Google Drive Trigger node doesn't accept cron expression without seconds

Describe the problem

When trying to activate workflow with a Google Drive Trigger (Triggers on Changes Involving a Specific Folder), which has a custom cron expression with 5 values e.g. to run every 20 minutes (*/20 * * * *), I’m getting an error. This seems like a bug since the cron expression seems fine (validated on https://crontab.guru/)

What is the error message?

Workflow could not be activated:

There was a problem activating the workflow: “The polling interval is too short. It has to be at least a minute.”

Workaround

Workaround is to add a seconds component. E.g. to run every 20 minutes: 0 */20 * * * *

Information on your n8n setup

  • n8n version: 1.110.1
  • Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): n8n cloud
1 Like

(UTC+02:00) Prague

Hey @napped , maybe you can try using a schedule trigger node if beginning and the fetch for changes in the google drive (node that will fetch the updates).

Thanks, but…

that would not be a good idea since I would consume my n8n cloud 2500 executions quickly. Every start of the Scheduled Trigger node counts against execution limit as opposed to Google Drive Trigger, which consumes execution only if there is a change.

Also as I wrote there is a workaround - just add a zero at the start. The problem is that this is not aligned with documentation and it took me some time to figure that out. Documentations says I can omit the first “seconds” component in the cron expression.

So either documentation should change or Google triggers should be fixed (I found same problem in the Google Sheets trigger).

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Is this the right place where to ask for fix?

had the same issue for airtable. whatever validation n8n is doing on the cron field is not parsing the cron expression correctly.

love u! thank u!!