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This guide explains how to run PropOps Web cron jobs through n8n, verify execution, and confirm retention/audit behavior.

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1. Confirm prerequisite settings

In your environment configuration, ensure the following are set:
  • CRON_WEBHOOK_TOKEN
  • GDPR_ACTIVITY_LOG_RETENTION_MONTHS
  • GDPR_REPORT_FILE_RETENTION_HOURS
Use conservative values in production and document policy decisions internally.

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2. Create or review n8n schedules

For each background task, configure an n8n workflow with:
  1. Schedule Trigger node
  2. HTTP Request node (POST)
  3. URL set to your cron webhook endpoint: /api/cron/webhook
  4. Header: X-Webhook-Token: <your token>
  5. Body fields:
    • script: target cron filename
    • triggered_by: n8n
Example body: 
{
  "script": "cleanup_gdpr_data.php",
  "triggered_by": "n8n"
}

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3. Use approved script names only

The cron webhook accepts only allowlisted script names. If a script is not approved, the webhook returns an authorization error. If you add a new cron script:
  1. add the script file
  2. add it to webhook allowlist
  3. create/update n8n workflow
  4. define concurrency behavior where applicable
Use frequent schedules for lightweight maintenance and less frequent schedules for heavy work. Typical examples:
  • Session cleanup: hourly
  • GDPR cleanup: hourly or daily (based on policy strictness)
  • API history cleanup: daily
  • Commit archive purge: daily
  • Heavy optimize/analyze passes: off-peak windows

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5. Validate retention behavior

After schedule changes:
  1. run the workflow manually once
  2. confirm cron log file updates
  3. confirm expected rows/files are removed
  4. confirm activity entry exists in user_activity_log
For GDPR/SAR policy, verify generated report files expire according to GDPR_REPORT_FILE_RETENTION_HOURS.

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6. Verify audit trail

For cleanup/purge jobs, confirm an activity record exists with:
  • activity type for the job
  • script name
  • deleted counts
  • execution type as cron
This is required for operational and compliance traceability.

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7. Troubleshooting

If a job does not run:
  • check n8n workflow status and last execution
  • verify webhook token header
  • verify script name is allowlisted
  • check cron script log file in cron/logs or logs
  • test script directly via CLI for syntax/runtime issues