Run options for discovery schedules

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Run options for discovery schedules

    ServiceNow provides various run options for discovery schedules applicable to both horizontal and top-down discovery. These options enable customers to control when and how frequently discovery processes execute, tailoring them to organizational needs and operational windows.

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    Run Options

    • On Demand: The default setting where discovery runs only when manually triggered via the Discover now button, without a fixed schedule.
    • Daily: Runs discovery every day at a specified time.
    • Weekly: Executes on a selected day of the week at a specified time.
    • Monthly: Runs on a specified day of the month at a given time. If the chosen day does not occur in a month (e.g., day 30 in February), the schedule skips that month.
    • Periodically: Runs repeatedly at intervals set in days, hours, minutes, and seconds, starting from a defined start time. Note that the next run time is not shown in the Time column; instead, it can be found in the Schedule [systrigger] table under the Next Action field.
    • Run one time: Executes once at a designated date and time.
    • Weekdays: Runs every Monday through Friday at a specified time.
    • Weekends: Runs every Saturday and Sunday at a specified time.
    • Month Last Day: Runs on the last day of every month at a specified time.
    • Calendar Quarter End: Executes on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 at a specified time. These dates can be customized by modifying the DiscoveryScheduleRunType script include.
    • After Discovery: Allows scheduling a discovery to run sequentially after another designated discovery finishes. This supports staggered discovery runs. An option exists to run even if the preceding discovery is canceled. This run option does not apply when initiating discovery via DiscoverNow or Discover CI. It prevents loops by disallowing a discovery to run after itself, and the subsequent discovery will not run if the prior one does not finish unless the “Even if canceled” option is selected.

    Important Considerations

    • Inactive discovery schedules cannot be designated in "After Discovery" run options.
    • When using the "Periodically" option, next execution times must be checked in the Schedule [systrigger] table rather than the Time column.
    • Sequential scheduling using "After Discovery" helps avoid overlapping discovery processes, optimizing resource use.

    Next Steps

    Customers can use these scheduling options to align discovery processes with maintenance windows, business hours, or other operational requirements. For specific implementations, such as scheduling top-down discovery by Service Mapping or horizontal discovery, refer to related task guides within ServiceNow.

    Both horizontal and top-down discovery use these run options.

    Table 1. Discovery schedule run options
    Run option Description
    On Demand

    Doesn’t run on a schedule. Select Discover now to run Discovery. This is the default option.
    Daily Runs every day. Use the Time field to specify the time of day.
    Weekly Runs on one designated day of each week. Use the Time field to specify the time of day.
    Monthly Runs on one designated day of each month. Use the Day field to select the day of the month. Use the Time field to specify the time of day. If the designated day doesn’t occur in the month, the schedule doesn’t run that month. For example, if you designate day 30, the schedule doesn’t run in February.
    Periodically

    Runs every designated time. Use the Repeat Interval field to define the time in days, hours, minutes, and seconds. The first Discovery runs at the point in time defined in the Starting field. The subsequent discoveries run after each Repeat Interval period passes.

    Note:
    For schedules configured as "Periodically", the "Time" column won't display the next scheduled run time. To determine the next execution time for schedule that is configured to run "Periodically", navigate to the Schedule [sys_trigger] table and locate the corresponding schedule record. The Next Action field will indicate the next scheduled run.
    Once Run one time as designated by the date and time defined in the Starting field.
    Weekdays Runs every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Use the Time field to select the time of day.
    Weekends Runs every Saturday and Sunday. Use the Time field to select the time of day.
    Month Last Day Run the last day of every month. Use the Time field to select the time of day.
    Calendar Quarter End Runs on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Use the Time field to select the time of day. To change the dates, modify the DiscoveryScheduleRunType script include.
    After Discovery

    Allows you to sequentially stagger the schedule. Use this option to run this schedule after the Discovery designated in the Run after field finishes. Select the Even if canceled check box to designate that this discovery should run, even if the Run after Discovery is canceled before it finishes.

    • This option isn’t valid when Discovery is started via DiscoverNow, or when using the Discover CI feature.
    • You can’t designate an inactive Discovery schedule.
    • You can’t create a loop by designating the run after Discovery to be the same Discovery.
    • This Discovery doesn’t run if the Run after Discovery doesn’t finish, with the exception that the Even if canceled check box is selected and the Discovery is canceled.