I have two PS scripts created. They use New-ScheduledTask and corresponding commands to create two scheduled tasks. The script worked and scheduled tasks are created fine. However, I noticed that next run time always with one more hour added on top of the set time. The tasks are scheduled to run at 12:30am and 12:45am in two different scripts, and both their Next Run Time shown as 1:30am and 1:45am instead of keeping the set times in the scripts. Tried to run the scripts to remove and add the scheduled tasks multiple times, and still the same. Any idea, why?

I will include one of the scripts here. Hope you can help find the trick. Please see the following.

Set the path for the log file

$logFilePath = "C:\IT\Intune-Script.log"

Check if the scheduled task already exists

$scheduledTaskName = "SFC Scan Weekly"

$existingTask = Get-ScheduledTask -TaskName $scheduledTaskName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

if ($existingTask -ne $null) {

# Task already exists, so attempt to remove it

try {

    Unregister-ScheduledTask -TaskName $scheduledTaskName -Confirm:$false -ErrorAction Stop | Out-File -FilePath $logFilePath -Append

    Write-Output "Existing task '$scheduledTaskName' successfully removed."

} catch {

    Write-Output "Error removing existing task '$scheduledTaskName': $_" | Out-File -FilePath $logFilePath -Append

}

}

Set Trigger, Task, Settings

$SFCTrigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Wednesday -At 00:30

$SFCAction = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute "SFC" -Argument "/SCANNOW"

$SFCSetting = New-ScheduledTaskSettingsSet -Compatibility Win8 -AllowStartIfOnBatteries -StartWhenAvailable -DontStopIfGoingOnBatteries

$SFCTask = New-ScheduledTask -Trigger $SFCTrigger -Action $SFCAction -Settings $SFCSetting -Description "SFC Scan Weekly"

Create/Register Scheduled Task

try {

Register-ScheduledTask -TaskPath RASULC -TaskName $scheduledTaskName -InputObject $SFCTask -User "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM" -ErrorAction Stop | Out-File -FilePath $logFilePath -Append

Write-Output "Scheduled task '$scheduledTaskName' successfully registered."

} catch {

Write-Output "Error registering scheduled task '$scheduledTaskName': $_" | Out-File -FilePath $logFilePath -Append

}

The time is stored in UTC so a conversion happens when you give it a local time. Just a guess but validate that the stored UTC time is correct for the machine that is registering the task.

New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Wednesday -At 00:30

It should dump the StartBoundary which is what controls the time to execute. It should be in UTC.

Hi Michael,

I found it's regarding the "Synchronize across time zones" Under Trigger > Edit Trigger.

The option was checked. If I manually turn it off, the Next Run time will be back the same as the scheduled time.

But what parameter in the New-ScheduledTaskTrigger control that checked box?

Great question, you can't. It isn't supported.

The workaround is to create the trigger using whatever start time you want. Then set the StartBoundary explicitly using the full local time format instead.

$trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Wednesday -At 00:30                        $trigger.StartBoundary = "2000-0101T00:30:00"

Note: Not tested that the format for the start boundary is completely correct.

The start time is now in local timezone so it won't "sync".

Have you had the chance to try setting the StartBoundary explicitly as I posted in my comment? This one extra line added to your existing script seems like it should solve your issue.

@Michael Tayler is correct you need to adjust the time from your local time to UTC.

Something like this should work for you:

$SFCTrigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Weekly -DaysOfWeek Wednesday -At ((get-date "00:30") + (Get-TimeZone).BaseUtcOffset).ToString('HH:mm')

If you're in the Eastern Time Zone, for example, that would put the scheduled time at 19:30 UTC (a -5 hour offset).

It doesn't work. Please see the image.

It does not just schedule the task at 7:30 pm instead of 0:30 am. I also noticed that the Next Run is still adding one more hour to the scheduled time.

I know where the issue is. Please see the next image.

The "Synchronize across time zones" option somehow is enabled. I don't think the script told it to enable it. Looks like it enabling itself by default. I tested. The Next Run time will stay the same if that is disabled.

