> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tryordinal.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Scheduling Posts

> Set a publish date and time for your post. Use Ordinal's recommended times for each platform or pick a custom slot.

Scheduling determines when your content goes live. Set a specific date and time, and Ordinal handles publishing automatically - posts go out within seconds of their scheduled time.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/ordinal/9SNngH9d5toHVBfb/images/scheduling.jpg?fit=max&auto=format&n=9SNngH9d5toHVBfb&q=85&s=aab72a33317a848be3694716bc0a1abb" alt="Scheduling" width="1500" height="900" data-path="images/scheduling.jpg" />

## Scheduling a post

1. Open or create a post
2. In the sidebar, click **Schedule Post**
3. Select your date and time
4. Confirm the timezone matches your workspace settings

<Check>
  Your post moves to "Scheduled" status and appears on the calendar as scheduled.
</Check>

## Recommended times

When you pick a time, Ordinal suggests optimal posting windows based on the platform and day of the week. Look for the **Recommended** section in the time picker.

How it works:

* Ordinal uses platform-specific optimal time slots (e.g., Twitter performs well 9am–1pm on Mondays)
* Times are randomized within the optimal window to avoid posting at the exact same time as others
* If another post is already scheduled within 20 minutes of a suggested time, Ordinal finds the next available slot

You'll also see **Recently Used** times - your most recent publish times for quick selection.

<Note>
  Recommended times require a workspace timezone. Set this in [Settings → General](https://app.tryordinal.com/settings/general).
</Note>

## Schedule vs Post Now

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Schedule for later">
    Choose a specific future date and time. The post:

    * Moves to "Scheduled" status
    * Appears on the calendar
    * Publishes automatically when the time arrives
    * Can be edited until publishing begins
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Post now">
    Publish immediately without scheduling. Useful for timely content or when you've finished drafting and want it out right away.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Rescheduling

To change when a scheduled post publishes:

1. Open the post
2. Click the **Edit Scheduling** button in the sidebar
3. Click the **Edit Scheduling** from the dropdown menu
4. Select a new date and time

You can also drag posts directly on the calendar to reschedule the date. To reschedule the time follow the steps above.

## Unscheduling

To unschedule a post:

1. Open the post
2. Click the **Edit Scheduling** button in the sidebar
3. Click the **Unschedule** button from the dropdown menu
4. The post returns to "Finalized" status

<Note>
  You cannot unschedule a post that's currently publishing or already published.
</Note>

## Cross-post scheduling

When a post targets multiple platforms, each channel is scheduled and published independently.

### How it works

* In the schedule modal, you can choose which connected accounts to include. Uncheck any channels you don't want to publish yet.
* All channels share the same scheduled time by default. If you need to schedule a different time for another channel, we recommend creating a separate post for that channel specifically (to save time, can use the **Duplicate** functionality).

<Warning>
  If you add cross-post channels to an already-scheduled post, the new channels are not automatically scheduled. You'll need to click **Edit scheduling** in the sidebar, and select all the channels (including the new one) to add them to the scheduling.
</Warning>

## CSV bulk scheduling

<Note>
  CSV bulk scheduling is available on Pro plans and supports **Twitter and LinkedIn only**.
</Note>

Upload a CSV file to create and schedule many posts at once. Find this at [**Settings → Bulk Scheduling**](https://app.tryordinal.com/settings/bulk-scheduling).

### CSV format

| Column               | Required | Description                                                   |
| -------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `channel`            | Yes      | `Twitter` or `LinkedIn`                                       |
| `username`           | Yes      | Account username (no @ for Twitter, vanity name for LinkedIn) |
| `publish_at`         | Yes      | ISO 8601 format: `2024-12-25T14:30:00`                        |
| `copy`               | Yes      | Post content                                                  |
| `first_comment_copy` | No       | First comment (where supported)                               |

### Example CSV

```csv theme={null}
channel,username,publish_at,copy,first_comment_copy
LinkedIn,johndoe,2024-12-01T09:00:00,"Excited to share our Q4 results...",
Twitter,johndoe,2024-12-01T09:30:00,"Big news coming! 🚀",
```

A [Google Sheets template](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ggg91CzFgk-Scp0Nerb29Lpw3ijD--NuFFwAC0obCSI/edit#gid=0) is available for reference.

<Tip>
  Bulk uploads automatically create a campaign named "Bulk Posts \[Date]" containing all uploaded posts.
</Tip>

## Timezone handling

Times display in your computer's local timezone. Hover over any scheduled time to see the conversion to your workspace timezone.

Your workspace timezone is configured in [**Settings → General**](https://app.tryordinal.com/settings/general). This is the timezone used for:

* Recommended time calculations
* Team coordination (so everyone knows when posts go live in the workspace's primary timezone)

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Post failed to publish">
    Open the post to see error details. Common causes:

    * Expired account authorization (reconnect in Settings)
    * Platform outage (retry later)
    * Content policy violation (review and edit)
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="New cross-post channel not scheduled">
    Channels added after scheduling aren't automatically included. Open the post and click **Edit scheduling** to add them.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Learn more

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Calendar" icon="calendar" href="/calendar/overview">
    Visualize and manage your schedule.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Post Statuses" icon="circle" href="/posts/statuses">
    Understand the full post lifecycle.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>