Waiting

In many real-world automation scenarios you’ll need a workflow to pause, then resume later—perhaps after waiting a set time, or when an external event happens.
The Wait node makes this possible in Agentic Workflow Studio.
(Adapted from similar concepts in n8n docs)

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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.

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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. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index="0"}
At Specified Time	Waits until a specific date and time to resume. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index="1"}
On Webhook Call	Pauses until a unique resume-URL is called externally. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index="2"}

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How to set up a Wait node

1. On your canvas, add the Wait node after a previous action that produces data.
2. Open the node’s settings and choose your “Resume Condition” mode (Time interval / specified time / webhook).
3. For example, select “After Time Interval” and set “10 minutes”.
4. If you choose “On Webhook Call”, you’ll get a variable like {{ $execution.resumeUrl }} which you can send externally.
5. Save and test by executing. The workflow will pause at that node and resume when the condition is met.

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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.