# Delay

Delay pauses a workflow for a duration or until a specific date and time, then continues on its single path.

## When to use it

Use Delay when a later step should run at a known time, such as sending a reminder three days after submission or waiting until an event date.

## Settings

<div class="fc-screenshot-pair">
<figure>

![Delay configured to wait three days](/documentation/flowcrafter/screenshots/node-delay-settings.png)

<figcaption>Wait a set amount of time. <a href="/documentation/flowcrafter/screenshots/node-delay-settings.png">View full size</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure>

![Delay's specific date and time mode with a site-local target](/documentation/flowcrafter/screenshots/node-delay-until.png)

<figcaption>Wait until a specific date/time. <a href="/documentation/flowcrafter/screenshots/node-delay-until.png">View full size</a>.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>

| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Delay** | Chooses **Wait a set amount of time** or **Wait until a specific date/time**. |
| **Delay duration** | Sets the relative amount. Defaults to `1` and accepts [flow tags](/documentation/flowcrafter/building/using-flow-tags/). |
| **Unit** | Sets seconds, minutes, hours, days, or weeks. Defaults to minutes. |
| **Delay until** | Sets an absolute date/time or a flow tag that resolves to one. It is read in the site's timezone. |

## Output and branches

Delay has one output path and adds no flow tag output. The next step is scheduled after the wait.

## Good-to-knows

- A **Delay until** value in the past continues immediately.
- An empty or unreadable **Delay until** value fails the step.
- Delay is not allowed inside a [For Each](/documentation/flowcrafter/nodes/flow/for-each/) **Each item** branch. Put it before For Each or on **Done**.
- If the Delay node fails, the workflow’s error handling may retry it. A retry repeats the same delay operation.

## Example

To send a follow-up two days after a form submission, choose **Wait a set amount of time**, enter `2` for **Delay duration**, choose **Days**, and connect [Send Email](/documentation/flowcrafter/nodes/actions/send-email/) after Delay.

![Delay configured to wait two days before the follow-up email](/documentation/flowcrafter/screenshots/node-delay-example-settings.png)