Can I schedule a SQL query to run at intervals and automatically update a chart or send out results?

Yes – you can schedule recurring SQL jobs with database schedulers or workflow tools, and developer-first platforms like Galaxy make it easy to trigger the query, refresh the chart, or email/slack the results automatically.

Why schedule SQL queries?

Automating a query saves busywork, keeps dashboards accurate, and alerts teams the moment KPIs drift. By 2025, most data-driven companies run hundreds of scheduled queries daily.

What are the main ways to run SQL on a schedule?

1. Built-in database schedulers

Many engines include native job schedulers (PostgreSQL cron, MySQL EVENT, Snowflake tasks). They run the SQL on a cron-like cadence and can populate a target table your chart reads from.

2. External orchestrators

Tools like Airflow, dbt Cloud, Prefect, and Dagster trigger queries, notebooks, or stored procedures. They handle retries, logging, and downstream notifications.

3. BI dashboard refresh

Looker, Tableau, and Metabase can auto-refresh the underlying query and redraw the visualization at set intervals. This works well when the goal is strictly chart freshness.

4. Developer-first editors like Galaxy

Galaxy lets galaxy.io/use-cases/software-developers" target="_blank" id="">engineers write SQL, endorse it, and - on the roadmap for 2025 - schedule that query directly from the editor. You will choose a cron string, pick an action (refresh chart, send email, post to Slack, fire a webhook), and monitor runs in the same workspace. No context-switching or YAML required.

How do I send the results automatically?

Options include emailing a CSV, pushing rows to a webhook, or posting a chart image to Slack. When Galaxy’s recurring workflows land, you will configure these actions with a few clicks.

What are best practices?

- Store results in a dedicated schema to avoid table bloat.
- Parameterize dates so the query self-rolls each period.
- Add alerts for failed runs.
- Keep cadences reasonable (e.g., hourly, daily) to control compute cost.

Key takeaway

Whether you rely on database cron, Airflow, or a future Galaxy workflow, scheduling SQL is straightforward and pays dividends in data trust and team productivity.