> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://openclaw.ai2me.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Retired HEARTBEAT.md workspace file

# HEARTBEAT.md is retired

OpenClaw no longer creates `HEARTBEAT.md` in new workspaces or reads it at runtime. Heartbeat instructions now live in the system-owned monitor's cron scratch in the shared state database.

Manage the current scratch with the monitor job id from `openclaw cron list --all`:

```bash theme={"theme":{"light":"min-light","dark":"min-dark"}}
openclaw cron scratch <jobId>
openclaw cron scratch <jobId> --set "..."
openclaw cron scratch <jobId> --file notes.md
openclaw cron scratch <jobId> --unset
```

If an older workspace still contains `HEARTBEAT.md`, run `openclaw doctor --fix`. Doctor imports its instructions into monitor scratch, converts valid legacy `tasks:` entries into cron jobs, archives the original under the state directory, and removes the workspace file.

## Related

* [Heartbeat](/gateway/heartbeat)
* [Cron CLI](/cli/cron)
* [Doctor](/cli/doctor)
* [Heartbeat config](/gateway/config-agents)