The Delay action allows a workflow to pause for a specific period of time or until a defined condition is met before continuing to the next action.
It is commonly used to schedule follow-ups, wait for external updates, or control the execution timing of long-running workflows.
By using the Delay action, you can make workflows more flexible and better aligned with real business timelines instead of executing all steps immediately.
Add a Delay Action
In the Workflow Designer, open the Logic and flow panel, then drag the Delay action onto the workflow canvas and connect it to the appropriate step.
After adding the action, click it to configure its settings.
Configure the Delay Action
Action name
Enter a descriptive name for the Delay action so its purpose is clear in the workflow, for example:
Wait 3 days before sending reminderDelay until due dateWait for approval completed
Delay type
The Delay action supports three delay types, each suitable for different scenarios:
Delay for a set amount of time
Delay until a date
Delay until the condition meet
Select the delay type based on how you want the workflow to pause.
Delay for a Set Amount of Time
This option pauses the workflow for a fixed duration.
Configuration fields
Count
Specify the number of time units to delay.
You can enter a fixed numeric value or click the expression editor icon to define the delay duration dynamically using workflow variables, form fields, or calculated values.This allows the delay length to vary based on workflow data instead of being hard-coded.
Unit
Select the time unit for the delay:Month
Week
Day
Hour
Minute
Second
The delay starts counting as soon as the workflow reaches this action.
Example scenarios
Send a reminder email 3 days after a request is submitted
Escalate an approval if no response is received after 48 hours
Trigger a follow-up task 1 week later
Delay Until a Date
This option pauses the workflow until a specific date and time is reached.
After selecting Delay until a date as the delay type, you must define the source of delay.
The Source of delay supports the following types: Specific time and Dynamic time.
A. Specific time
Select Specific time to delay the workflow until a fixed calendar date and time.
Configuration fields:
Date
Select the target date from the date picker.Time of day
Select the exact time when the workflow should resume.
Note: The maximum delay duration is 1,096 days.
Example scenarios:
Resume the workflow on March 27, 2026 at 17:00
Trigger an action at the end of a specific business day
Align workflow execution with a known deadline or event
B. Dynamic time
Select Dynamic time to delay the workflow until a date and time defined by workflow data.
Configuration fields:
Date and time
Click the expression editor icon to select a date or datetime value from workflow variables, form fields, or calculated expressions.
The workflow will pause execution until the dynamically resolved date and time is reached.
Example scenarios:
Delay the workflow until the Expected Delivery Date from the form
Resume execution based on a record-specific deadline
Control workflow timing dynamically based on submitted data
Delay Until the Condition Meet
This option pauses the workflow until a specified condition becomes true.
Configuration fields
Condition
Define the condition using the Condition editor.
The workflow will continuously evaluate the condition and automatically resume once the condition is satisfied.
Example scenarios
Wait until an approval status changes to Approved
Continue the workflow only after a payment is marked as Completed
Pause execution until a related record is created or updated
This delay type is especially useful for workflows that depend on data changes or user actions, rather than time-based scheduling.
Best Practices
Use Delay for a set amount of time for simple and predictable waiting periods
Use Delay until a date when aligning workflows with deadlines or schedules
Use Delay until the condition meet for workflows driven by status changes or external updates
Avoid placing long delays in high-frequency workflows unless necessary, to prevent excessive pending workflow instances
Summary
The Delay action provides flexible control over workflow execution timing.
By selecting the appropriate delay type—time-based, date-based, or condition-based—you can design workflows that better match real-world business processes and improve automation reliability.