Time delay

The Time Delay element makes users wait for a specified time. After the delay, they move to the next step. The delay can be a fixed period, a specific time, or a date. It can also be based on a tag value or event attribute.

Delay options

Fixed duration

When set to a fixed period, the Time Delay element lets users continue their journey only when the specified amount of time passes.

For example, if a delay is set to 8 hours, a user who reaches this journey element will wait for 8 hours before moving to the next step.

Note

Please take into consideration that the delay period cannot be longer than 30 days.

Specific time

You can set an exact time for users to move forward. Users who reach the delay element will proceed at the specified time.

Caution

The specific time option is set to the user’s timezone.

For example, if a user gets to a delay element early in the morning and you have set the delay to wait until 5:30 PM, those users will proceed to the next journey point at 5:30 PM according to their device’s timezone.

Note

If the time you specify has already passed for some users in their timezones, those users will wait till that same exact time the next day.

Date

If you want to set up a one-time campaign on a specific date (for example, send a Black Friday notification), select a particular date and time to continue the journey.

Caution

Please remember that the date and time are set according to the user’s timezone. If the date and time you specify have already passed for some users in their timezones, they will immediately proceed to the next journey element.

Day of week

If you want the user to move to the next journey point only on a specific day of the week, select the Day of week option and set the desired day and time.

Caution

Please remember that the day and time are set according to the user’s timezone. If the day and time you specify have already passed for some users in their timezones, they will wait till that same day and time next week.

Delay based on user or event data

Use this option when the wait time should come from a Tag, an Event attribute, or a value mapped from a Webhook response.

1. In Time delay option, select Based on user/event data.
2. Under Get date from, select User profile to use a Tag, or Event to use an event attribute or a value from a webhook response.
3. If you selected User profile, choose the Tag that contains the date.
4. If you selected Event, choose the event and the attribute that contains the date. For webhook-mapped values, see Use a date from a webhook response below.
5. Set the offset: Before, After, or On the date, then enter the number of days.

Date format requirements

• Tags: use a Tag of the Date type and set its values in 2006-01-02T15:04:05 format (in UTC).
• Events: create an Event, add a Date attribute, and send /postEvent requests with dates in 2006-01-02 15:04:05 format.

Caution

If the date or time has already passed when a user reaches this element, they exit the journey.

Use a date from a webhook response

If a Webhook element earlier in the journey has Response mapping configured, mapped attributes are available under Event.

1. In Time delay option, select Based on user/event data.
2. Under Get date from, select Event.
3. In Event, select the webhook step by the name you gave it (for example, Get appointment details).
4. In Event value, select the mapped attribute that holds the date (for example, visit_date).
5. Set the offset (for example, Before 2 Days).

The value must follow the same date format rules as Tags and Events (see Date format requirements above).

Caution

If the mapped value is missing or not a valid date, the user exits the journey with an error at this step. Run Test webhook before launch to confirm your mapping.

Split branches when the date is in the past or empty

To let users continue when they don’t meet the delay condition, enable Split to branches if the date’s in the past or date is empty. The flow splits into In the future and In the past. Use the In the past branch for users whose Tag values, Event attributes, or webhook-mapped dates don’t match the delay. You can add other elements on that branch (for example, another Time Delay, Condition split, Wait for Trigger, or a message).

For example, you set a reminder 2 days before an appointment using the appointment event’s date attribute. If the appointment is tomorrow, the user won’t meet the 2 days before condition and exits unless you enable branch splitting.

When appointment dates change mid-journey

If a date in a Tag or Event attribute changes while the user is already in the journey, Time Delay settings stay as they were when the user reached the element.

Consider creating several journeys when users often reschedule appointments, deliveries, or similar events.

For example, start a journey on the AppointmentCreated event with a DateTime attribute (a Reminder journey). Set a push reminder 2 days before the visit using Based on user/event data. To handle reschedules:

1. Create an AppointmentChanged event.
2. In the Reminder journey, set AppointmentChanged as a conversion goal so users who reschedule exit the journey.
3. Create a new journey that starts on AppointmentChanged to remind users who updated their visit date and time.