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Delays

Required Permission
Workflow - You must have the Workflow permission to access this setting.

Delays pause workflow execution for a specified duration or until a specific time. Use delays to create timed sequences, schedule follow-ups, or wait for the right moment to take action.

Delay Types​

Delay TypeDescription
Wait for a durationPause for X minutes/hours/days
Wait until specific date/timePause until an exact date and time
Wait relative to a date fieldPause based on a field value (e.g., 2 days before Appointment)

Adding a Delay​

  1. Click the + button on an edge
  2. Select Delay
  3. Configure the delay settings
  4. Click Save

The delay node appears with a clock icon and displays the configured duration.

Wait for a Duration​

The simplest delay type - pause for a fixed amount of time.

Configuration​

  1. Select Wait for a duration as the delay type
  2. Enter the Duration value (number)
  3. Select the Time unit:
    • Minutes
    • Hours
    • Days
    • Weeks
    • Months

Examples​

ConfigurationExecution Waits
30 minutesHalf an hour
2 hoursTwo hours
3 daysThree calendar days
1 weekSeven days
1 monthOne calendar month

Use Cases​

  • Follow-up timing: Wait 3 days before sending reminder
  • Nurture sequences: Space out emails over weeks
  • Cooling off periods: Wait 24 hours before critical actions
  • Business day approximation: Wait 5 days for "one business week"

Example Workflow​

Wait Until Specific Date/Time​

Pause until an exact moment in time.

Configuration​

  1. Select Wait until specific date/time as the delay type
  2. Choose the Date using the date picker
  3. Set the Time for execution

How It Works​

  • Workflow pauses until the specified date and time
  • If the date has already passed, the workflow continues immediately
  • Time is based on your company's timezone setting

Use Cases​

  • Campaign launches: Wait until product launch date
  • Event timing: Execute on event day
  • Seasonal campaigns: Wait until specific holiday
  • Coordinated releases: All records resume at same time

Example​

Delay: Wait until January 15, 2025 at 9:00 AM

All records in this workflow step will resume on January 15th at 9 AM.

Past Dates

If you set a date in the past, the workflow will skip the delay and continue immediately.

Wait Relative to a Date Field​

The most powerful delay type - pause based on a date value stored on the record.

Configuration​

  1. Select Wait relative to a date field as the delay type
  2. Choose the Date Field from the record
  3. Configure the offset:
    • Before or After the field date
    • Offset value (number)
    • Offset unit (minutes, hours, days, weeks, months)

How It Works​

The delay calculates the wait time based on each record's field value:

  • If field is "January 20" and offset is "2 days before"
  • Workflow resumes on January 18

Use Cases​

  • Appointment reminders: 1 day before Appointment Date
  • Deadline warnings: 3 days before Due Date
  • Follow-ups: 7 days after Completion Date
  • Renewals: 30 days before Contract End Date

Example Configurations​

Date FieldOffsetResult
Appointment Date1 day beforeExecutes 24 hours before appointment
Due Date3 days beforeExecutes 3 days before deadline
Completion Date7 days afterExecutes 1 week after completion
Contract End30 days beforeExecutes 1 month before expiration

Handling Empty Date Fields​

If the date field is empty when the workflow reaches the delay:

  • The workflow pauses indefinitely
  • It resumes when the date field is populated and calculated time arrives
  • Check execution history for "pending" status
Combine with Conditions

Use a condition before the delay to check if the date field has a value:

Scheduled Steps​

When a workflow reaches a delay, it creates a "scheduled step":

  • The step shows in execution history as "Scheduled"
  • Displays the date/time when it will resume
  • Can be viewed in the execution timeline

Viewing Scheduled Steps​

  1. Open the workflow's execution history
  2. Find the execution with a delay
  3. The scheduled step shows:
    • Node that's waiting
    • Scheduled resume time
    • Time remaining

Custom Labels​

Make delays descriptive:

  1. Click on the delay node
  2. Enter a Custom Label
  3. Good examples:
    • "Wait 3 days"
    • "Before Appointment"
    • "Cool-off Period"
    • "Until Campaign Start"

Combining Delays​

Sequential Delays​

Create a nurture sequence:

Delays with Conditions​

Different wait times based on conditions:

Delays After Actions​

Space out communications:

Delay Behavior​

Timezone Handling​

  • All times use your company's configured timezone
  • Date-based delays use calendar days, not 24-hour periods
  • "3 days" means 72 hours from execution

Weekends and Holidays​

Delays do not account for weekends or holidays:

  • A "3 day" delay on Friday completes Monday
  • Consider using "5 days" for "one business week"
  • Holidays are not skipped

Workflow Paused​

If a workflow is paused while executions are in a delay:

  • Scheduled steps remain scheduled
  • When workflow resumes, delayed steps continue as planned
  • Pausing doesn't reset or extend delays

Workflow Archived​

If a workflow is archived while executions are in a delay:

  • Pending scheduled steps may be cancelled
  • Check execution history for affected records

Best Practices​

Use Appropriate Units​

  • Minutes/Hours: Same-day follow-ups, urgent sequences
  • Days: Standard follow-up timing
  • Weeks: Long nurture sequences
  • Months: Renewal reminders, annual events

Consider Recipient Experience​

  • Don't send too many messages too quickly
  • Space out communications appropriately
  • Consider recipient timezone for time-sensitive messages

Test Delay Workflows​

Testing delays requires patience:

  • Use short delays (minutes) for testing
  • Switch to actual duration before publishing
  • Or test with specific date in the near future

Plan for Field Changes​

When using relative date fields:

  • What happens if the date changes after delay starts?
  • Consider re-enrollment settings
  • Add conditions to verify field values

Troubleshooting​

Delay Not Resuming​

  1. Check if scheduled time has passed
  2. Verify workflow is still active (not paused)
  3. For relative dates, confirm field has a value
  4. Check execution history for the scheduled step

Delay Resumed Too Early​

  1. Verify the configured duration
  2. Check for timezone issues
  3. For relative dates, verify field value
  4. Review if delay was set to past date

Too Many Scheduled Steps​

If you have many pending delays:

  1. Review if workflow triggers too frequently
  2. Consider adding enrollment criteria
  3. Check re-enrollment settings

Next Steps​