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Automations let you schedule recurring research, analysis, or content generation tasks. Khoj runs your queries automatically and delivers results to your inbox - perfect for newsletters, daily briefings, and monitoring.
Automation Creation Interface
Automation Email Result

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What Can Automations Do?

Create custom newsletters tailored to your interests:Example: Weekly tech roundup
Subject: Weekly Tech Digest

Query: Compile a newsletter with:
1. Top 3 AI news stories from this week
2. Interesting GitHub projects I might like
3. Summary of articles I saved but haven't read

Schedule: Every Monday at 9:00 AM
Start your day informed:Example: Morning briefing
Subject: Today's Priorities

Query: Provide:
1. Weather forecast for my location
2. Top news headlines
3. My calendar for today from my notes
4. Motivational quote

Schedule: Every day at 7:00 AM
Track topics automatically:Example: Competition analysis
Subject: Competitor Updates

Query: Research and summarize:
1. Latest product launches from [competitors]
2. News mentions of [competitor names]
3. Industry trends in [your sector]

Schedule: Every Friday at 5:00 PM
Monitor your own data:Example: Weekly review
Subject: Week in Review

Query: Based on my notes from the past week:
1. What did I accomplish?
2. What challenges did I face?
3. What should I focus on next week?

Schedule: Every Sunday at 6:00 PM
Continuous education:Example: Daily learning
Subject: Today I Learned

Query: Teach me something interesting about [topic]. 
Include:
1. A concept explanation
2. A practical example
3. A question to test understanding

Schedule: Every day at 8:00 PM
Stay on track with health goals:Example: Workout planner
Subject: This Week's Workouts

Query: Create a workout plan for this week based on:
1. My fitness level from my notes
2. Equipment I have available
3. Time constraints (30 min sessions)

Schedule: Every Monday at 6:00 AM

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Creating an Automation

1

Access Automations Page

Navigate to app.khoj.dev/automations
2

Click 'New Automation'

Or use the quick-create form on the automations page
3

Configure Subject Line

Set the email subject - this helps you identify automations in your inbox
Weekly Newsletter - Tech & AI
Use clear, searchable subjects so you can filter emails later
4

Write Your Query

Craft the task you want Khoj to perform. Be specific:Good query:
Compile a message including:
1. A recap of AI news from the past week
2. An at-home workout I can do in 20 minutes
3. A quote to inspire me for the week ahead
4. Summary of any notes I tagged #important this week
Too vague:
Send me updates
5

Set Schedule

Choose when and how often the automation runs:
  • Daily at [time]
  • Weekly on [day] at [time]
  • Monthly on [date] at [time]
All times use your local timezone (detected automatically)
6

Choose Agent (Optional)

Select a specific agent to run the automation, or use the default assistant
7

Enable Tools (Optional)

Toggle capabilities for this automation:
  • Online Search: Include real-time web research
  • Document Search: Access your knowledge base
  • Image Generation: Include images in emails
  • Code Execution: Run calculations or analysis
8

Save Automation

Click “Create” - Khoj will run at the next scheduled time

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Managing Automations

The automations page shows:
  • Subject & Query: What the automation does
  • Schedule: When it runs
  • Next Run: Countdown to next execution
  • Status: Active, paused, or failed

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Email Delivery

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What to Expect

1

Scheduled Execution

At the scheduled time, Khoj processes your query in the background
2

Email Sent

Results are sent to your account email address within a few minutes
3

Review Results

The email contains:
  • Subject line you configured
  • Full response from Khoj
  • Any images or diagrams generated
  • Links to referenced documents
  • Footer with automation management link

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Email Formatting

Automation emails are formatted for readability:
  • Markdown rendered: Headings, lists, and formatting preserved
  • Images embedded: Generated images appear inline
  • Links active: Citations and references are clickable
  • Mobile-friendly: Readable on all devices

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Writing Effective Automation Queries

Use numbered lists or sections:Good:
Create a weekly summary with:
1. Top 3 news stories in renewable energy
2. Summary of my journal entries this week
3. Recommended article to read based on my interests
4. Inspirational quote
Less effective:
Give me a weekly summary of stuff
Specify relevant time periods:
Summarize news from the past 7 days...

Based on my notes from yesterday...

What are this week's priorities from my calendar?
Reference your documents:
Review notes tagged #work from the past week and 
highlight action items

Based on my reading list, recommend which book to 
start next and why
Ask for practical results:
End with 3 specific actions I should take this week

Format as a checklist I can copy to my task manager

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Example Automations

Subject: Daily Standup Prep

Query:
Based on my notes and calendar:
1. What did I accomplish yesterday?
2. What's on my schedule today?
3. Any blockers or issues I noted?
4. Top 3 priorities for today

Schedule: Every weekday at 8:00 AM

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Best Practices

Time Zones

Automations use your local time - verify before scheduling

Test First

Run the query manually in chat before automating

Manage Email

Create filters to organize automation emails

Review & Refine

Adjust queries based on what you receive

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Self-Hosting Requirements

Self-hosted Khoj requires additional setup for automations:
1

Configure Authentication

Automations require user authentication to be enabled.Authentication Setup Guide →
2

Setup Email Service

Configure Resend for email delivery:
  1. Create account at resend.com
  2. Generate API key
  3. Set environment variable: 
    RESEND_API_KEY=your_api_key_here
  4. Configure sender email in Khoj settings
3

Restart Server

Restart Khoj to apply email configuration
4

Verify Setup

Create a test automation to confirm email delivery
Cloud Khoj users (app.khoj.dev) have automations fully configured - no setup needed.

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Troubleshooting

Possible causes:
  • Email in spam folder
  • Self-hosting without Resend configured
  • Incorrect email address in account settings
Solutions:
  • Check spam/junk folders
  • Whitelist [email protected]
  • Verify account email in settings
  • Check Resend configuration (self-hosted)
Possible causes:
  • Automation paused
  • Server downtime during scheduled time
  • Timezone confusion
Solutions:
  • Check automation status (active vs paused)
  • Verify schedule in your local timezone
  • Check “Last Run” timestamp
Possible causes:
  • Query too vague
  • Required tools not enabled
  • No relevant documents in knowledge base
Solutions:
  • Make query more specific
  • Enable online search if needed
  • Verify documents are synced
  • Test query manually in chat first
Solutions:
  • Ask for summaries or bullet points
  • Limit number of items requested
  • Be more specific about scope
Example:
Summarize in 5 bullet points or less...

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Privacy & Data

  • Automation emails are sent only to your account email
  • You can share automation results by forwarding emails
  • Queries run with your permissions and data access
  • Delete automations anytime to stop future runs

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Next Steps

Use Agents in Automations

Assign specialized agents to automations for better results

Advanced Queries

Learn slash commands and query techniques

Share Results

Share automation insights with your team

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