Automatic Check-Ins

For asking your team recurring questions and gathering their answers all in one spot.

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Automatic check-ins go out to your team on a regular basis. You can send them daily, weekly, or monthly. Everyone in the Project can see the responses. Automatic check-ins keep teams up to date, and help your users get to know each other better.

Screenshot of a project's main page with an arrow pointing to the Automatic check-in tool

At Basecamp, we use automatic check-ins to find out what everyone is up to. Every day, we ask people what they're working on, and what they had for lunch. Once a week, we ask people to take a picture of what they look like that day. Every other Monday, we ask people to share a good recipe. Once a month, we ask what people are reading, because who doesn't need a recommendation for a good book?

Screenshot of two different Automatic check-in questions for a project named

To set up an automatic check-in, click the Automatic Check-ins card in the Project and click the + New Question button located on the top-left:

Screenshot of the Automatic check-ins page with an arrow pointing to the +New Question button

Type your question, select who should be asked, then select how often and at what time you’d like to ask it.

Screenshot of the

When it's time to answer an automatic check-in, you'll receive a notification.

💡 TIP: Use check-ins at the right times in the right spots. Most projects only need a few check-ins. When you set those up, vary the times and dates throughout the week. It's best to avoid a dozen check-ins set to notify on a Friday morning


Pause, edit, or delete an automatic check-in

Go to the check-in, click the  ...   menu in the upper right corner, and select the Edit option:

Screenshot of the more options menu

You can also put a check-in in the trash by selecting the Put in the trash option:

Screenshot of the more options menu

To pause, click the Stop asking this question link located at the top of the Edit this Question page:

Screenshot of an arrow pointing to the

To start asking that question again, click the Start asking this Question link located at the top of the Edit this Question page:

Screenshot of an arrow pointing to the


Unsubscribe from automatic check-in questions or answers

If you don't need to be asked a check-in question, or don't need to see other people's answers, you can unsubscribe.   

You can toggle between being asked (or not) from the menu for that question. Look for the   ...   menu in the upper right corner and choose whether to start or stop being asked that question.

Screenshot of a check-in question's more options menu

If you don't need to be notified when other people answer a check-in, you can unsubscribe by clicking the link at the bottom of an email notification:

Screenshot of an Automatic check-in question email notification with an arrow pointing to the

You can also unsubscribe from answers to that question via the menu in the upper right corner:

Screenshot of a check-in question's more options menu

🗒️ NOTE: You cannot start or stop other people from receiving notifications for a check-in. You can add or remove other people from being asked a check-in question. Adding someone to a check-in will automatically subscribe them to new answers on that question.


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