Repeat

Create new records from a record on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly schedule, in the same database.

Repeating records create new records on a defined schedule. Blue creates each new record in the same database as the original record.

Configure a repeating record

  1. Open the record that you want to repeat.
  2. Open the … menu in the record toolbar and select Repeat, or press R.
  3. Choose an interval and schedule.
  4. Under Include, choose the data to copy.
  5. Select Save.

The dialog shows “New records will be created in this database.” Its footer shows a summary of the schedule and the date of the first occurrence.

The Repeat Record dialog with interval, schedule, and include options

Repeat intervals

Choose one interval:

  • Daily: Repeat every specified number of days.
  • Weekly: Repeat every specified number of weeks on selected weekdays.
  • Monthly: Repeat every specified number of months on a date, such as the 15th, or an ordinal weekday, such as the second Tuesday.
  • Yearly: Repeat every specified number of years on a selected month and day.

Configure these options for any interval:

  • Every: Set the frequency, such as every two weeks or every three months.
  • Time: Set the creation hour, minute, and time zone. Blue selects your current time zone by default.
  • Ends: Select Never, On Date, or After a number of times.

Start date

Under Starts, choose when the series begins:

  • Right away: The schedule creates its next occurrence as usual. This is the default.
  • On Date: Blue creates no record before the date you select.

A start date delays the series without changing its pattern. Blue advances the schedule until an occurrence falls on or after the start date, so the interval, selected weekdays, time, and time zone stay as you configured them. The first record can therefore appear later than the start date itself.

Repeat: weekly on Wednesday, starting Sat 3 Feb

Sat 3 Feb  ──▶  start date, no record
Wed 7 Feb  ──▶  first record
Wed 14 Feb ──▶  next record

The start date is read in the schedule’s own time zone. Once it passes, the series runs exactly as it would without one.

Blue reports an error if the start date is after the end date, or if it is too far ahead for the repeat rule to reach.

Data in each new record

Each new record gets the original record’s name. Under Include, choose which of these items Blue also copies:

  • Checklists (included by default)
  • Comments (excluded by default)

Blue copies the values of the database’s other fields. It does not copy the values of the default Description, Assignee, Tags, Due date, and Completed fields, or File fields.

Repeating record indicator

An active repeating record shows the repeat symbol in the record toolbar. Point to the symbol to see “This record is set to repeat.”

Change or stop a repeating record

  1. Open the original repeating record.
  2. Open the … menu in the record toolbar and select Repeat. Blue opens Edit Repeat.
  3. Change the schedule and select Update, or select Stop Repeating. After you stop the schedule, Blue does not create any more repetitions.