Schedules vs routines

There are two ways to make work happen on repeat, and they look almost identical from the outside. The difference is what’s running underneath. Pick the right one and you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches.

​

The one distinction that matters

Both run your work on a timer. The difference is the engine doing the work:

• A Schedule runs on Cowork — the no-code side. Best for everyday, non-technical tasks.
• A Routine runs on Claude Code — the hands-on side. Best for more technical work.

Same idea (“do this on repeat”), different machine under the hood. That’s the whole thing.

​

Schedule (Cowork) — the simple, no-code choice

If the task doesn’t involve code, a Cowork schedule is what you want. It just works, no technical setup. Great for:

• Browser / Chrome automation (clicking around websites, pulling info, filling things in)
• Writing, outreach, summaries, content
• Anything you’d describe in plain English

This is the default for most solopreneurs. If you’re not sure, you want a schedule.

​

Routine (Claude Code) — for the technical stuff

If the task actually involves code — building something, running data jobs, working in a real project — you want a Claude Code routine. It can do the technical work a Cowork schedule can’t. A routine then runs in one of two places, and the choice has real consequences: On your computer (local)

• Uses your own logins and connections — it can reach the things your computer can reach.
• Your computer has to be on for it to run.
• Simple to set up; nothing in the cloud to configure.

In the cloud

• Runs without your computer — your laptop can be closed.
• More technical to set up (it works through GitHub and similar), so there’s a bit more plumbing.
• Good when the job is long, heavy, or needs to run while you’re away.

→ More on this in On your computer or in the cloud.

​

Which should you pick?

Rule of thumb: start with a Cowork schedule. Only reach for a Claude Code routine when the task genuinely needs code.

​

How often should it run?

Whichever you pick, match the frequency to the work: Start with daily. Only go more frequent if the work truly needs it — an agent running hourly with nothing to do is just wasted money.

​

The golden rule: you have to be able to see it

A scheduled task you never check is worse than none. This is what Orbit is for — whether it’s a Cowork schedule or a Claude Code routine, every run automatically:

• Checks in so you know it ran.
• Saves its work to your Vault.
• Lands in your morning Briefing — your one-page daily catch-up.

So it’s never “I hope the robot did its job.” It’s “I read the one-line summary over coffee.” And because both engines report into the same Orbit, you watch all your recurring work in one place — no matter which one is running underneath. → How to set up a scheduled agent