# Cadence

A shared interval and period-key convention selected by recurring work.

Source table: Cadence in Core Record Types (`schema:Schedule`). A Cadence is a catalog entry for how often something repeats and how its period is keyed.

## Rules and relationships

Keep Key stable once another base uses it: consumers copy it into selects and automations match on it. Repeat Frequency stores an ISO 8601 duration; Period Hours is an approximation for comparison. By Day qualifies daily schedules. Period Key Format defines the key pattern of a period. BDS Cadence names the shared cadence term. The catalog does not run a scheduler or choose recipients; a consumer may implement only some of these fields.

## Lifecycle and checks

Lifecycle Status is Draft, Active or Archived and controls whether the cadence can still be chosen. No formula checks the cadence.

## Source fields

Names, types, options and links are those configured in Core Record Types. The meaning is the first line of each field description in Airtable. Options describe configuration; they do not prove a rule is enforced elsewhere.

### Recorded values

| Field | Type | Meaning | Options, link or calculation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name | Text | Stores the name people pick when they choose how often something repeats. | Entered value. |
| Key | Text | Stores the stable value that other bases copy into their select and that automations match on. | Entered value. |
| Repeat Frequency | Text | Stores the length of one period as an ISO 8601 duration. | Entered value. |
| Period Hours | Number | Stores the nominal length of one period in hours, for comparisons across cadences. | Entered value. |
| By Day | Multiple select | Stores the days of the week the cadence applies on, when it does not apply every day. | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday |
| Period Key Format | Text | Stores the date pattern that writes the period key of any date inside a period. | Entered value. |
| BDS Cadence | Single select | Stores which shared cadence term this interval realizes. | Daily, Weekly, Biweekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Annual, On Demand |
| Description | Long text | Explains when to pick this cadence and how its period is counted. | Entered value. |
| Lifecycle Status | Single select | Stores whether this cadence can still be chosen. | Draft, Active, Archived |

### Links

| Field | Type | Meaning | Options, link or calculation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Tags | Linked records | Links optional labels from the shared Core Tags catalog. | → [Tag](/systems/core/tag) · several records |

## Example (fictitious)

A "Weekly" cadence has Key weekly, Repeat Frequency P1W, Period Hours 168 and a week-based Period Key Format. A KPI target that repeats weekly links its mirror.

## Use by other systems

Sync direction and the source view are confirmed only where the note says so; see [Architecture and ownership](/systems/core/architecture).

| System | Local table | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KPIs & OKRs | [Cadence (mirror)](/systems/kpis-okrs/entity-cadence-mirror) | — |

[Correct shared records](/systems/core/maintain-shared-records) · [All entities](/systems/core/entities)