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Delay

Basic delay node that delays the workflow for a specified amount of time or run at a specified time
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Overview

This node introduces a delay in the workflow execution. It allows workflows to pause for a specified amount of time or until a specific time on selected weekdays before continuing. This is useful when you want to:

  • Wait for a certain duration before proceeding (e.g., retrying an operation after some seconds).
  • Schedule workflow continuation at a particular time of day (e.g., run a task every weekday at 9:00 AM).
  • Combine both scheduling and additional delay intervals.

Practical examples:

  • Delay sending follow-up emails by 10 minutes after a trigger.
  • Run data synchronization only during business hours on weekdays.
  • Execute a task at 8:00 AM plus an additional delay of 30 minutes on selected days.

Properties

Name Meaning
Delay Type Select how the delay is applied:
- After Time Interval
- At Specific Time
- At Specific Time with Interval
Week Days The weekdays on which the delay applies. Only relevant for "At Specific Time" and "At Specific Time with Interval" delay types. Options: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Specific Time The exact time of day (HH:MM) to delay until. Used with "At Specific Time" and "At Specific Time with Interval" delay types.
Delay Amount The amount of time to delay. Used with "After Time Interval" and "At Specific Time with Interval" delay types. Must be zero or greater.
Delay Unit The unit for the delay amount:
- Seconds
- Minutes
- Hours
- Days

Output

The node outputs the input data unchanged after the delay period completes. The output JSON structure is identical to the input JSON data. No binary data is produced by this node.

Dependencies

  • No external services or API keys are required.
  • The node relies on internal timing mechanisms and n8n's ability to pause and resume workflow executions.
  • No special environment variables or configurations are needed.

Troubleshooting

  • Invalid delay amount error: Occurs if the delay amount is negative. Ensure the delay amount is zero or positive.
  • Invalid time format error: Happens if the specific time is not in HH:MM format or contains invalid hour/minute values. Use 24-hour format with valid ranges (hours 0-23, minutes 0-59).
  • No output returned: If the current day is not included in the selected weekdays for scheduled delays, the node returns no data, effectively skipping execution on those days.
  • Delay too short: For very short delays (<65 seconds), the node uses JavaScript timers; longer delays use workflow wait states. Cancelling execution clears any active timers to prevent hanging.

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