Sleep Component

Use the Sleep component to intentionally pause a workflow for a specific duration. It's an essential tool for managing timing, handling API rate limits, and synchronizing actions with external systems.

Why this matters

Many workflows need to interact with external services that have strict usage policies (rate limits). The Sleep component prevents your agent from making too many requests too quickly. It's also vital for waiting for slow, asynchronous processes to complete before continuing.

What You’ll Configure

• Set the Delay Duration
• Best Practices
• Troubleshooting Tips
• What to Try Next

Step 1: Set the Delay Duration

The only setting to configure is the amount of time, in seconds, that the workflow should pause before proceeding to the next step.

Setting	Required?	Description	Tips
Delay	Yes	The length of the pause in seconds.	Default: 1. Max: 3600 (1 hour). You can use a dynamic value from a previous step.

Dynamic Delays

You can set the delay using a variable. For example, an API response might include a Retry-After header. You can extract that value and pass it to the Sleep component to wait for the exact required duration.

Best Practices

• Manage Rate Limits: This is the most common use case. Place a Sleep component inside a ForEach Loop when calling an API to ensure you don't exceed the service's request limit.
• Wait for External Processes: If you trigger an external process (like a file write or a database update), use Sleep to add a short pause, giving the system time to complete the action before your workflow tries to access the result.
• Create Natural Cadence: In a chatbot, a short Sleep before a response can simulate a "typing" delay, making the interaction feel more natural.
• Avoid Very Long Delays: For pauses longer than a few minutes, it's better to use an Async and Await pattern. The Sleep component is designed for short-term delays.

Troubleshooting Tips

If your workflow seems stuck or delayed...

• Check the Delay Value: The most likely cause is that a long delay was set, either manually or through a dynamic variable that contained an unexpectedly large number.
• Ensure Proper Placement: Make sure the Sleep component is placed correctly in the sequence of your workflow. The workflow will pause at this component before executing any subsequent steps.
• It's a Minimum Delay: The Sleep component guarantees a minimum pause. The actual time might be slightly longer depending on overall agent load and workflow complexity, though this is rare.

What to Try Next

• Place a Sleep inside a ForEach Loop that makes an API Call on each iteration to process a list without getting rate-limited.
• Use a Code Component to calculate a dynamic delay based on business logic, and pass the result to the Sleep component.
• Create a more human-like chatbot by using a Sleep component to add a pause before the LLM Assistant generates a response.