

Usually not. In the Gambio shops we call, all tasks show the same cronjob URL with a token. Then one cronjob is enough. To be sure, compare the addresses in the edit window and create a separate cronjob for every address that differs.

Can I run Gambio cronjobs without a cronjob at my host?

Yes. Besides your host, the Gambio manual explicitly mentions another provider specialising in this. Cronjob.de calls the cronjob URL from outside. Your hosting plan does not need a cronjob feature of its own.

The call asks for a username and password. What now?

Then a directory protection (.htaccess) sits in front of the shop. Enter the credentials in the two credentials fields of the cronjob form, and the call authenticates itself.

What happens if a call takes longer than 60 seconds?

We wait 45 seconds on the free plan and 60 seconds on the paid plans, then we hang up. With extensive tasks that can happen. Whether the shop keeps working afterwards depends on the PHP settings of your server.