But I am not sure what parameters of New-SechduledTaskTrigger can disable it. Any idea?

It doesn't work. Notice that not just subtracting 5 hours from 0:30 am the scheduled time. It is set to Wed 7:30 pm instead. Either way, you can see the Next Run still adding one hour like before. See the image.

I found that the issue here. Please see the image.

Notice the option "Synchronize across time zones" is enabled. I tested. When I turn off the option, The Next Run time stays the same as the original scheduled time. However, I am not sure what parameter of "New-ScheduledTaskTrigger" controls that switch. Any idea?

Give this a try:

$Date = Get-Date -Date "00:30"  # You can be more precise by providing the year/month/day and hour, seconds, and milliseconds if necessary
$Trigger = New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -Once -At (Get-Date -Day 1 -Month 1 -Year 1 -Hour 0)    # the place-holder date will be replaced below
$Trigger.StartBoundary = (Get-Date -Date $Date -Format 'HH:mm') # time represents LOCAL time

If that doesn't turn off the synchronization then you may have to resort to guerilla tactics and modify the XML that represents the finished scheduled task (not a difficult thing to do) by removing the leading "T" in the "StartBoundary" property. Or, if you don't want to go that far, you can also use the command line "schtasks" to provide the StartBoundary value.

Yes, I will deploy this PS script via Intune to 100+ Windows 11 machines across Canada in different time zones. But, I just want the scheduled tasks to run against all local time times of the machines. Is there any simple way to turn off the "Synchronize time across zones" (please refer to the image attached) option inside "Edit Trigger" via the same script I have as that option appeared to be turned on by default when the tasks are scheduled via the script? If creating a scheduled task manually in Task Scheduler, that option is by default turned off instead.

Again, my current issue I have is the Next Run scheduled time somehow kept adding one extra hour on top of the originally scheduled time. Even wried is that, even though I could see the first Run and Next Run times are all good when the tasks are set in the Task Scheduler initially, the Next Run time would change to adding one extra hour once the First Run is completed.

I want to try turning off the "Synchronize across time zones" option to see if that can keep the Next Run time the same as the originally set scheduled time.

FYI. I got it resolved. I set up both scheduled tasks I wanted from a test machine first. Then I exported them as XML files. I created two PS scripts each reading individual XML file (embedded inside the PS script) to import the scheduled tasks. I got them deployed out to all 142 machines across Canada. The "Next Run" time stayed the same as the first scheduled time. It is set to run on Monday and Thursday early morning no problem. Thanks

I faced the issue with "Synchronize across time zones" option while registering scheduled task, which has to run under group managed service account. You cannot modify scheduled task via GUI mmc (to uncheck time zones tickbox) when using GMSA, so Powershell is (one of?) the way to go. Using hints from this thread I modified StartBoundary property of the trigger object. As I found StartBoundary is simply a string which can be easily overwritten. As written in the mentioned thread, if you want 'Synchronize across time zones' to be unchecked: you must use a time value for start boundary that is as per the local time that you want the task to run and does not end with the time indicator Z.

$arg = "-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\custom_scripts\myscript.ps1";
$action = New-ScheduledTaskAction -Execute pwsh.exe -Argument $arg;

$triggers = @(
    $(New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -At (Get-Date $(Get-Date "08:05").ToLocalTime() -Format "HH:mm") -Daily),
    $(New-ScheduledTaskTrigger -At (Get-Date $(Get-Date "13:15").ToLocalTime() -Format "HH:mm") -Daily)
)
foreach ($trigger in $triggers)
{
    if($trigger.StartBoundary.EndsWith("Z"))
    {
        $trigger.StartBoundary = $trigger.StartBoundary.Substring(0,$trigger.StartBoundary.Length-1);
    }
}

$principal = New-ScheduledTaskPrincipal -UserID domain\gmsa_username$ -LogonType Password;
Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName 'MyTask' -TaskPath '\CustomTasks\MyTask' -Action $action -Trigger $triggers -Principal $principal;