This guide will show you how to create a service that includes jobs that repeat at different frequencies. 


We will use adding a bookkeeping service and bookkeeping jobs as an example.


There are a number of steps to take when creating a new service, below we will cover the following:

  1.  Adding in a new lookup, to create the service frequencies
  2.  Creating a form, so you can fill in the service frequency and date for any clients
  3.  Creating a setup job, where you can fill in the form
  4.  Creating the job that you want to recur as part of the service
  5. Creating the service


Adding a Lookup


First we will have to add a lookup (a dropdown list) that will list the all the frequencies that we are going to use for the jobs e.g monthly, weekly, quarterly etc.

To add a new Lookup, go to Settings > Lookups > Click Add lookup > Add the lookup description e.g. Bookkeeping frequency > Add item titles (those will be the items that will appear on the drop-down list) e.g. Weekly, Monthly > Save changes 




Adding a form


Next we need to create the form will help us to tell Senta what frequency we want this job to run at. We will add the bookkeeping frequency lookup to a bookkeeping setup form. 


To create a new form, go to Settings > Forms > Add form > Form name: Bookkeeping setup form > Click on Add field


Field label: Bookkeeping frequency

Field type: Lookup

Lookup: Bookkeeping frequency

You can select the field to be mandatory if you like




Adding a date field to capture the job date


Adding a date field to the form allows you to tell Senta when the first bookkeeping job will run for the client. Senta can then recur the bookkeeping job at any frequency, starting from that date.



You may want to store the bookkeeping date for some clients, but not for others. For example, for weekly bookkeeping clients you may want the bookkeeping job to recur based on a different date for each client, whereas for monthly bookkeeping clients you may always want the job to recur based on the last day of the month for all clients. If this is the case, make sure to filter the bookkeeping date field to only display for weekly bookkeeping clients.


Click on Add filter and select the Bookkeeping frequency field.



You can filter the date field to a specific frequency e.g. Weekly. This means that for any weekly clients, Senta will ask for their next bookkeeping date, and will recur the service weekly based on this start date.


More specifically, when it comes to frequencies (Weekly, Monthly, Annual), the following principles apply:


A service with a Weekly frequency will repeat on the same day of the week, based on the first day it is set to happen.

e.g. start date Tuesday 2/7/19 will then repeat every Tuesday (2/7/19 and then 9/7/19, 16/7/19, etc.)


A service with a Monthly frequency will repeat on the same date of the month, based on the first day it is set to happen.

e.g. start date Tuesday 2/7/19 will then repeat every 2nd of the month (2/7/19 and then 2/8/19, 2/9/19, etc)


A service with an Annual frequency will repeat on the same date of the year, based on the first day it is set to happen.

e.g. start date Tuesday 2/7/19 will then repeat every July 2nd every year (2/7/19 and then 2/7/20, 2/7,21, etc)





Adding the setup job


Now, we will have to add a bookkeeping setup job. This job will help us to capture the details (via the form that we have created) for the bookkeeping frequency, and bookkeeping date if you have created this field.

To add a new job, go to Settings > Jobs > Add new job > Add job name: Bookkeeping setup job > Tasks tab > Add task > Type of task: Fill in a form > Assign task to: Account manager or another user > Task title: Bookkeeping form



Go to the Fill in a form tab > Select Bookkeeping setup form from the drop-down list > Click OK > Save changes




Adding a job that will run at different frequencies


Once the setup job has been added, we can focus on building the workflow for the bookkeeping job that will contain all the steps that we want to complete as a part of the bookkeeping service.

To add a new job go to Settings > Jobs > Add new job > Job name: Bookkeeping > Tasks tab > Add task


Add the tasks that you would have to complete as a part of your Bookkeeping service.




Adding the service


Go to Settings > Services > Add Service

Service name: Bookkeeping
Select the Bookkeeping setup job from the Job drop-down list
Select One-off from the "How often?" drop-down box



The bookkeeping setup job has been added to the bookkeeping service and it will be triggered only once for every client, once the bookkeeping service has been selected. 


Now we can add the bookkeeping job and set it up to run at different frequencies.  


Click Add job > Select bookkeeping job


To select the frequency at which you would like job to run, click on the How often? box and select the frequency e.g. Monthly. 


You can either calculate the job date relative to a form date (e.g. the date that you entered on the Bookkeeping setup form), or a fixed date.



We can now filter the monthly bookkeeping job to only run for the clients where monthly frequency has been selected.


Click Add filter > Choose a field: Bookkeeping setup form > Bookkeeping frequency > Click OK



Select the monthly frequency to filter the job to only trigger when the monthly frequency has been selected. 


You can repeat this process for any other frequencies you want to run e.g. daily, weekly, annual. The most important thing to do is to make sure that for whatever frequency you select from the How often? dropdown, such as weekly, you filter that job to only display for clients with that bookkeeping frequency.