diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 1ac53bb..240bba9 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-3.6.3
\ No newline at end of file
+3.7.0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gravity-sync.sh b/gravity-sync.sh
index 86644f7..de9f9f4 100755
--- a/gravity-sync.sh
+++ b/gravity-sync.sh
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ SCRIPT_START=$SECONDS
 
 # GRAVITY SYNC BY VMSTAN #####################
 PROGRAM='Gravity Sync'
-VERSION='3.6.3'
+VERSION='3.7.0'
 
 # For documentation or downloading updates visit https://github.com/vmstan/gravity-sync
 # Requires Pi-Hole 5.x or higher already be installed, for help visit https://pi-hole.net
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ HISTORY_MD5='gravity-sync.md5'		# replace in gravity-sync.conf to overwrite
 
 # OS Settings
 BASH_PATH='/bin/bash'				# default OS bash path
+DAEMON_PATH='/etc/systemd/system'   # systemd timer/service folder
 
 ##############################################
 ### NEVER CHANGE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE! ###
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ case $# in
                 task_compare ;;
             cron)
                 start_gs
-                task_cron ;;
+                task_autocron ;;
             config|configure)
                 start_gs_noconfig
                 task_configure ;;
diff --git a/includes/gs-automate.sh b/includes/gs-automate.sh
index 0259c93..0aa632c 100644
--- a/includes/gs-automate.sh
+++ b/includes/gs-automate.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,61 @@ function task_automate {
     MESSAGE="${MESSAGE}: ${TASKTYPE}"
     echo_good
     
+    CRON_EXIST='0'
+    CRON_CHECK=$(crontab -l | grep -q "${GS_FILENAME}"  && echo '1' || echo '0')
+    if [ ${CRON_CHECK} == 1 ]
+    then
+        MESSAGE="${UI_AUTO_CRON_EXISTS}"
+        echo_warn
+        clear_cron
+    fi
+
+    MESSAGE="Customizing service file username"
+    sed -i "/User=unknown/c\User=$USER" ${LOCAL_FOLDR}/templates/gravity-sync.service
+    error_validate
+
+    MESSAGE="Customizing service file executable"
+    sed -i "/ExecStart=/c\ExecStart=${LOCAL_FOLDR}/${GS_FILENAME}" ${LOCAL_FOLDR}/templates/gravity-sync.service
+    error_validate
+
+    if systemctl is-active --quiet gravity-sync
+    then
+        MESSAGE="Stopping existing systemd service"
+        sudo systemctl stop gravity-sync
+        error_validate
+    fi
+
+    MESSAGE="Moving systemd timer into place"
+    sudo cp ${LOCAL_FOLDR}/templates/gravity-sync.timer ${DAEMON_PATH}
+    error_validate
+
+    MESSAGE="Moving systemd service into place"
+    sudo cp ${LOCAL_FOLDR}/templates/gravity-sync.service ${DAEMON_PATH}
+    error_validate
+
+    MESSAGE="Reloading systemd daemon"
+    sudo systemctl daemon-reload --quiet
+    error_validate
+
+    MESSAGE="Enabling Gravity Sync timer"
+    sudo systemctl enable gravity-sync.timer --quiet
+    error_validate
+
+    MESSAGE="Starting Gravity Sync service"
+    sudo systemctl start gravity-sync --quiet
+    error_validate
+    
+    exit_withchange
+}
+
+function task_autocron {
+    TASKTYPE='AUTOCRON'
+    MESSAGE="${MESSAGE}: ${TASKTYPE}"
+    echo_good
+
+    MESSAGE="Crontab automation is deprecated and will be removed in a future release"
+    echo_warn
+    
     CRON_EXIST='0'
     CRON_CHECK=$(crontab -l | grep -q "${GS_FILENAME}"  && echo '1' || echo '0')
     if [ ${CRON_CHECK} == 1 ]
diff --git a/includes/gs-exit.sh b/includes/gs-exit.sh
index 453aee2..5d11416 100644
--- a/includes/gs-exit.sh
+++ b/includes/gs-exit.sh
@@ -43,7 +43,8 @@ function list_gs_arguments {
     echo_lines
     echo -e "Setup Options:"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}config${NC}      Creates a new ${PROGRAM} configuration file"
-    echo -e " ${YELLOW}automate${NC}    Schedules the ${PROGRAM} replication task using crontab"
+    echo -e " ${YELLOW}automate${NC}    Schedules the ${PROGRAM} replication task using systemd"
+    echo -e " ${YELLOW}cron${NC}        Schedules the ${PROGRAM} replication task using crontab (legacy)"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}version${NC}     Shows the installed version of ${PROGRAM} and check for updates"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}update${NC}      Upgrades ${PROGRAM} to the latest available version using Git"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}dev${NC}         Sets update command to use a development version of ${PROGRAM}"
@@ -57,7 +58,6 @@ function list_gs_arguments {
     echo_blank
     echo -e "Debug Options:"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}logs${NC}        Shows the recent successful replication jobs/times"
-    echo -e " ${YELLOW}cron${NC}        Displays the output of last crontab execution"
     echo -e " ${YELLOW}info${NC}        Shows information about the current configuration"
     echo_lines
     exit_nochange
diff --git a/includes/gs-ui.sh b/includes/gs-ui.sh
index 095886c..8946f7f 100644
--- a/includes/gs-ui.sh
+++ b/includes/gs-ui.sh
@@ -112,11 +112,11 @@ UI_PURGE_DELETE_SSH_KEYS='Deleting SSH key-files'
 UI_PURGE_CLEANING_DIR="Purging ${PROGRAM} directory"
 
 # Automation
-UI_AUTO_CRON_EXISTS='Automation task already exists in crontab'
+UI_AUTO_CRON_EXISTS='Automation task exists in crontab'
 UI_AUTO_CRON_DISPLAY_FREQ='Select synchronization frequency (in minutes)'
 UI_AUTO_CRON_SELECT_FREQ='Valid options are 5, 10, 15, 30 or 0 to disable (default: 15)'
 UI_AUTO_CRON_SAVING='Saving new synchronization task to crontab'
-UI_AUTO_CRON_DISABLED='Synchronization automation has been disabled'
+UI_AUTO_CRON_DISABLED='Automation with crontab has been disabled'
 
 # Configuration
 UI_CONFIG_YESNOY="'Yes' or 'No', blank is default 'Yes'"
diff --git a/templates/gravity-sync.conf.example b/templates/gravity-sync.conf.example
index f8b60bc..c83d073 100644
--- a/templates/gravity-sync.conf.example
+++ b/templates/gravity-sync.conf.example
@@ -60,4 +60,5 @@ REMOTE_USER='pi'
 # HISTORY_MD5=''			# replace in gravity-sync.conf to overwrite
 
 ### OS Settings
-# BASH_PATH=''				# default OS bash path
\ No newline at end of file
+# BASH_PATH=''				# default OS bash path
+# DAEMON_PATH=''            # systemd timer/service folder
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/templates/gravity-sync.service b/templates/gravity-sync.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf6c322
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/gravity-sync.service
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Synchronize Pi-hole instances
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=gravity-sync.timer
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=unknown
+ExecStart=
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/templates/gravity-sync.timer b/templates/gravity-sync.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38bbf24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/gravity-sync.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Synchronize Pi-hole instances
+RefuseManualStart=no
+RefuseManualStop=no
+Requires=gravity-sync.service
+
+[Timer]
+Unit=gravity-sync.service
+Persistent=true
+OnBootSec=120
+OnUnitInactiveSec=5m
+RandomizedDelaySec=5m
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target