User Guide: Wait Step Automation
Last updated: January 15, 2026 Related Stories: Wait Step Stories 1-11
Overview
Wait Step Automation allows you to add timing delays and date-based pauses to automation workflows. This feature enables workflows to wait for specific durations, until certain dates, or based on field values before continuing to the next action. Common use cases include sending reminder emails, scheduling follow-up tasks, and creating time-based approval escalations.
Prerequisites
Before configuring Wait Step automations, ensure:
- User has System Administrator role
- Automation Builder App access is enabled
- Trigger entity exists (for field-based waits)
- Email templates configured (for notification actions)
Understanding Wait Steps
What is a Wait Step?
A Wait Step pauses an automation workflow for a specified duration or until a specific condition is met. The workflow resumes automatically when the wait condition is satisfied.
Wait Step Types
| Type | Description | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Duration | Wait for a set period of time | Send reminder 24 hours after submission |
| Specific Date | Wait until a calendar date | Process on permit expiration date |
| Field-Based Date | Wait until a date from a trigger field | Follow up based on due_date field |
| Relative Offset | Wait before/after a date with offset | Send warning 7 days before expiration |
Accessing Wait Step Configuration
Navigation
- Log in to the GovAssist Admin Portal
- Navigate to Automation Builder
- Create or edit an automation workflow
- Add an action step and select Wait Until
Wait Action Appearance
The Wait Until action displays with:
- Icon: Clock icon
- Color: #6366F1 (indigo/purple)
- Label: Wait Until
Configuring Wait Steps
Adding a Wait Step
- In the automation flow, click + to add an action
- Select Wait Until from the action list
- The configuration sidebar opens
Wait Step Configuration Options
Duration Configuration
| Field | Description | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Wait Type | How to determine wait duration | Fixed Duration, Specific Date, Field Value |
| Duration Value | Number of time units to wait | Numeric input |
| Duration Unit | Time unit for duration | days, hours, minutes, seconds, months |
Offset Configuration
For relative date calculations:
| Field | Description | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Offset Direction | Before or after the reference date | on, before, after |
| Days | Number of days offset | 0-365 |
| Hours | Number of hours offset | 0-23 |
| Minutes | Number of minutes offset | 0-59 |
| Seconds | Number of seconds offset | 0-59 |
| Months | Number of months offset | 0-12 |
Note: Offset fields only accept non-negative values (0 or greater).
Execution Time Configuration
| Field | Description | Options |
|---|---|---|
| Execute At Type | When during the day to resume | anytime, specific_time |
| Execute At Time | Specific time if not anytime | Time picker (HH:MM) |
Timezone Configuration
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Timezone | Timezone for date/time calculations |
Wait Duration Options
Fixed Duration Wait
Wait for a specific amount of time from when the step is reached.
| Unit | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | minutes | Short delays (1-59 minutes) |
| Hours | hours | Medium delays (1-23 hours) |
| Days | days | Daily waits (1-365 days) |
| Weeks | weeks | Weekly intervals (1-52 weeks) |
| Months | months | Monthly waits (1-12 months) |
Example Configuration:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wait Type | Fixed Duration |
| Duration Value | 24 |
| Duration Unit | hours |
This waits 24 hours before continuing.
Date-Based Wait
Wait until a specific calendar date.
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| Standard Date | Select a specific calendar date |
| Field Value | Use a date field from the trigger record |
Example Configuration:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wait Type | Specific Date |
| Date Field | trigger.expiration_date |
| Offset Direction | before |
| Offset Days | 7 |
| Execute At | 9:00 AM |
| Timezone | America/New_York |
This waits until 7 days before the expiration date at 9 AM Eastern.
Common Wait Step Patterns
Pattern 1: Reminder After Submission
Send a reminder email 48 hours after form submission:
| Step | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger | Form Submitted |
| 2 | Action | Create Record (log submission) |
| 3 | Wait | Fixed Duration - 48 hours |
| 4 | Action | Send Email (reminder) |
Wait Configuration:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wait Type | Fixed Duration |
| Duration Value | 48 |
| Duration Unit | hours |
Pattern 2: Pre-Expiration Warning
Notify permit holder 30 days before permit expires:
| Step | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger | Record Created (Permit) |
| 2 | Wait | Field Date - expiration_date, 30 days before |
| 3 | Action | Send Email (expiration warning) |
Wait Configuration:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Wait Type | Field Value |
| Date Field | expiration_date |
| Offset Direction | before |
| Days | 30 |
| Execute At | 9:00 AM |
Pattern 3: Sequential Reminders
Multiple reminders at different intervals:
| Step | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger | Inspection Scheduled |
| 2 | Wait | 2 days before inspection date |
| 3 | Action | Send Email (2-day reminder) |
| 4 | Wait | 1 day (relative to previous action) |
| 5 | Action | Send Email (1-day reminder) |
| 6 | Wait | inspection date, 8:00 AM |
| 7 | Action | Send SMS (day-of reminder) |
Pattern 4: Approval Escalation
Escalate if not approved within 3 days:
| Step | Action | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trigger | Approval Requested |
| 2 | Wait | 3 days |
| 3 | Condition | If status != "approved" |
