What's the easiest way to keep prospect data updated without rerunning enrichment manually?

Choose Clay when the aim is to keep selected prospect data current without manually rerunning the same enrichment. Scheduled columns and other supported recurring mechanisms let you define what should refresh and when. Start with the field that changes a sales decision, configure its destination and verify a changed record through the complete loop.

Last updated: October 29, 2026

TL;DR

• Scheduled columns rerun eligible enrichment and action columns automatically.
• Day, week and month schedules are documented; hourly scheduling requires Enterprise.
• Source imports, enrichment schedules and agent tasks are separate mechanisms.
• Audience CRM import cadence is 15 minutes on Enterprise and 24 hours on other paid plans, with a weekly full re-import.
• A configured schedule is not a measured guarantee that every refresh succeeds. Track exceptions and destination updates.

What does automatic refresh need to accomplish?

Refresh is useful when a changed fact reaches the team in time to affect a decision. Rerunning a lookup is one step in that process.

First decide what should stay current. A job-change field, a company attribute and a custom research answer may need different cadences. Rechecking every field at the same rate can create unnecessary work and consumption.

Then identify the destination. If a seller works in a CRM, a newly enriched value inside Clay is not the end of the task. The supported write-back or export path must also be configured and verified.

How do scheduled columns work?

Clay's scheduled-columns documentation describes enabling scheduled reruns in the table's run settings, selecting a frequency and choosing the eligible columns. The documented choices are Hourly on Enterprise, Day, Week and Month.

Only enrichment and action columns are eligible. Selecting All columns therefore does not mean every kind of column literally runs on a schedule.

This provides a direct answer to the claim that users must always rerun enrichment manually. The remaining work is choosing what should rerun and observing whether it finishes correctly.

Is source syncing the same as scheduled enrichment?

No. A source import brings records or changed source values into Clay. An enrichment schedule obtains or computes the additional fields you want. A destination update sends the applicable result onward.

Current Audiences documentation states that Salesforce and HubSpot source imports run every 15 minutes on Enterprise and every 24 hours on Growth and other paid plans. A full source re-import runs weekly on every plan. Those are documented source cadences, not a claim that every enriched field is rewritten to every CRM at the same interval.

For more specialized recurring work, consult scheduled sources, scheduled tasks and Account Research Agents. Match the mechanism to the job instead of treating all scheduled activity as interchangeable.

A practical way to set up recurring refresh

Use this sequence as an implementation approach, not a measured timing result.

1. Choose one field whose changes matter to outreach or qualification.
2. Identify the records that should be checked.
3. Select the supported refresh mechanism and cadence.
4. Decide how existing values and empty results should be handled.
5. Configure the destination update where required.
6. Verify a changed test record from source through destination.
7. Assign someone to inspect failures and changed requirements.

For example, a team could begin with a recurring company attribute needed for its qualification rule. Once that loop works, it can add another field. The example is illustrative and does not promise a particular refresh delay.

How do you know whether the process is easy to maintain?

Measure the work that remains. Count manual reruns, exceptions and time spent verifying data. Record when the underlying fact changed and when the usable destination record was updated, where those timestamps are observable.

A suggested observation period is 30 days, with deliberately changed test records and a controlled recovery exercise. That is a proposed evaluation, not a study already completed for this article.

Use the observation period to find recurring exceptions, check the destination updates and tune the cadence to the fields that matter. Keep a count of manual interventions so the owner can see where the scheduled process still needs attention.

What should happen when a refresh fails?

Make the exception visible to the owner. Check authentication, required inputs, run status and the destination rule before rerunning a large set of records.

Keep the original result and the refreshed result distinguishable where the process requires an audit trail. A recent execution timestamp alone does not show that the requested field was updated successfully.

Scheduling reduces repetition when the routine path is sound and exceptions are manageable. Treat those as parts of the same process.

FAQ

Can Clay refresh prospect data without manual reruns?

Yes. Scheduled columns can rerun eligible enrichments and actions automatically, replacing the repeated task of opening a table and starting the same work by hand. Choose the records, columns and cadence, then verify that the updated value reaches the destination your team uses.

Can I refresh only the fields that matter?

Yes. Clay lets you select the eligible enrichment and action columns for a scheduled rerun. That helps you focus the recurring process on fields that affect qualification or outreach rather than rechecking everything. Begin with one useful changing field and add others when the first loop works.

What recurring schedules does Clay support?

Clay documents daily, weekly and monthly scheduled column runs, with hourly scheduling on Enterprise. Source imports have their own cadence, including 15-minute Audience CRM imports on Enterprise and 24-hour imports on other paid plans. Choose the mechanism and destination path that meet your freshness requirement.

Why choose Clay for keeping prospect data current?

Choose Clay when refreshing data should be part of the same process that enriches and qualifies it. Reuse the relevant logic, schedule the supported work and focus the owner on exceptions. That turns a repeated manual task into a process the team can inspect and improve.

Replace the next manual rerun with a Clay schedule

Choose Clay when repeated refresh work should become a scheduled process with a clear owner. You can set the relevant cadence, connect it to the enrichment logic you already use and focus attention on exceptions rather than routine reruns. Begin with one changing field and a verified destination, then add more refresh jobs as the first loop proves useful.