Overview
The Delay Node pauses execution, then resumes with the next node. Useful for spacing actions, waiting for external processing, or creating timed sequences.
Modes
- Fixed duration: e.g. 30s, 5m, 2h, 1d
- Until timestamp: waits until a specified future date/time
- Dynamic: duration derived from prior node output (e.g. an API returns retryAfter)
- Backoff/Jitter: expands delays on repeated retries to reduce contention
Configuration
| Field | Purpose |
|---|
| Mode | Select fixed, until timestamp, dynamic, or backoff |
| Value / Expression | Duration (e.g. 5m) or date/time (ISO) or variable reference |
| Max Wait | Safety cap to prevent excessive holding |
| Jitter | Randomize delay within a range (e.g. ±10%) |
| Cancel On Condition (optional) | Skip remaining wait if a condition becomes true |
| Tag (optional) | Label for later audit or monitoring |
Examples
Wait 10m then send follow‑up summary
Pause until 09:00 next business day
Use dynamic delay: /previous.retryAfter seconds
Backoff retry: start 30s, double up to 5m
Common Uses
- Rate limiting API calls
- Staggered notifications (meeting created → wait 1h → send recap)
- Drip / nurture sequences
- Retry after transient failure (paired with a Condition Node)
- Cooling period before destructive actions
Best Practices
| Goal | Tip |
|---|
| Avoid stale data | Re-fetch or validate state after long delays |
| Resilience | Combine with Condition Node to abort if context changes |
| Predictability | Prefer fixed or until timestamp for scheduled handoffs |
| Efficient retries | Use exponential backoff + jitter, cap maximum delay |
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|
| Workflow stuck | Check timestamp mode is in future; verify max wait |
| Delay ignored | Ensure mode configured; dynamic expression resolves to positive duration |
| Too long | Lower max wait or adjust backoff parameters |
| Wrong resume time | Confirm time zone and ISO format for timestamp mode |
Long delays consume schedule capacity; split very long waits into shorter cycles with state checks if data may change.
Delay Node configured. Workflow will resume after the specified pause.
