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Execute workflows on a recurring schedule
Use the schedule trigger to build workflows that run on your desired schedule. Choose a frequency: daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, or even just once on a specific date, and have your workflows executed based on it.
Delay actions for a set duration
Pause your workflow midway for minutes, hours, days, or weeks before the next action runs. Use Delay For between any two steps, and the workflow holds until the duration you set has passed.
Pause actions until a specific date
When the timing of your next action depends on a specific date, like an event, a deadline, or a renewal, you can use Delay Until. Choose a specific date and time or map the date from previous steps until whenever you want the workflow to pause, and the workflow resumes exactly at the set time.
Combine delays with conditions
Trigger workflows on a schedule and use decision blocks to check conditions and branch workflows into different paths. Use decisions to identify if certain actions require a delay, and customize your workflows to act based on logic.
Build workflows with schedules and delays
Start free trialWhy timing matters in automation
While real-time workflows keep your business operations efficient, every action in your workflow doesn't have to happen in real time. Sometimes, important business processes need to happen at the right time rather than right away.
A free trial starts. Sending a conversion pitch on day one is too aggressive. On day 10 of a 14-day trial, it's timely. The same message, sent at different times, produces completely different outcomes.
A subscription is up for renewal. You can't wait until the day it expires to reach out, and you can't do it two months early either. A reminder two weeks before, with a follow-up three days before, hits the window where the customer is actually thinking about it.
A survey goes unanswered. You can set up a workflow where after every sale you share a feedback form with the customer. But there's a chance they might miss it. To ensure they don't, you can set up a workflow that will wait for a couple of days, check the feedback status, and send a gentle reminder if it's still unanswered.
Internal operations aren't streamlined. Check for updates from employees in different applications, and have everything update in a single dashboard. Every week, schedule a reminder to notify employees who haven't provided their updates.
Start building your first automated workflow
Start free trialFrequently asked questions
What is scheduled automation?
Scheduled automation is the ability to trigger workflows based on time or to add timed pauses within a workflow. In Zoho Flow, this includes schedule triggers that run workflows on a recurring basis (daily, weekly, monthly) and delay blocks that pause a workflow for a set duration.
What's the difference between a schedule trigger and a delay?
A schedule trigger starts a workflow at a set time. A delay pauses a workflow that's already running. Use a schedule trigger when you need something to happen on a recurring basis (like a weekly report). Use a delay when you need a gap between two steps in an existing workflow (like waiting 3 days before sending a follow-up).
How do I add a time delay between workflow steps?
In Zoho Flow, drag a delay block between any two steps in your workflow. You can choose Delay For to pause for a fixed duration (minutes, hours, days, or weeks) or Delay Until to pause until a specific date. The workflow resumes automatically after the delay.
Can I automate recurring tasks without writing code?
Yes. Zoho Flow's schedule trigger lets you set up recurring workflows like daily syncs, weekly reports, and monthly audits entirely through a visual drag-and-drop builder, without the need for coding.
What's the difference between Delay For and Delay Until?
Delay For pauses your workflow for a fixed duration you set, like 30 minutes, 3 days, or a week. Delay Until pauses the workflow until a specific date, which can be a fixed calendar date or a dynamic date pulled from your trigger data, like a due date, event date, or renewal date.
What happens to in-progress delays if I edit or turn off a workflow?
If a workflow is mid-delay and you make changes, the in-progress execution continues based on the configuration it started with. New executions after the edit will use the updated flow.
Can I add multiple delays in the same workflow?
Yes. You can chain multiple delay blocks within a single workflow. For example, a workflow could send a welcome email, wait three days, send a follow-up, wait another week, then check engagement, all within one flow with two separate delays.
Can I run a workflow only on business days?
Yes. The schedule trigger's daily frequency option lets you select specific days of the week. Uncheck Saturday and Sunday, and the workflow runs only on weekdays. You can also choose any custom combination of days.
Can I use scheduled workflows for drip email sequences?
Yes. By combining app triggers with multiple delay blocks and decision blocks, you can build timed email sequences in Zoho Flow. For example, a welcome email on day one, a product guide on day three, and a conversion prompt on day ten, with logic to stop the sequence if the recipient takes action.
How much does Zoho Flow cost?
Zoho Flow offers a free plan with up to 5 workflows and 100 tasks per month, including access to schedule triggers and delay blocks. Paid plans start at $29/month at 10k tasks. Visit the Zoho Flow pricing page for a better understanding.