Skip to main content

Cron Status

Monitor the current status and activity of your scheduled tasks. This page provides information on the performance and execution of cron jobs, helping you track their success, failures, and any pending tasks to ensure smooth system operations. The cron system is essential for Mumara's background operations - without properly running cron jobs, email campaigns won't send, bounces won't process, and automated tasks won't execute.

Navigate to Tools → Cron Status to view cron job status.


Scheduled Tasks and the Last Runs

The main section displays the cron configuration and execution status for all scheduled tasks in the system.

Cron Configuration

FieldDescription
Cron commandThe full command that should be added to your server's crontab to run Mumara's scheduler - this includes the PHP path and the path to Mumara's artisan file, with a copy button for easy copying to your clipboard
Cron StatusIndicates whether the cron system is functioning - displays a green checkmark when cron is running properly, or a red X when cron has stopped or was never configured
Cron intervalShows the current cron execution frequency - displays "Not Running" if cron hasn't executed recently, or shows the configured interval (typically every minute) when functioning

Scheduled Tasks

Below the cron configuration, you'll see a list of all scheduled tasks with their last execution times. Each task shows when it last ran and how long ago that was.

TaskDescription
Email campaignsProcesses and sends scheduled broadcast campaigns - this is one of the most critical tasks as it handles the actual delivery of your email campaigns to recipients
Trigger processingExecutes automation triggers based on their configured conditions - ensures that contacts entering segments or meeting trigger criteria receive their automated messages
Bounce processingParses and processes bounce emails from your configured bounce addresses - updates contact statuses and removes invalid addresses from active lists
Feedback loop processingProcesses feedback loop (FBL) reports from ISPs when recipients mark emails as spam - critical for maintaining sender reputation and list hygiene
ESP callbacks processingHandles incoming webhook callbacks from external Email Service Providers - processes delivery notifications, bounces, and engagement data from third-party ESPs
Maintenance workPerforms routine system maintenance tasks such as cleaning temporary files, optimizing database tables, and other housekeeping operations
Pending StatsProcesses queued statistics data and updates campaign metrics - ensures your dashboards and reports reflect the latest engagement data
Delete exported filesRemoves old exported files from the server to free up disk space - prevents storage from filling up with outdated export downloads
Click TrackingProcesses recorded click events and updates click statistics - runs when click tracking is set to cron-based processing rather than realtime
Open TrackingProcesses recorded open events and updates open statistics - runs when open tracking is set to cron-based processing rather than realtime
Tracking ProcessingHandles additional tracking data processing and aggregation - works alongside click and open tracking to compile engagement metrics
Triggers CheckupMonitors trigger health and ensures triggers are executing correctly - identifies and handles stuck or malfunctioning triggers
Suppression ProcessingProcesses suppression list entries and ensures suppressed contacts are excluded from mailings - maintains compliance with unsubscribe requests and manual suppressions
Evergreen CampaignsExecutes scheduled evergreen (recurring) campaigns at their configured times - ensures recurring campaigns send to matching contacts on schedule
Stuck CampaignsDetects and handles campaigns that have become stuck during processing - recovers campaigns that encountered errors mid-send or got interrupted

Last Run Information

Each task displays its last execution time in the format:

"Last run [X] mins ago [date] [time]"

This tells you:

  • How long ago - The number of minutes since the task last executed, helping you quickly identify tasks that haven't run recently
  • Exact timestamp - The specific date and time of the last execution, useful for correlating with other system events

If a task displays "Never ran", it means the task has not executed since the system was installed or since cron was configured. This may be normal for some tasks (like Stuck Campaigns if no campaigns have gotten stuck) or may indicate a configuration issue.


Understanding Cron Status

Healthy Cron System

When cron is working correctly:

  • Cron Status shows a green checkmark
  • Cron interval shows the configured frequency
  • Most tasks show recent "Last run" times (within the expected interval)
  • Critical tasks like Email campaigns and Trigger processing run frequently

Cron Not Running

When cron has stopped or isn't configured:

  • Cron Status shows a red X
  • Cron interval displays "Not Running"
  • "Last run" times grow increasingly stale
  • System operations gradually stop working

Setting Up Cron

For Mumara to function properly, you must add a cron entry to your server that runs the scheduler every minute.

Getting the Cron Command

  1. Navigate to Tools → Cron Status
  2. Copy the command shown in the Cron command field using the copy button
  3. Add this command to your server's crontab

Adding to Crontab

On Linux servers, edit the crontab with:

crontab -e

Add a line like:

* * * * * /usr/local/bin/php /path/to/mumara/artisan schedule:run >> /dev/null 2>&1

The exact path will be shown in the Cron command field on the Cron Status page.

Control Panel Users

If you use cPanel, Plesk, or another control panel:

  1. Navigate to the Cron Jobs or Scheduled Tasks section
  2. Create a new cron job that runs every minute (* * * * *)
  3. Paste the command from Mumara's Cron Status page

Troubleshooting

Cron Status Shows Red X

Possible causes:

  • Cron entry not added to server
  • Incorrect PHP path in cron command
  • Incorrect file path in cron command
  • Cron service disabled on server
  • Permissions issues preventing execution

Solutions:

  • Verify the cron entry exists in your crontab
  • Check that the PHP path is correct for your server
  • Ensure the path to Mumara's artisan file is accurate
  • Confirm the cron service is running on your server
  • Check file permissions allow the cron user to execute PHP

Tasks Not Running on Schedule

Possible causes:

  • Cron runs but specific tasks are disabled
  • Previous task execution still running (blocking subsequent runs)
  • Task-specific errors causing early termination
  • Server resources exhausted

Solutions:

  • Check if the task is enabled in Cron Settings
  • Look for long-running processes that may be blocking
  • Review Debug Logs for task-specific errors
  • Monitor server CPU, memory, and disk space

Tasks Show "Never ran"

Possible causes:

  • Cron was only recently configured
  • The specific task's trigger conditions haven't been met
  • Task is disabled in settings

Solutions:

  • Wait for the next scheduled execution cycle
  • Some tasks only run when needed (e.g., Stuck Campaigns only runs when campaigns get stuck)
  • Verify task is enabled if it should be running

Large "Minutes Ago" Values

If tasks show they last ran many hours or days ago:

  • Check cron is running - The cron system may have stopped
  • Review server uptime - Server may have been restarted or down
  • Check for errors - Tasks may be failing silently

Best Practices

Regular Monitoring

  • Check Cron Status weekly - Verify the green checkmark and recent execution times
  • Monitor critical tasks - Email campaigns, Trigger processing, and Bounce processing should run frequently
  • Set up external monitoring - Consider using a service to alert you if cron stops

After Server Changes

  • Recheck cron after migrations - Moving servers may require reconfiguring cron
  • Verify after PHP updates - PHP path may change after version upgrades
  • Test after control panel changes - Some control panel operations can affect cron entries

Performance Considerations

  • Avoid overlapping heavy tasks - If your system is busy, some tasks may queue up
  • Monitor execution times - Consistently slow tasks may indicate optimization opportunities
  • Scale resources as needed - Growing email volume may require more server resources

Next Steps