Waiting
Sometimes your workflow needs to pause and continue later.
For example: wait for a page to finish loading, wait 10 minutes, or wait for an approval.
The Wait node lets you do that.
Why use waiting
Section titled “Why use waiting”Using the Wait node enables patterns like:
- Rate-limiting API requests (e.g., wait 30 minutes before next run).
- Waiting for a human approval or external webhook event before continuing.
- Scheduling actions at a future date/time rather than immediately.
This lets your workflow pause and resume with the same data in context.
Key modes of the Wait node
Section titled “Key modes of the Wait node”Here are the main ways you can configure waiting:
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| After Time Interval | Waits a specified amount of time (seconds, minutes, hours, days) before continuing. |
| At Specified Time | Waits until a specific date and time to resume. |
| On Webhook Call | Pauses until a unique resume-URL is called externally. |
How to set up a Wait node
Section titled “How to set up a Wait node”- Add the Wait node to your canvas after an action that produces data.
- Open the node’s settings and choose how you want the workflow to resume (Time interval, specified time, or webhook).
- For example, select “After Time Interval” and set “10 minutes”.
- If you choose “On Webhook Call”, you’ll get a URL that you can send to an external system to resume the workflow.
- Save and test your workflow. It will pause at the Wait node and resume when the condition is met.
Best practices & things to watch
Section titled “Best practices & things to watch”- Ensure critical data from upstream nodes is available before the Wait node — the workflow retains its state until it resumes.
- If using “On Webhook Call”, test that the URL reaches the node correctly and the external system triggers it.
- Beware of many concurrent waiting workflows – they hold state and may impact performance.
- Use meaningful naming (e.g., “Wait for Approval”, “Wait 10 Minutes”) and documentation via sticky notes. See Sticky Notes for annotations.
- After a wait, always test the downstream branch or logic – sometimes unexpected states after long waits can cause issues.
If you want the full node reference, see Wait node.