> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.lumos.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to: Configure Wait Steps in Workflows

## After this article

You'll know how to configure Wait steps in your onboarding, offboarding, Mover, and AppStore workflows, allowing you to create precisely timed sequences of actions.

## Background

Wait steps pause a workflow so that onboarding and offboarding actions happen at specific times. For example:

* Ensuring a new Identity Provider account is created 7 days before a start date, but activating the account only when a new employee joins
* Waiting for a SCIM event to complete before continuing on with a provisioning workflow
* Putting accounts in legal hold for a set period before permanent deletion

With Wait steps, you can configure these timing requirements directly in your workflows.

## Adding a Wait Step to Your Workflow

Wait steps are available in onboarding, offboarding, Mover, and AppStore workflows.

1. Open the workflow you want to edit.
2. Click **Add Step** and choose **Wait**.
3. Enter a whole number for **Wait Time** and choose **Minutes**, **Hours**, or **Days**. The workflow pauses for that long before it runs the next step.

![Screenshot 2025-04-15 at 8.18.38 PM.png](https://mintcdn.com/lumos-primary/Z4TxLyScCYguPG3L/images/kb/_uncategorized/how-to-configure-wait-steps-in-workflows/5630bebc02a4-a84855c7-648f-4a4a-b3b3-115b7fbfa78d2F1744762722753-Screensh.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=Z4TxLyScCYguPG3L\&q=85\&s=20ffaa67455b5dbf19e09b1e27055ccd)

To pause until a specific date instead, such as a few days after a start date, use the **Wait Until** step. See ["Wait Until" Step](https://docs.lumos.com/for-admins/appstore/wait-until-step.md).

## Monitoring Waiting Workflows

When a workflow reaches a Wait step, it stays in progress until the wait ends:

* In onboarding, offboarding, and mover records, the run shows as **In Progress** while it waits. Open the record to see its steps, including the Wait step.
* For app workflows, go to the app's **Workflows** tab and open **Workflow Records**. The run's **Workflow Status** shows **Scheduled** until the wait ends.

## Wait Step Use Cases

Here are some common ways customers use Wait steps:

**Onboarding**

* Create accounts 7 days before start date, then wait until the employee's exact start time before activating them

**Offboarding**

* Immediately disable access when an employee departs, then wait 30 days before permanently deleting their account

**Access Management**

* Grant fine-grained access to a role or license using SCIM push groups, wait 1 minute for the changes to propagate, then run direct actions on the account in your AppStore workflows

## FAQs

**What happens if I edit a workflow while some of its runs are waiting?**

Editing a workflow doesn't affect runs that are already in progress. Runs that are waiting keep waiting based on their original configuration.

**Is there a maximum duration I can set for a Wait step?**

Yes. A Wait step can wait up to 90 days. If you set a longer wait, the step errors when the workflow reaches it.

**Can I have multiple Wait steps in a single workflow?**

Yes, you can add as many Wait steps as needed throughout your workflow.

## Other Questions?

Contact [support@lumos.com](mailto:support@lumos.com) or your CSM.