| 4 | Action | Send Email to Supervisor (escalation) |
Pattern 5: Business Hours Execution
Execute during business hours only:
Trigger: Support Ticket Created
↓
Wait: Next business day at 9:00 AM
↓
Action: Assign to Agent
Configuration:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration Value | 1 |
| Duration Unit | days |
| Execute At Type | specific_time |
| Execute At Time | 09:00 |
Interval Types Reference
The automation builder supports these interval types for scheduled triggers and wait steps:
| Interval Type | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | minutes | Every N minutes |
| Hours | hours | Every N hours |
| Days | days | Every N days |
| Weeks | weeks | Every N weeks (with day selection) |
| Months | months | Every N months (with day selection) |
| One Time | one_time | Execute once at specific date/time |
Date Selector Options
When configuring date-based waits:
Date Mode
| Mode | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | standard | Select a specific calendar date |
| Due In | custom | Relative date (in X days/months) |
Due Date Units
| Unit | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Days | days | Number of days from now |
| Months | months | Number of months from now |
Previewing Wait Steps
Testing Wait Behavior
Before activating an automation with wait steps:
- Enable Preview Mode in the automation
- Run a test trigger
- View the calculated wait end time
- Verify the wait duration is correct
Preview Information
The preview shows:
- Start time (when wait begins)
- End time (when wait completes)
- Duration (calculated time difference)
- Timezone applied
Canceling Wait Steps
Manual Cancellation
To cancel a waiting automation:
- Navigate to Automation Builder > Running Automations
- Find the automation in waiting state
- Click Cancel to stop the wait
- Automation terminates without completing subsequent actions
Automatic Cancellation
Wait steps are automatically cancelled when:
- The trigger record is deleted
- The automation is disabled
- A condition check fails (if configured)
- The workflow reaches a branch that terminates
Wait Step Conditions
Combining Wait with Conditions
Add conditions to check before resuming:
Wait: 7 days
↓
Condition: If record.status = "pending"
├── True: Send reminder email
└── False: End workflow
This ensures the reminder only sends if still pending.
Scheduling Configuration
Related Schedule Fields
When configuring scheduled automations with waits:
| Field | API Key | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Interval Type | interval_type | Frequency type |
| Interval Value | interval_value | Frequency number |
| Week Days | week_days | Days of week (for weekly) |
| Month Days | month_days | Days of month (for monthly) |
| Start Date | start_date | When schedule begins |
| Execution Time | execution_time | Time of day to execute |
| Time Zone | time_zone | Timezone for scheduling |
Best Practices
Wait Step Design
- Keep Waits Reasonable: Very long waits (months) may be affected by system updates
- Use Business Hours: Schedule sensitive communications during work hours
- Consider Timezones: Always specify timezone for date-based waits
- Add Conditions: Check record state before sending delayed communications
Performance Considerations
- Avoid Very Short Waits: Use minutes rather than seconds when possible
- Limit Concurrent Waits: Too many waiting automations can impact system resources
- Clean Up Completed: Review and clean old waiting automations
Testing
- Test Short Durations: Use minutes instead of days for initial testing
- Verify Timezone: Confirm times display correctly in target timezone
- Check Edge Cases: Test date boundaries and month transitions
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Q: Wait step never completes. A: Check that the automation is enabled. Verify the calculated end time hasn't passed. Check if the trigger record still exists.
Q: Email sends at wrong time. A: Verify the timezone setting. Check the "Execute At" time configuration. Ensure server time is synchronized.
Q: Wait calculates wrong duration. A: Review the date field being referenced. Check for timezone mismatches. Verify the offset direction (before/after).
Q: Cannot enter negative offset values. A: Negative values are not allowed for wait offsets. Use the "before" direction instead of negative numbers. The fields days, hours, minutes, seconds, and months must be 0 or positive.
Q: Wait step skipped entirely. A: Check condition logic before the wait. Verify the workflow branch is being reached. Review automation logs for errors.
Q: Multiple reminders sending. A: Check if automation is triggering multiple times. Verify there's only one wait step for each reminder. Add conditions to prevent duplicates.
Related Documentation
- Automation Builder Configuration
- Automated Reminders
- Email Notifications
- Process Library Configuration
- Form Builder Configuration
Technical Reference
Source Components:
- Wait Action Constants:
apps/automation-builder-app/src/pages/Automation/AddConfigureAutomation/ConfigurationSidebar/ActionConfiguration/constants.tsx - Offset Fields:
apps/automation-builder-app/src/pages/Automation/AddConfigureAutomation/ConfigurationSidebar/components/RenderDynamicField/constants.ts - Date Selector:
apps/automation-builder-app/src/pages/Automation/AddConfigureAutomation/ConfigurationSidebar/components/RenderDynamicField/DateSelector/constants.ts - Interval Types:
apps/automation-builder-app/src/pages/Automation/AddConfigureAutomation/constants.ts - Payload Generation:
apps/automation-builder-app/src/pages/Automation/AddConfigureAutomation/ConfigurationSidebar/utils/payload/getPayloadValues.ts
Action Key: wait_until
Action Color: #6366F1
Offset Field Names (no negative values allowed):
- days
- hours
- hour (backward compatibility)
- minutes
- seconds
- months
For additional assistance, contact your System Administrator.