# Delay and timer

Both blocks send the next block not right away but later: after a set time, at a certain hour or on a certain day. They are used to build reminders, follow-ups and message sequences that span several days.

Time is set up the same way in both blocks. The difference is what happens to the contact until the time comes:

- **"Delay"** — a pause. The scenario stops and resumes when the time comes.
- **"Timer"** — a fork. The contact moves on right away along the "Continue" output, and when the time comes, the bot additionally sends them the block from the "By timer" output.

## When to send

The time settings of "Delay" and "Timer" are the same. The mode is chosen in the "When to send" list.

![The "When to send" list: after a period, at a set time, on a date and time, on weekdays](https://support.watbot.org/_media/en/01-chatbots/03-blocks/03-time/_images/delay-modes.webp?v=1791781230)

### After a delay

The block goes out a set time after the contact got into "Delay" or "Timer".

- **"Days"**, **"Hours"**, **"Minutes"**, **"Seconds"** — the values add up: 1 day and 12 hours make a day and a half. A new block is set to 1 minute.

The fields accept fractional numbers — `1.5` hours is 90 minutes — and templates, for example a contact variable with the number of days. How to write them is in the [Templates](https://support.watbot.org/chatbots/templates) section. An empty field counts as zero. If a field ends up with text instead of a number, no wait is scheduled.

- **"Send only during set hours"** — a sending window. Turn the switch on and set the time in the "From" and "To" fields. If the calculated time falls outside the window, sending moves to its start. The window may span midnight, for example from 22:00 to 06:00.

The sending window exists only in this mode: in the others the time is set exactly.

> [!NOTE]
> Sending accurate to the second has a margin of error — from a few seconds to a few dozen seconds when the bot has many subscribers.

### At a set time

The block goes out at the given time of day.

- **"Time"** — the hours and minutes of sending.
- **"Days"** — in how many days: 0 — the nearest occurrence of this time, today or tomorrow; 1 — tomorrow; 3 — in three days.

![The "At a set time" mode: time 10:00, days — 1, a hint about the bot time zone](https://support.watbot.org/_media/en/01-chatbots/03-blocks/03-time/_images/delay-time.webp?v=1791781230)

### On a date and time

The block goes out on a specific day and hour.

- **"Date and time"** — when to send. If the date has already passed, the block is sent right away.

### On weekdays

The block goes out on the nearest of the ticked days at the set time.

- **"Weekdays"** — tick one or several days.
- **"Time"** — the hours and minutes of sending.

Today fits as long as its time has not passed. If no day is ticked, no wait is scheduled.

![The "On weekdays" mode: Monday and Thursday checked, time 11:00, "Do not send to unsubscribed" on](https://support.watbot.org/_media/en/01-chatbots/03-blocks/03-time/_images/delay-weekdays.webp?v=1791781230)

### Time zone

The time of day, the date, the days of the week and the sending window are calculated in the bot's time zone. The zone is shown in the hint under the time fields. You can change it in the bot settings: "General" → "Time zone". The bot has one time zone for all contacts.

### Don't send to unsubscribed

A contact who has written "stop" to the bot is unsubscribed from mailings.

- **"Don't send to unsubscribed"** — if the switch is on, such a contact will not get the block even after a short pause. Turn it on in message sequences.

Waits longer than an hour are never sent to unsubscribed contacts, with or without the switch.

## While the contact is waiting

### If the contact writes to the bot

Neither "Delay" nor "Timer" holds the contact on itself.

- **"Delay".** The contact stays on the block they were on before it. The bot handles their message the way that block is set up: a matching button or another reaction of the block fires. The wait is not cancelled — the next block arrives at its time.
- **"Timer".** The contact has already moved on along "Continue" and talks to the bot as usual. The timer block arrives at its time, whatever the contact does.

When the time comes, the bot sends the block and moves the contact to it — wherever they are in the scenario.

> [!IMPORTANT]
> A wait cannot be cancelled: it fires even if the contact has already bought, replied or gone to another branch. To avoid sending something unneeded, put a "Condition" block after "Delay" or on the "By timer" output — for example, a check of the "paid" tag — and send the message only to those who still need it.

### When the block is not sent

- The contact has blocked the bot — the wait is dropped.
- The contact is unsubscribed from mailings, and the wait is longer than an hour or "Don't send to unsubscribed" is on in the block — the wait is dropped.
- The bot is paused for the contact until a certain time — sending moves to the end of the pause.
- The bot is turned off — entirely or for this contact — or the owner has no Pro subscription: sending is postponed, and the bot tries again later. If sending has not succeeded within seven days, the wait is dropped. See [What is available without Pro](https://support.watbot.org/billing/without-pro) for details.

### Repeated passes and limits

- If the contact gets into the same block again before the earlier wait has fired, the countdown starts over. A contact never has two waits from one block.
- One contact can have up to 24 waits at the same time. The next one is not scheduled.
- The longest wait is a year.
- A "Delay" block cannot be placed right after "Delay" or "Timer": there must be another block between them.
- A scenario that returns to the same block by timer without the contact's involvement and with almost no pause is stopped by the bot itself.

The block writes the reason a wait was not scheduled to the "Execution log".

### Who is waiting

- On the scheme, a "Delay" or "Timer" block shows a clock icon with the number of contacts waiting to be sent something.
- The block settings have the "Waiting to be sent" list — the contacts the block will send the next block to when the time comes.
- The contact card has the "Waits" section: the sending time and the block that will arrive.

![The "Waiting to be sent" window of a "Delay" block: two contacts](https://support.watbot.org/_media/en/01-chatbots/03-blocks/03-time/_images/waiting.webp?v=1791781230)

## Message sequence

A message sequence, or funnel, is a series of messages the contact receives over several days. It is built right in the scenario.

### A sequence on "Delay" blocks

Suits the case when you simply need to send the contact messages one after another.

1. A block with the first message.
2. "Delay": the "At a set time" mode, "Time" — 10:00, "Days" — 1. The next message arrives tomorrow at ten in the morning.
3. A block with the second message.
4. A "Delay" of two days — and so on.

Turn on the "Don't send to unsubscribed" switch in every "Delay".

To stop the sequence for those who have already bought, put a "Condition" block after every "Delay": the contact has the "paid" tag — the branch ends; no tag — the next message goes out.

### A reminder on "Timer"

Suits the case when the contact should keep talking to the bot, and the reminder arrives later.

1. A block with an offer and a payment button.
2. "Timer": the "After a delay" mode, "Days" — 1.
3. The "Continue" output leads further along the scenario — the contact can ask questions and press buttons.
4. The "By timer" output leads to a "Condition" block that checks the "paid" tag. The "No" output leads to a reminder message.

Several "Timer" blocks in a row give several reminders: in an hour, in a day, in three days. Each block keeps its own wait, and they do not interfere with each other.

> [!TIP]
> To keep messages from arriving at night, turn on "Send only during set hours" in the "After a delay" mode, and for "tomorrow" messages choose the "At a set time" mode.