Operating Modes

Logging Only

Logging Only is the default operating mode. In this mode, the plugin observes WordPress maintenance activity without changing how WordPress normally handles updates.

The plugin can audit:

• Plugin installs
• Plugin activations and deactivations
• Plugin removals
• Plugin updates
• Theme updates
• WordPress core updates
• WordPress update checks
• Externally detected plugin changes
• Maintenance-mode activity
• Plugin configuration changes

WordPress remains responsible for its normal update scheduling and automatic-update behavior.

Managed Plugin Updates

Managed Plugin Updates adds scheduling control for plugins that already have Auto-updates enabled in WordPress.

When enabled:

• Eligible plugin updates are held for the configured maintenance window
• Plugins are updated sequentially
• Update results are recorded in the audit log
• Failed scheduled updates are tracked
• Repeated failures can trigger an administrator email

Managed scheduling applies only to plugins. Themes and WordPress core remain audit-only.

Status Dashboard

The Status section is designed to provide a quick view of what the plugin is doing without requiring the administrator to review every setting.

The dashboard shows information such as:

• Whether plugin update logging is enabled
• Whether managed plugin updates are enabled
• The last managed update run
• The next managed update run
• The configured maintenance time
• WordPress core audit status
• Current maintenance-mode status
• Active update lock status

When managed updates are disabled, the dashboard clearly shows DISABLED so there is no ambiguity about whether the plugin intends to perform scheduled updates.

WordPress Update Checks

WordPress periodically checks for plugin, theme, and core updates through WP-Cron. Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates makes those checks visible.

The plugin can display:

• The last observed plugin update check
• The last observed theme update check
• The last observed WordPress core update check
• The number of updates currently available
• The next scheduled WordPress cron check
• Whether a scheduled cron check is overdue

This gives administrators a clearer picture of when WordPress is checking for new software versions, even when no updates are actually installed.

Plugin Audit Logging

The plugin records the major lifecycle events associated with WordPress plugins.

Supported events include:

• PLUGIN_INSTALL
• PLUGIN_ACTIVATE
• PLUGIN_DEACTIVATE
• PLUGIN_UNINSTALL
• PLUGIN_UPDATE

When available, each audit record can include:

• Date and time
• Event type
• Source
• Plugin name
• Plugin file
• Old version
• Target version
• New version
• Status
• WordPress user
• Message
• Scheduled Run ID

PLUGIN_UPDATE
Source: MANUAL
Plugin: Example Plugin
Versions: 2.4.0 → 2.5.0
Status: SUCCESS
User: admin

Detecting Plugin Changes Outside WordPress

Some plugins or external tools may install, remove, update, activate, or deactivate plugins without using the normal WordPress administration workflow.

Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates uses lightweight inventory reconciliation to detect these changes on normal WordPress admin page loads.

It can detect:

• Externally installed plugins
• Externally removed plugins
• Externally updated plugins
• Externally activated plugins
• Externally deactivated plugins

PLUGIN_INSTALL
Source: EXTERNAL_DETECTED
Plugin: Example Plugin
Version: 1.2.0
Status: DETECTED

The plugin reports these actions as detected rather than claiming to know exactly who performed them or which external tool was responsible.

Theme Update Auditing

Theme updates are monitored and logged, but they are not managed or rescheduled by Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates.

The plugin can record:

• Manual theme updates
• WordPress automatic theme updates
• Old theme version
• Target version
• Resulting version
• Update source
• WordPress user, where available
• Update status

THEME_UPDATE
Source: MANUAL
Theme: Twenty Twenty-Four
Versions: 1.4 → 1.5
Status: SUCCESS

WordPress Core Update Auditing

WordPress core updates are monitored but are never scheduled or controlled by this plugin.

The plugin attempts to record:

• Old WordPress version
• Target version
• New WordPress version
• Update source
• Update status
• Initiating user, where available

CORE_UPDATE
Source: WORDPRESS_AUTO
Item: WordPress Core
Versions: 7.1 → 7.1.1
Status: SUCCESS

If a core version change is detected outside the normal WordPress update flow, the change may be recorded as EXTERNAL_DETECTED.

