Due to MEP's ability to run via a command line interface, you can set it to run at specified intervals using the Windows Task Scheduler. If you combine this ability with the power of Profiles you can have MEP monitor a directory for files and automatically encrypt or decrypt them. Once that is accomplished MEP can then send them to an FTP server, e-mail recipient, or to a folder on your computer's hard drive.

How to set up Task Scheduler:

1. Double-click the Task Scheduler icon in the system tray, near the clock.
   
2. This will open the Schedule Task screen.
3. Double-click the Add Scheduled Task icon to start the Scheduled Task Wizard.
4. Click Next.
5. You will see a list of installed programs that you can schedule. Click the Browse button and locate MEP.exe.
6. Now it asks you to type a name for the task and choose how often you want to perform the task. I left the name as MEP and chose Daily.
7. Click Next. Then Next again.
8. This is the last page of the wizard, click the Finish button.

The wizard is done, but we need to fine tune this a little more. As it stands now MEP will run once a day but it won't do anything automatically, it will just start itself.

1. Double-click the MEP task in the Schedule Task screen.
2. This will open the following properties dialog.
   
   
   
3. I added the passphrase and profile. You'll want to add your own passphrase and the name of the saved profile you want to use with MEP here. (See the Profiles tutorial for more instructions.)
4. At this point MEP will run once a day using the saved profile settings you've specified in Step 3.

To run MEP with a saved Profile more often than once a day:

1. Click on the Schedule tab at the top then the Advanced button.
2. This will open the Advanced Schedule Options screen.
3. Put a check in the box next to where it says Repeat task.
4. Set Every X Minutes to whatever you want. You can also use the drop down and choose Hours instead of minutes.
5. This is a good option to set if you are dealing with a lot of volume and need MEP to monitor directories and encrypt or decrypt files as they come in. Using these profiles MEP can deposit the files elsewhere on your computer, e-mail them, or FTP them.

There are some security issues associated with using MEP in the manner described above. For one thing anyone with access to your computer can get into the Task Scheduler, open the MEP task to view the properties, and see your passphrase right there in the open. To help mitigate this risk see the Automation tutorial for instructions on creating batch files and substitute a batch file for the MEP.exe file in Step 5 of setting up the Task Scheduler. See the Security tutorial for methods of encrypting these batch files and keeping them away from prying eyes.