Setting a cron job to run on the first Sunday of every month isn’t directly possible using the default cPanel interface. However, with a simple script, you can easily work around this limitation and automate your tasks—like running system updates or backups—on schedule.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through a simple method to set up such a cron job using shell scripting.

✅ Why You Can’t Use cPanel for This

The cPanel cron job interface doesn’t allow advanced conditions like “first Sunday of the month.” It only supports specific days, dates, and times, so this type of logic must be handled in a custom script.

🔧 Method 1: Inline Cron Script

You can set the cron job directly using an inline if statement in your crontab.

🔁 Cron Expression:

00 00 1-7 * * if [ “$(date +\%a)” = “Sun” ]; then /script/upcp; fi

✅ What it does:

• 00 00 1-7 * * — Runs daily at midnight during the first 7 days of each month.
• The if condition checks if the current day is Sunday.
• If true, it executes /script/upcp.

🗂️ Method 2: Using an External Script

For better organization, especially in larger systems, you can offload the logic to a separate shell script.

📁 Step 1: Create a shell script

Create a file called /home/test.sh and add the following code:

!/bin/bash

if [[ “$(date +’%a’)” != “Sun” ]]; then
exit 0
else
/script/upcp
fi

Make sure to give it execute permissions:

chmod +x /home/test.sh

🕒 Step 2: Set the Cron Job

Now, add the following line to your crontab:

00 00 1-7 * * /home/test.sh

This cron runs every day from the 1st to the 7th at midnight, and the script takes care of executing the command only on Sunday.

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💡 Conclusion

While cPanel doesn’t support scheduling cron jobs on the first Sunday of the month directly, these simple workarounds get the job done. Whether you choose an inline script or a dedicated .sh file, you can automate your tasks reliably.