Synchronization Schedule
Table of Contents
- Setting Synchronization Frequency
- Manual Synchronization (On Demand)
- Synchronization Error Notifications
Synchronization is the process by which Sembot fetches a new version of the source file from your store or e-commerce platform, processes it through the rules, and updates the output files. The schedule determines when and how often this process runs automatically.
Setting Synchronization Frequency
The parsing schedule is configured separately for each source file. To access it, go to Feed Settings, find the source file in the list, and click Edit (the context menu next to the row). The Parsing Frequency section is located in the lower part of the edit form.
How the Schedule Works
The schedule consists of a list of entries — each entry is a specific hour of the day at which Sembot will automatically download and process the file. You can add up to 5 entries per source file.
Tip shown in the interface: "You can set different parsing times for the main feed, supplemental feed, or both types."
Schedule Table — Columns
| Column | What You Configure |
|---|---|
| Parsing Time (UTC) | Hour of the day (0–23) in the UTC+0 time zone |
| Feed Parsing Type | Whether at this hour the Main feed, Supplemental feed, or Both should be downloaded |
UTC Time Zone
All times in the schedule are expressed in UTC+0 (Coordinated Universal Time). Your local time zone may differ from UTC — adjust accordingly when setting up your schedule.
Example: if you want Sembot to download the feed at 8:00 AM your local time (UTC+2), set the time to 6:00 UTC.
Adding and Removing Entries
Adding a new parsing time: click Add Parsing Time — a new row will appear in the table. Select the hour from the list and the parsing type, then click Save.
Removing an entry: click the trash icon next to the selected row, then click Save.
Limitations:
- An active feed must have at least one entry — you cannot remove all hours if the feed is active. Message: "You must have at least one parsing hour for an active feed. You cannot remove all parsing hours."
- Maximum of 5 entries per feed. If you try to exceed this: "Error changing parsing frequency. Make sure you have selected a maximum of 5 parsing hours."
- Each hour can appear only once — duplicates are blocked. When all 24 hours are taken: "All hours are already taken. Remove existing entries to add new ones."
- Before saving, all rows must have a selected hour and type — an incomplete row blocks saving: "Please complete the hour and parsing type for all rows first."
Confirming Schedule Save
After clicking Save, the following message appears: "Parsing frequency has been changed."
When Is the Next Synchronization
Sembot does not display a countdown to the next synchronization. To determine when the next download will occur, check the schedule table and the Processed column in the source file list — it shows the date and time of the last parsing.
Manual Synchronization (On Demand)
Without waiting for the schedule, you can manually trigger a source file download or output file generation at any time.
Manual Source File Download
On the Feed Settings page (the tab with source files), click the Download Source Files button (upper right corner). Sembot will immediately begin downloading all active source files in the project.
During the download, the button is disabled and a notice appears above the table: "Source files are being downloaded." When the download is complete, the state returns to normal and you can trigger it again.
Manual Output File Generation
On the output files tab, click Update Output Files. Sembot will reprocess the data through the rules and generate new versions of all active output files.
During generation, the button is disabled and the following appears above the table: "Output files are being generated."
Note: the output file is generated automatically after each completed source file download. Manual output file update is only needed when you have changed rules or output feed settings and want to see the result immediately — without waiting for the next schedule cycle.
Locked States
In some situations, manually triggering synchronization is not possible:
| Message | Meaning |
|---|---|
| "Feed downloading/parsing is locked or in progress" | A download is currently running — wait for it to finish |
| "Output feed generation is locked or in progress" | Generation is currently running — wait for it to finish |
Sembot will automatically unlock the buttons when the current operation is complete.
Synchronization Error Notifications
Sembot can automatically notify you about feed issues via in-app notifications or email. Settings are configured in User Settings / Notification Center — also accessible by clicking the bell icon in the top bar and selecting Notification Center from the menu.
Notification Configuration
The Notification Center page contains a Default Notification Settings section.
"Default notification settings apply across all projects unless overridden."
Notifications are grouped into categories (e.g., Feeds) — each category can be expanded or collapsed using the Collapse All button. For each event type, you independently configure three channels:
| Column | What It Enables |
|---|---|
| In-App | Notification appears in the Notification Center within the app |
| Notification is sent to the email address associated with the account | |
| Customization | Additional, custom delivery channels |
Available Notification Types for Feeds
The Feeds category includes the following notification types:
| Notification Type | When It Is Sent |
|---|---|
| Input feed error | The source file could not be downloaded or parsed |
| Product count drop in input feed | The number of products in the source file dropped significantly compared to the previous parsing |
| Output feed error | The output file could not be generated |
| Missing required fields in output feed | The mapping does not cover fields required by the advertising channel |
| Product count drop in output feed | The number of products in the output file dropped significantly |
By default, all types have In-App, Email, and Customization channels enabled. You can disable any channel for any type by unchecking the corresponding checkbox.