Delay Node
Pause execution for a configured duration before passing records downstream
Last updated 8 Oct 2026
The Delay node pauses execution for a fixed duration, then passes its input records downstream unchanged. The wait is durable — it is implemented with Inngest's step.sleep, so the run resumes correctly even across worker restarts.
When to Use
Use Delay to introduce a wait period between automation steps — for example, waiting between campaign message sends, pausing before a follow-up action, or spacing out downstream calls.
Configuration
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
duration | number | Delay length, expressed in unit. Must be greater than 0. Required |
unit | seconds | minutes | hours | days | Time unit for duration. Required |
Example
Wait 2 hours between processing batches:
duration: 2
unit: hours
Notes
- The delay is a fixed duration set in the node config; it is not read from record fields.
- Input records are passed through to the output unchanged.
- The total delay is capped at a maximum duration — values above the cap are rejected at validation.
- For waits that depend on an external job completing, use Poll instead.
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