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SQL Agent Job Schedules with an End Time and Frequency

Nick Ryan 261 Reputation points
2023-06-27T04:24:51.13+00:00

I have found contradictory answers about whether the end time is inclusive or exclusive. My scenario is as follows. My job is scheduled to run every 30 minutes between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. It runs for the last time at 9:30 a.m. so it would appear it is exclusive. If that's the case, how come I can find several references (including ChatGPT) that claim it is inclusive?

I got to wondering, is it because there's a small delay while it is triggered so by the time it goes to kick off the job, it's already a second or 2 past 10 a.m? Therefore, to make sure it runs at 10 a.m., I'd only need to put my End Time at 10:01 a.m. Or even 10:29:59 a.m. to make absolutely certain.

A definitive answer to how to ensure that last run at 10 a.m. and why there appears to be so much uncertainty as to the inclusive/exclusive matter will be gratefully received.

SQL Server | Other
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  1. Erland Sommarskog 121.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2023-06-27T22:02:06.8333333+00:00

    Yeah, ChatGPT is what they call a "trustworthy source". Not.

    I'm inclined to say that it is exclusive. My first thought was like yours: it depends on when the condition is evaluated. But then it occurred to me that msdb.dbo.sysjobschedules has the columns next_run_date and next_run_time. I set up a job to run every minute with 23:59:00 as the end time. At 23:58 I checked that the job had executed at that time, and then I check the table. The was not there. So already at the execution at 23:58, Agent decided not to run it at 23:59.

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  1. LiHongMSFT-4306 31,571 Reputation points
    2023-06-28T07:10:55.2766667+00:00

    Hi @Nick Ryan

    Agree with Erland, it seems that the end time is not included.

    I test a job start from 2:35 pm to 2:40 pm running every one minute. When I check it in Job Activity Monitor at 2:39 pm, it was not scheduled in the next run column.

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    A definitive answer to how to ensure that last run at 10 a.m. And why there appears to be so much uncertainty as to the inclusive/exclusive matter will be gratefully received.

    Regarding the uncertainty issue, you may post it in the feedback site: SQL community.

    Best regards,

    Cosmog Hong

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