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      Wait Time Conditions In Automation

      This article covers how to configure the "Wait" action in CRM automation to delay contact progression based on time, dates, custom fields, or specific conditions.

      In the CRM's automation workflows, the "Wait" action is used to pause a contact's journey at a specific step. This delay allows for timing flexibility before the contact proceeds to the next automation step.

      This guide walks through the different configuration options available when adding a "Wait" action to your automation and how to use each one effectively.

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      Key Features of Wait Time Conditions

      The CRM now supports a more powerful set of wait time options, giving you full control over when contacts proceed through your automation:

      ✅ New Wait Time Selections

      • Wait for a specific day and/or timeActivate or end an automation on a specific day, month, year, or time. Ideal for planning around upcoming events, holidays, or important deadlines.Wait until a custom date field matches

      • Automate around a contact's, deal’s, or account’s custom date field—like a reminder date, renewal date, or scheduled appointment. This is ideal for workflows that revolve around personalized timelines.

      🔁 Other Wait Time Options

      • Wait for a set period of time
        Delay progress for a custom duration (e.g., 3 days, 2 hours, 1 month, etc.). Useful for follow-up timing and lead nurturing.

      • Wait until specific conditions are met
        Create dynamic workflows by pausing automation until a contact meets your chosen segment criteria (like tags, field values, or behavior-based data).

      "Wait" Action Configuration Options

      There are four main ways to configure a "Wait" step. Each option offers unique control over how long contacts are held in automation:

      • Wait for a set period of time

      • Wait until a specific day and/or time

      • Wait until a custom date field matches

      • Wait until specific conditions are met

      ActiveCampaign Wait Action .png

      1. Wait for a Set Period of Time

      This option allows you to pause a contact for a defined amount of time. You can combine multiple time units—such as minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months—to build a custom duration.   Wait for a set period of time Wait Action option.png

      Examples include:

      • “Wait for 1 hour and 30 minutes”

      • “Wait for 2 days and 6 hours”

      You can tailor the time frame to suit any specific use case in your automation.

      2. Wait Until a Specific Day and/or Time

      With this option, the contact will wait until a certain date and time in the future. You can choose the exact month, day, year, and time—either based on the contact’s timezone or a fixed timezone. Wait until a specific day andor time Wait Action option.png

      Examples:

      • Wait until a specific time:
        If only the hour is set (e.g., 1 PM) and all other values are "Any," then the contact will proceed through the automation during that hour. For instance, if the wait is set to 1 PM in America/Chicago timezone, a contact reaching this step at 1:30 PM will continue.

      • Wait until a specific day of a given month:
        Example: January 1 of any year at 12 PM. The contact will proceed on that date annually. If the contact misses the date, they’ll wait until the next year.

      • Wait until a specific date:
        Example: January 1, 2025, at 12 PM. This condition is met only once. If the contact reaches the step after this date has passed, the CRM will prompt you to choose whether they should continue or exit the automation.

      3. Wait Until a Custom Date Field Matches

      This configuration lets you pause a contact until one of their date-based custom fields matches the current date. You can also choose to trigger the next step a set number of days before or after the custom date.   Wait until a custom date field matches Wait Action option.png

      Important Notes:

      • The custom date field must already exist.

      • This option only works with date fields, not Date-Time fields.

      • If no value exists in the selected field, the contact will remain paused until one is added.

      • If the date has already passed, the contact will either proceed or exit depending on your chosen setting.

      • If a Date-Time field is selected, only the date is used; the time portion is ignored and replaced with the time you define in the configuration.

      4. Wait Until Specific Conditions Are Met

      This advanced option allows you to use segment conditions to determine when a contact should move forward. These conditions are regularly evaluated, and the contact continues when the defined criteria are met.

      For example, you might:

      • Wait until it’s a certain day of the week Image 3-30-25 at 11.30 AM

      • Wait until the contact has completed a specific action Image 3-30-25 at 11.31 AM

      • Combine multiple conditions such as “Has a tag” and “Is subscribed to a list” Image 3-30-25 at 11.33 AM

      This option gives the most flexibility for complex automation logic and allows you to mimic the same setups available in the date-based wait options—plus additional behavior-driven criteria.