Overview Wait a While pauses flow execution for a specified duration in milliseconds. Use this to introduce delays between operations, rate-limit API calls, implement retry delays, or give external systems time to process.
Configuration Required Fields Field Description Example Time Duration in milliseconds to pause execution 1000 (1 second), 5000 (5 seconds), {{ DelayedTime }}
Exit Points Exit When Flow Direction Pass Wait duration completed successfully ✓ Flow continues after delay
How It Works When executed, Wait a While:
Resolves time value - Converts static number, variable, or formula to millisecondsPauses current flow - Blocks execution for specified durationReturns Pass exit - Continues to next stage after delay completesImportant: This stage blocks the entire flow for the duration. No concurrent processing occurs during the wait.
Common Use Cases 1. Simple Delay Time: 1000Result: Pause 1 second (1000 milliseconds)2. Rate Limiting API Calls Time: 500Flow: Loop → Call API → Wait 500ms → Next iterationResult: API calls spaced 500ms apart (max 2 per second)3. Configurable Retry Delay Setup: Set Default Value: retryDelayMs = 2000Time: {{ DelayedTime }} Flow: Call API → Route Flow (on fail) → Wait → RetryResult: Retry with 2-second delay after failure4. Exponential Backoff Time: =({{ DelayedTime }} * {{ attempt }} ) Flow: Increment attempt → Wait (exponential) → Retry APIResult: Each retry waits progressively longer (1s, 2s, 4s, etc.)5. Batch Processing with Delays Time: 100Flow: Loop → Update database → Wait 100ms → Next recordResult: Database updates paced to avoid overloadKey Behaviors Feature Behavior Time Unit Milliseconds (1000 = 1 second, 60000 = 1 minute) Variable Support ✓ Accepts variables: {{ DelayedTime }} Formula Support ✓ Accepts formulas: =( {{ DelayedTime }} * {{ attempt }} ) Zero Delay No pause; stage returns immediately Blocking Behavior Blocks this flow only; other flows unaffected Timeout Interaction Overall flow timeout may trigger during wait
Best Practices ✓ Use milliseconds: 1000 = 1 second, not 1 ✓ Use variables for configurable delays: {{ DelayedTime }} ✓ Add comments explaining why delay is needed ✓ Start with smaller values and increase if needed ✓ Use for rate-limiting external API calls ✓ Combine with retry logic for robust error handling ✓ Avoid very long waits (> 30 minutes) that tie up resources Common Mistakes Mistake Symptom Fix Using seconds instead of milliseconds 60 pauses 60ms, not 60 seconds Multiply by 1000: use 60000 for 60 seconds Placing in loop without considering accumulation Loop with 1s delay × 100 iterations = 100s total Use smaller delays in loops or batch differently Assuming this handles timeouts Confusion with timeout settings Use Call API timeout settings for API timeouts Very large delays blocking flows 30-minute wait ties up resources Consider Run Later for scheduled processes instead Variable not initialized Error during execution Use Set Default Value to initialize delay variable first
Troubleshooting Issue Exit/Result Common Cause Fix Flow pauses too long Pass (delayed) Milliseconds too large or seconds used instead Reduce value or convert to ms (multiply by 1000) Flow doesn't pause Pass (immediate) Time = 0 or very small value Increase milliseconds value Error during wait Error Variable not initialized or invalid format Ensure Time field is numeric or valid variable External system still not ready Pass Delay too short Increase milliseconds; test with target system Performance degraded Pass (slow) Long delays in high-volume flows Reduce delay or batch process differently Flow timeout error Error Overall flow timeout triggered during wait Increase timeout or reduce wait duration
Edge Cases Zero delay (Time = 0): No pause; stage returns immediatelyVery large values (> 1 hour): Flow blocked for extended period; may timeout at callerNegative numbers: Undefined behavior; likely errorConcurrent flows: Only this flow pauses; other flows unaffectedVariable not initialized: Error during resolution; stage may failRelated Stages Run Later: Schedule delayed execution (vs blocking current flow)Loop: Can include waits inside loop (delays accumulate)Route Flow: Conditionally decide whether to waitCall API: Use API timeout settings for request timeouts