Maintenance Mode Auditing

WordPress may temporarily enter maintenance mode while installing plugin, theme, or core updates.

Possible maintenance events include:

• MAINTENANCE_ENTERED
• MAINTENANCE_EXITED
• MAINTENANCE_DETECTED_EXTERNAL
• MAINTENANCE_CLEARED_EXTERNAL
• MAINTENANCE_STALE

The plugin does not automatically remove the WordPress .maintenance file or force a site back online. It only observes and reports maintenance state.

Managed Plugin Updates

Managed Plugin Updates can be enabled from:

Settings → Scheduled Updates

Only plugins that already have WordPress Auto-updates enabled participate.

Manual Update now actions remain available and continue to work normally.

Update Lock

Managed update runs use a self-expiring lock to prevent two update jobs from running at the same time.

The lock automatically expires after 12 hours, providing protection against interrupted processes, server restarts, or failed cleanup.

Failure Tracking

Scheduled plugin update failures are tracked per plugin.

By default:

• The administrator is notified after 3 consecutive scheduled failures
• A successful update resets the failure count
• Manual failures do not increase the scheduled-failure count
• A successful manual update can clear an existing failure condition

Plugin Self-Updates

Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates intentionally does not automatically update itself.

Manual updates remain available through the normal WordPress update process or by uploading a newer plugin ZIP file.

Manual self-updates are reconciled and recorded in the audit history where possible.

Recent Update Log

The administration page displays the 50 most recent meaningful audit events.

This includes events such as:

• Plugin lifecycle changes
• Plugin updates
• Theme updates
• WordPress core updates
• Maintenance-mode changes
• Configuration changes

Routine WordPress update-check heartbeat entries are intentionally hidden from this table so the recent-history view remains readable.

Complete CSV Audit Log

The complete audit history can be downloaded as a CSV file for external review or troubleshooting.

The export can include:

• Timestamp
• Event Type
• Source
• Plugin or Component
• Plugin File
• Old Version
• Target Version
• New Version
• Status
• WordPress User
• Message
• Run ID

Routine update-check heartbeat records are included in the complete CSV even though they are hidden from the normal recent-history table.

Technical Information

The administration page provides technical information including:

• Installation ID
• Installation ID generation date
• First activation date
• Plugin version at first activation
• Current plugin version
• Audit-log database table name

The database table name uses the site's actual WordPress table prefix.

Installation ID

Each installation receives a locally generated Installation ID.

The Installation ID:

• Is stored locally in the WordPress database
• Is not transmitted to Harmonic Mix
• Is not a security credential
• Does not grant access to the website
• May be voluntarily provided when requesting support

Privacy and Data Storage

Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates stores audit information locally in the site's WordPress database.

The plugin does not send:

• Usage statistics
• Audit history
• Installation ID
• Plugin inventory
• Site activity

to Harmonic Mix or any third party.

The plugin does not include telemetry.

Deactivation and Uninstall

Deactivating the plugin stops managed update scheduling and removes the active update lock, while retaining the audit history.

By default, deleting the plugin through WordPress does not remove its audit history.

Administrators can optionally enable removal of the plugin's settings, Installation ID, and audit data during uninstall.

What This Plugin Does Not Do

Harmonic Mix Scheduled Updates is intentionally lightweight.

It does not provide:

• Malware scanning
• File-integrity scanning
• Checksum verification
• Website backups
• Security hardening
• Automatic WordPress core scheduling
• Automatic theme scheduling
• Automatic maintenance-mode recovery

Recommended Workflow

1. Install and activate the plugin
2. Leave Managed Plugin Updates disabled initially
3. Review audit activity as normal WordPress events occur
4. Confirm plugin, theme, and core events are being captured
5. Review the native WordPress update-check information
6. Enable Managed Plugin Updates when ready
7. Select the preferred maintenance time
8. Continue using WordPress Auto-update controls to choose participating plugins

Support

For plugin information, current releases, and support options, visit:

https://harmonicmix.com/wp/harmonic-mix-scheduled-updates/

When requesting support, include the site's Installation ID when available.