---
name: "schedules_run_later"
area: "schedules"
title: "Run a tool call once, later"
price: "$0.01"
method: "POST"
url: "https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/schedules_run_later"
mcp_server: "https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/schedules"
auth: "Authorization: Bearer <conecto_sk_ key>"
docs_url: "https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_run_later"
---

# Run a tool call once, later (`schedules_run_later`)

Runs one tool call once at a set time, up to a year ahead, with no monthly rent.

Run one tool call once at a set time: "send this Tuesday at 9:00", "check on Friday whether invoice 42 was paid". Give at (ISO 8601 with its offset, up to a year ahead) or in_minutes. It runs as this bot, under its daily budget, and costs the tool's own price when it runs, plus $0.01 now; no monthly rent. Date words in arguments ({today}, {today+7}, {month}, {last_month}, {year}) are filled in when it runs, in time_zone. schedules_list shows it; schedules_delete cancels it before it runs.

Price: $0.01 a call. A call that fails costs nothing.

## Use it when

Something should happen later, once: a reminder on Friday, a post on Tuesday at 9:00.

- For a call that repeats, use [schedules_create](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_create.md).
- For a social post at a set time, use [social_post](https://conecto.chat/tools/social/social_post.md).
- For a newsletter issue at a set time, use [newsletters_send_issue](https://conecto.chat/tools/newsletters/newsletters_send_issue.md).

## Say this to your agent

> Send Rachel a payment reminder for invoice INV-0041 next Friday at 9 in the morning.

## Inputs

| Name | Type | Required | Description | Allowed values | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| `tool` | string | yes | The tool to run, e.g. "email_send". 1 to 80 characters. |  |  |
| `arguments` | object | no | The tool's arguments, as you would send them. |  |  |
| `at` | string | no | e.g. "2026-10-20T09:00:00-07:00". Up to 40 characters. |  |  |
| `in_minutes` | integer | no | 1 to 527,040. |  |  |
| `name` | string | no | e.g. "Monday invoice reminders". 1 to 80 characters. |  |  |
| `time_zone` | string | no | e.g. "America/Los_Angeles". The business calendar's time zone if left out, else UTC. Up to 64 characters. |  |  |

## Example

Written for Halverson Cycle & Repair, a bike shop with a repair workshop in Portland, Oregon.

MCP: call `schedules_run_later` on the MCP server `https://api.conecto.chat/mcp/schedules` with these arguments:

```json
{
  "tool": "invoices_remind",
  "name": "Remind Rachel about INV-0041",
  "arguments": {
    "invoice_id": "c4e6a8c0-2b4d-4f6a-8c0e-3d5f7b9d1e4a",
    "message": "Just a friendly reminder about the repair on your Tabor. Thank you!"
  },
  "at": "2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00",
  "time_zone": "America/Los_Angeles"
}
```

REST:

```bash
curl https://api.conecto.chat/v1/tools/schedules_run_later \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CONECTO_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"tool": "invoices_remind", "name": "Remind Rachel about INV-0041", "arguments": {"invoice_id": "c4e6a8c0-2b4d-4f6a-8c0e-3d5f7b9d1e4a", "message": "Just a friendly reminder about the repair on your Tabor. Thank you!"}, "at": "2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00", "time_zone": "America/Los_Angeles"}'
```

## Response

```json
{
  "call_id": "5f0c8a2e-3b7d-4c1e-9a64-2d8e1f7b0c93",
  "tool": "schedules_run_later",
  "status": "succeeded",
  "replayed": false,
  "cost_usd": "$0.01",
  "balance_usd": "$19.75",
  "result": {
    "schedule": {
      "schedule_id": 4101,
      "name": "Remind Rachel about INV-0041",
      "tool": "invoices_remind",
      "arguments": {
        "invoice_id": "c4e6a8c0-2b4d-4f6a-8c0e-3d5f7b9d1e4a",
        "message": "Just a friendly reminder about the repair on your Tabor. Thank you!"
      },
      "timetable": {
        "every": "once",
        "at": "2026-10-23T16:00:00+00:00"
      },
      "runs_when": "once, at 2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00",
      "time_zone": "America/Los_Angeles",
      "paused": false,
      "done": false,
      "bot": "Pip",
      "next_run_at": "2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00",
      "last_run_at": null,
      "last_status": null,
      "last_call_id": null,
      "last_error": null,
      "runs": 0
    },
    "runs_at": "2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00"
  }
}
```

`result`: schedule: the one-off run with its schedule_id, tool, arguments and bot; runs_at: when it runs, in the time zone.

## Errors

| Code | Status | When | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| `not_found` | 404 | No tool has that name. | Use a tool name from GET /v1/tools. |
| `not_schedulable` | 400 | The tool cannot run on its own: it handles secrets, schedules things itself, buys from a quote that expires, or starts a monthly rental. | Call that tool yourself when it is needed. |
| `invalid_input` | 400 | The arguments do not fit the tool (the message names the one), or time_zone is not a time zone name. | Send the arguments the tool's page lists; time zones like "America/Los_Angeles". |
| `invalid_input` | 400 | Neither or both of at and in_minutes were given, or at has no offset, is in the past or more than a year ahead. | Give one of them; at like 2026-10-23T09:00:00-07:00. |
| `limit_reached` | 409 | The business has 500 one-off runs waiting already. | Delete some with schedules_delete. |

The refusals every tool can give (401 key, 402 balance, 429 limits) are on the errors page: https://conecto.chat/docs/errors.md

## Related

- [schedules_create](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_create.md): Runs a tool call on a timetable in the business's time zone, from every 15 minutes to once a month; each run is a normal call at the tool's price. $0.50 a call.
- [schedules_list](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_list.md): Every schedule and waiting one-off run: what it runs and when, as which bot, and how its last run went. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [schedules_get](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_get.md): One schedule in full: its next three runs, its last ten runs with their call_ids and costs, and its rent. Free up to 1,000,000 reads a month.
- [schedules_update](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_update.md): Changes a schedule's name, arguments, timetable or time zone, or pauses and resumes it. $0.001 a call.
- [schedules_delete](https://conecto.chat/tools/schedules/schedules_delete.md): Stops a schedule for good, or cancels a one-off run before it runs; past runs stay in the call log. Free.