Scheduling
Configure automated sorting frequency, schedule hour, lookback windows, and new product windows by plan.
Scheduling keeps collection order current without manually clicking Sort Now. SortLab still lets you run manual sorts at any time; scheduling determines the automatic cadence.
Manual vs. Scheduled
| Mode | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | You click Sort Now when you want to apply the latest order. | First setup, testing, and one-off updates. |
| Scheduled | SortLab re-sorts automatically at the configured frequency. | Active collections that should stay optimized as orders, inventory, and behavior change. |
Sort Frequency
SortLab supports four frequency options. Your plan controls which options are available.
| Frequency | Interval | Plan availability |
|---|---|---|
| 1x/day | Every 24 hours | Starter, Advanced, Enterprise |
| 2x/day | Every 12 hours | Advanced, Enterprise |
| 4x/day | Every 6 hours | Advanced, Enterprise |
| Hourly | Every 1 hour | Enterprise |
Use daily sorting for most stores. Use 2x/day or 4x/day when product performance changes meaningfully inside the day. Use hourly only for high-volume or fast-moving catalogs where intraday changes matter.
Schedule Hour
The schedule hour is stored in UTC. For daily sorting, it is the hour the sort runs. For multiple daily sorts, it is the anchor hour for the repeating interval.
Example: if a collection is set to 4x/day and the schedule hour is 04:00 UTC, SortLab runs around 04:00, 10:00, 16:00, and 22:00 UTC.
Pick a low-traffic hour for the store's primary customer base when possible.
Lookback Window
The lookback window controls how far back SortLab reads performance data for strategy scoring.
| Window | Use it when |
|---|---|
| 7 days | You need fast reaction to trends, promotions, or volatile inventory. |
| 30 days | You want the default balance of recency and stability. |
| 60 days | You need more data for slower sales cycles or less frequent purchases. |
| 90 days | You want the most stable quarter-length view on Enterprise. |
Plan limits:
| Plan | Maximum strategy lookback | Maximum analytics window |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 30 days | 30 days |
| Advanced | 60 days | 60 days |
| Enterprise | 90 days | 90 days |
New Product Window
The new product window controls how long a product counts as new for Boost new products.
| Window | Best for |
|---|---|
| 7 days | Weekly drops and fast-moving launches. |
| 14 days | Short seasonal launches. |
| 30 days | Default for most new strategies. |
| 60 days | Slower catalogs where new products need more time to be discovered. |
Scheduling Best Practices
- Start daily. Most stores get the benefit of fresh ranking without unnecessary churn.
- Match frequency to data velocity. Higher frequency helps only when orders, inventory, or behavior change often enough.
- Avoid overreacting. A 7-day lookback can be useful for trends, but a 30-day window is a better baseline for many stores.
- Review after changes. Let a strategy run for at least 7 to 14 days before judging ordinary performance.
- Use A/B tests for important changes. Testing is stronger than comparing before-and-after charts when the decision matters.
What Happens on Downgrade
If a plan changes, SortLab preserves the configuration but enforces the new plan's limits. Collections can fall back to the highest available frequency, longer lookback windows can become unavailable, and collections beyond the new active limit can be paused.
Next Steps
- Simple Mode - Configure presets and schedules quickly.
- Advanced Mode - Combine scheduling with custom rules.
- Plans & Pricing - Compare limits by tier.