Setting up a JTL-Shop cronjob: making the task scheduler and exports reliable

Setup

Step by step

1. Assemble the task scheduler address

   According to the JTL guide it is your shop address plus /includes/cron_inc.php. The guide mentions no additional parameter. The same address triggers all scheduled tasks, including every export. So you do not need a separate cronjob per export format.

   https://your-shop.com/includes/cron_inc.php

2. Check the address in a browser once

   JTL writes that calling this address triggers the processing of the tasks manually. Open it yourself once. If the page stays empty, according to JTL either no tasks are queued or one is already running. An error page or a login prompt means something is blocking access, usually directory protection or a rule in .htaccess.

3. Schedule the export in the task scheduler

   Open Administration › Export › Export manager and click “Create new task”. Under “Export formats” select the format you want, for example “Google Shopping (Plugin)”. This format is created on installation by the JTL plug-in “Export format Google Shopping JTL-Shop 5”. Set the “Start date” and “Every X hours”. For the Google Shopping feed JTL recommends every 24 hours, and according to JTL larger exports should run at night.

4. Check the settings in the backend

   Open Administration › System › Cron. Under “Queue entries” you see all scheduled tasks, including those from plugins. Leave the pseudo cron method switched on: JTL advises enabling it when tasks are not being processed.

5. Create an account at Cronjob.de

   Registration takes a minute and is free, no payment details needed. Five cronjobs stay free forever, and for the first 14 days you have all features.

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

6. Create a cronjob with that address

   Enter the address and choose every five minutes. For large exports with many thousands of items you can shorten the gap: depending on server capacity, JTL suggests about 2 minutes between calls. You can assemble the schedule by clicking, type it as a crontab expression or describe it in one sentence. You can also paste the section from the JTL guide: the AI assistant reads the address and schedule from it.

   */5 * * * *

   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.

7. Switch on notifications

   Enter an email address under Notifications. If your shop stops responding or reports an error you will hear about it, instead of noticing days later from an outdated feed. 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, status 200 means accepted. In the export manager the “Trigger Cron manually” button starts an export right away. Then check whether the export file is current, for the Google Shopping plug-in usually https://your-shop.com/export/googleshopping.zip according to JTL. Under Administration › System › Cron you can test a queue entry with the triangle icon. According to JTL it then runs as soon as possible once the shop reaches the configured number of calls.

FAQ

Common questions about JTL-Shop

How do I update the Google Shopping export in JTL-Shop automatically?

Under Administration › Export › Export manager, use “Create new task” to schedule the export format “Google Shopping (Plugin)”, preferably every 24 hours according to JTL. So that the task also starts on time at night, have https://your-shop.com/includes/cron_inc.php called every five minutes. According to JTL, set the fetch in Google Merchant Center to the time right after the export file is created automatically.

Do I need a separate cronjob for each export format or price portal?

No. All exports you have scheduled in the export manager run through the same task scheduler. One cronjob on cron_inc.php covers Google Shopping and every price search engine together. How often an export is regenerated is set per task in the “Every X hours” field.

Is calling from outside intended by JTL-Shop?

Yes. The JTL guide on setting up the task scheduler for exports says that with external cron services (such as www.cronjob.de) it is enough to start the PHP script by calling its URL. The guide mentions no token for this.

Why is my JTL export outdated or not running at night?

Because out of the box the shop only starts the task scheduler after 10 page views. According to JTL, exports can therefore be delayed or at times not be created at all when there are few visitors. A fixed call to cron_inc.php every five minutes removes that dependency.

Should I switch off the pseudo cron method?

JTL recommends that nowhere. On the contrary: if tasks are not processed, JTL advises enabling the setting. Leave it on. The shop then keeps starting the task scheduler through page views as well, in addition to your fixed interval.

Which interval is right for large exports?

Every five minutes covers the normal case. According to JTL, export formats process 500 items per call by default. With many thousands of items an export therefore needs many calls. JTL writes that depending on server capacity you should allow about 2 minutes between calls. With us, one minute is the shortest interval.

What happens if a task crashes?

According to JTL, only from JTL-Shop 5 are crashed scheduled tasks reset automatically after 1 to 2 hours and exported further. With Cronjob.de failure notifications you additionally hear when the call itself fails.

My call ends with error 403.

Something is blocking access to the /includes/ directory. Common causes are directory protection, a blocking rule in .htaccess or a firewall. Exempt cron_inc.php there.

Can I watch several shops?

Yes. Create one cronjob per shop and sort them into folders. Notifications can be configured per folder with their own address, handy when different clients are behind them.

I use Doofinder as my shop search.

Then the search index needs its own interval, separate from the task scheduler: triggering the Doofinder reindex by cronjob. You find the reindex address in your shop’s Doofinder plugin on the “Reindex” tab.