---
schema_version: "1"
id: 35036e0fd7efcadb4cbe609e7b3a770cd47c216d498e000c4f78c4a9b46edca4
title: Wait Activity
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/mktg/264-0-0/mc_as_wait_activity.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_as_wait_activity.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 218128dcd735d46f0a589815998269311750a682f7a9f6a8f6630c847b28899f
description: Wait activities in Automation Studio cause an automation to wait for a specific duration or until a specific time before performing the next step. You can include one or multiple wait activities in a single automation.
products:
  - Marketing
  - Marketing Cloud Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Wait Activity

Wait activities in Automation Studio cause an automation to wait for a specific duration or until a specific time before performing the next step. You can include one or multiple wait activities in a single automation.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/images/icon_note.png)

Note An automation must finish its run completely before subsequent runs begin. When an automation is in the middle of a wait activity at the time when the next scheduled or file drop run occurs, Automation Studio skips that run.

## Multiple Wait Activities - Considerations

- There is no limit on the number of wait activities an automation, but the combined wait time in an automation can’t exceed one year.
- When you add more wait activities, wait times for previous wait activities are shown in the Wait Activity modal so that you can calculate total wait time in the automation.
- When the duration of the first wait activity is specified, any wait activities occurring later in the automation's workflow begin after this wait time ends.
- When an automation is in the middle of a wait activity when the next scheduled or triggered run occurs, that run is skipped.

## Scheduling Considerations

If your schedule creates overlapping times due to wait activities, those scheduled runs are skipped and represented in the Activity tab.

- Scheduled runs that are skipped due to overlap are logged as errors and shown under Health.
- Runs skipped due to running wait activities are shown in the Run Log.
- All wait activities included in an automation are shown to the left in the Wait Activities sidebar under the Schedule Summary.
- To change the duration or time for an activity on the timeline, click ![the edit icon](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-mktg-mc_journeys_and_automations-264-0-0-production-enus/e08cdd71-c1c1-4ae5-a5e9-8a6dad583ad4/mc_journeys_and_automations/images/mc_as_Wait_Activity_Edit_icon.png).
- To update a wait activity from the Overview page, click **Edit**.

- **[Add a Wait Activity](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=mktg.mc_as_add_a_wait_activity.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Tell an automation how long to pause before proceeding to the next activity in Automation Studio.