# Delay

Pause a flow for a set duration — a utility available with every CloudFiles product.

> Kind: Flow action · Updated: Apr 18, 2026

> **Utility action — works with any product** — Delay ships with the platform, not with a specific product. It is available whether you own Document Management, Document Generation, Document AI, or any combination — and consumes no automation credits.

## What this action does

Pauses the flow for the given duration before the next action runs. The classic use: storage providers need a moment to index newly created resources — a 10-second delay between ⚡ Create Folder and a follow-up search avoids flaky automations. Equally handy before AI processing or after document generation.

### Input parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | Integer | required | How long to wait, in seconds. Range 1–600. |
| Resume Mode | Picklist | optional | async (default — releases the transaction) or blocking (screen flows only). |

### Output parameters
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status | String | optional | completed once the delay elapses. |