Cron Expression: Every Friday at 5:00 PM (0 17 * * 5)
Need to generate a cron expression?
Use CronOS to generate any cron expression you wish with natural language. Simply describe what you need, and we'll create the perfect cron expression for you. It's completely free!
Cron Expression: Every Friday at 5:00 PM (0 17 * * 5)
The cron expression 0 17 * * 5 executes a task every Friday at 5:00 PM (17:00), making it ideal for end-of-workweek operations, weekly summaries, and tasks that should run when the business week ends.
Expression Breakdown
0 17 * * 5
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ └─── Day of week: 5 (Friday)
│ │ │ └───── Month: * (every month)
│ │ └─────── Day of month: * (every day)
│ └────────── Hour: 17 (at hour 17, 5:00 PM)
└───────────── Minute: 0 (at minute 0)
Field Values
| Field | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Minute | 0 | At minute 0 |
| Hour | 17 | At hour 17 (5:00 PM) |
| Day of Month | * | Every day (1-31) |
| Month | * | Every month (1-12) |
| Day of Week | 5 | Friday |
Execution Time
This expression runs once per week at:
- Friday 17:00 (5:00 PM)
Common Use Cases
1. End-of-Week Reports
0 17 * * 5 /usr/bin/python3 /scripts/generate-end-of-week-report.py
Generate and send end-of-workweek reports or summaries.
2. Weekly Backups
0 17 * * 5 /usr/local/bin/weekly-backup.sh
Create full weekly backups at the end of the workweek.
3. Weekly Summaries
0 17 * * 5 /usr/bin/python3 /scripts/create-weekly-summary.py
Create weekly summaries, statistics, or analytics for the business week.
4. Data Archiving
0 17 * * 5 /usr/local/bin/archive-weekly-data.sh
Archive weekly data or move it to long-term storage.
Example Implementations
End-of-Week Report Script
# generate-end-of-week-report.py
import json
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
import sqlite3
def generate_end_of_week_report():
conn = sqlite3.connect('/var/data/app.db')
cursor = conn.cursor()
# Get data from this week (Monday to Friday)
end_date = datetime.now()
start_date = end_date - timedelta(days=5)
cursor.execute('''
SELECT
COUNT(*) as total_transactions,
SUM(amount) as total_revenue,
COUNT(DISTINCT user_id) as unique_customers,
AVG(amount) as avg_transaction_value
FROM transactions
WHERE created_at >= ? AND created_at < ?
''', (start_date, end_date))
metrics = cursor.fetchone()
report = {
'week_start': start_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'),
'week_end': end_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d'),
'generated_at': datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'),
'metrics': {
'total_transactions': metrics[0],
'total_revenue': round(metrics[1], 2) if metrics[1] else 0,
'unique_customers': metrics[2],
'avg_transaction_value': round(metrics[3], 2) if metrics[3] else 0
}
}
with open(f'/var/reports/end_of_week_{end_date.strftime("%Y%m%d")}.json', 'w') as f:
json.dump(report, f, indent=2)
print(f"{datetime.now()}: End-of-week report generated")
conn.close()
if __name__ == '__main__':
generate_end_of_week_report()
Best Practices
- Workweek End: Friday 5 PM aligns with typical business day end
- Error Handling: Implement comprehensive error handling and logging
- Locking: Use file locks to prevent concurrent execution
- Monitoring: Set up alerts for failed weekly jobs
- Performance: Optimize tasks to complete efficiently
When to Use
✅ Good for:
- End-of-week reports
- Weekly backups
- Weekly summaries
- Data archiving
- End-of-workweek operations
❌ Avoid for:
- Real-time critical operations
- Very long-running processes
Related Patterns
| Pattern | Expression | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Every Monday at 8 AM | 0 8 * * 1 | Start of workweek |
| Every Friday at 5 PM | 0 17 * * 5 | End of workweek |
| Every weekday | 0 8 * * 1-5 | Weekdays at 8 AM |
Conclusion
The 0 17 * * 5 expression is perfect for weekly operations that should run at the end of the workweek. It's commonly used for end-of-week reports, backups, and summaries, providing closure on the business week and preparing for the weekend.
Need to generate a cron expression?
Use CronOS to generate any cron expression you wish with natural language. Simply describe what you need, and we'll create the perfect cron expression for you. It's completely free!