Use this article to add and configure a Wait for reply step in a Fin Procedure. The step pauses the Procedure while a customer completes a long-running task — without triggering the inactivity timer or sending follow-up messages — and creates a wait_elapsed attribute you can use to branch on the outcome.
Note: To add or edit Fin Procedures, you need the can manage workspace data permission. Go to Settings > Workspace > Teammates to check your permissions.
When to use Wait for reply
Use the Wait for reply step when Fin needs to pause mid-Procedure and give a customer time to complete something before continuing. Common examples include:
Waiting for a customer to verify their email address
Pausing while a customer follows setup steps in another tab or app
Giving a customer time to gather information or complete a form before the Procedure proceeds
Note: Use Wait for reply when the task the customer needs to complete can’t be tracked through an external system. If your process involves an external system sending a callback (such as identity verification or payment processing), use Wait for Webhook instead. For a simple time-based delay where no customer reply is expected, use the Wait action in a Workflow.
Setting up Wait for reply
To add and configure a Wait for reply step:
In the Procedure editor, open an Instruction step and type @ to open the tool picker. Select Wait for reply. The step is inserted and a configuration panel opens on the right.
In the configuration panel, set the Wait time (minimum 5 minutes, maximum 7 days) and write the Customer instructions — this is what Fin sends to the customer before pausing. When the customer replies, Fin confirms all instructions are completed before continuing.
The step creates a wait_elapsed attribute (rename it if needed). Add a Condition step after Wait for reply and branch on wait_elapsed —
falsemeans the customer replied in time,truemeans the wait elapsed with no reply.
Wait time
Set how long Fin should wait for the customer to reply. The minimum is 5 minutes and the maximum is 7 days. The step ends as soon as the customer replies, or when the wait time elapses — whichever comes first. The duration can be set in minutes, hours, or days.
Customer instructions
Write the instructions the customer needs to complete. Fin sends these to the customer before pausing. When the customer replies, Fin confirms that all the instructions have been completed before moving the Procedure forward. If the customer replies without confirming all instructions are complete, Fin keeps asking until they confirm.
The wait_elapsed attribute
The Wait for reply step automatically creates a wait_elapsed attribute. You can rename this to something more descriptive (for example, email_verification_elapsed). It takes one of two values:
false — the customer replied within the wait time
true — the wait time elapsed with no customer reply
Important:
Operations inside the step are limited to reading or updating attributes — data connector calls and handoffs are not available within Wait for reply.
What happens when Wait for reply ends
Regardless of how the wait ends, the Procedure always moves to the next step — it never automatically escalates to a teammate. To handle both outcomes differently, add a Condition step after the Wait for reply step and branch on the wait_elapsed attribute:
If wait_elapsed is false: the customer replied in time — continue the Procedure as normal.
If wait_elapsed is true: the wait elapsed — take an alternative path, such as sending a follow-up message or escalating to a teammate.
Tip: Always add a Condition step after Wait for reply so you can handle both outcomes. Without it, the Procedure continues to the next step regardless of whether the customer replied in time.
FAQs
Does the inactivity timer fire while a Wait for reply step is active?
Does the inactivity timer fire while a Wait for reply step is active?
No, the inactivity timer is paused while a Wait for reply step is active. Follow-up messages are not sent during the wait period.
What’s the minimum and maximum wait time for Wait for reply?
What’s the minimum and maximum wait time for Wait for reply?
For a Wait for reply step, the minimum wait time is 5 minutes and the maximum is 7 days.
Does Wait for reply escalate to a teammate if the customer doesn’t reply?
Does Wait for reply escalate to a teammate if the customer doesn’t reply?
No. When a Wait for reply step times out, the Procedure always moves to the next step — it never escalates automatically. Use a Condition step branching on the wait_elapsed attribute to escalate if needed.
What’s the difference between Wait for reply and Wait for Webhook?
What’s the difference between Wait for reply and Wait for Webhook?
These are two different steps. Wait for reply pauses the Procedure while a customer completes a task and waits for them to send a message. Wait for Webhook pauses the Procedure while an external system processes a request asynchronously and calls back to resume it — the customer doesn’t need to reply for the Procedure to continue.
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