Getting Started with Advanced Content Scheduler

Installation

Advanced Content Scheduler is available on WordPress.org and can be installed directly from your WordPress admin dashboard.

From the WordPress Admin:

1. Go to Plugins > Add New
2. Search for “Advanced Content Scheduler”
3. Click Install Now
4. Click Activate

Manual Installation:

1. Download the plugin from wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-content-scheduler/
2. Extract the zip file
3. Upload the advanced-content-scheduler folder to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory
4. Go to Plugins and click Activate for Advanced Content Scheduler

Initial Setup

After activation, you’ll find the ACS menu item in your WordPress admin sidebar.

Create Your First Schedule

1. Click ACS > New Schedule
2. Give your schedule a name (e.g., “Homepage Promo”)
3. Choose whether to apply it to a post, page, or custom post type
4. Set your content rules (see Content Rules section below)
5. Click Save Schedule

Content Rules

Content rules define when your scheduled content appears. You can combine multiple rules.

Time of Day

Set content to display only during specific hours:

• “Show this banner between 9 AM and 5 PM”
• “Display happy hour menu between 5 PM and 6 PM”

Day of Week

Set content to appear on specific days:

• “Show breakfast menu on weekdays only”
• “Display weekend special every Saturday and Sunday”

Specific Dates

Target content to specific dates:

• “Show event registration until December 31”
• “Display “Coming soon” starting January 1”

Recurring Patterns

Combine rules for complex schedules:

• “Weekdays 9 AM - 5 PM” (business hours, weekdays only)
• “Every first Monday of the month at 2 PM” (with exceptions)

Adding Content

You can add scheduled content using:

Gutenberg Block

1. Click the Add Block button
2. Search for “Advanced Content Scheduler”
3. Select the block
4. Configure the block settings
5. Add your content in the editor

Shortcode

Add scheduled content to any post or page using:

[acs-schedule id="123"]
  Your scheduled content here
[/acs-schedule]

PHP (for developers)

Use the ACS functions in your theme or plugin:

do_action('acs_display_schedule', $schedule_id);

Viewing Active Schedules

The ACS Dashboard widget shows:

• Currently active schedules
• Next scheduled changes
• Schedule status
• Quick access to edit schedules

Access the dashboard widget from your WordPress Dashboard.

Timezone Settings

By default, ACS uses your site’s timezone setting. To change:

1. Go to ACS > Settings
2. Under “Timezone”, select your timezone
3. Or enable “Visitor Timezone” to adapt schedules to each visitor’s local time

Fallback Content

Define what appears when no schedule is active:

1. Go to ACS > Settings
2. Set your “Fallback Content”
3. This displays when no active schedule applies

Troubleshooting

Scheduled content isn’t showing

• Check that your schedule’s start date is in the past
• Verify the rule conditions match the current time/day
• Clear your browser cache
• Check the schedule’s status is “Active”

Timezone issues

• Verify your site timezone is set correctly in Settings > General
• If using visitor timezones, check that the browser is sending correct timezone data
• Test with a different browser or device

Performance concerns

• ACS uses WordPress Heartbeat API for real-time updates
• If you have too many schedules updating simultaneously, consider disabling Heartbeat on certain pages
• Use schedule rules to limit active schedules during off-hours

Next Steps

• Read our blog post on content scheduling best practices
• Explore advanced rules and exceptions
• Set up automatic content rotation for your seasonal promotions