N8N Wait Node: Timing Control, Webhooks & Pauzes in Workflows (2025)

De Wait node is de tijdmeester van je N8N workflows. Deze essentiële node geeft je volledige controle over wanneer en hoe je workflows pauzeren en weer hervatten. Of je nu API rate limits moet respecteren, wacht op externe events, of complexe synchronisatie tussen systemen moet implementeren - de Wait node is je go-to oplossing voor timing control.

In deze complete gids duiken we diep in alle mogelijkheden van de Wait node, van simpele delays tot geavanceerde webhook-based synchronisatie patterns die je workflows naar een hoger niveau tillen.

Wat is de Wait Node?

De Wait node is een flow control node die je workflow tijdelijk pauzeert en later weer hervat op basis van specifieke condities. Tijdens de pauze wordt de execution data veilig opgeslagen in de database, waarna de workflow precies verder gaat waar hij was gebleven wanneer de resume conditie wordt vervuld.

De 4 Resume Modi Uitgelegd

1. After Time Interval ⏱️

De meest gebruikte modus - wacht voor een specifieke tijdsduur voordat de workflow verder gaat.

// Configuratie voorbeeld
{
  "resumeOn": "After Time Interval",
  "amount": 5,
  "unit": "minutes"
}

2. At Specified Time 📅

Wacht tot een specifiek tijdstip voordat de workflow verder gaat. Perfect voor scheduled operations.

// Wacht tot morgen 9:00 AM
{
  "resumeOn": "At Specified Time",
  "date": "2025-01-04",
  "time": "09:00:00",
  "timezone": "Europe/Amsterdam"
}

3. On Webhook Call 🔗

De krachtigste resume optie - wacht tot een externe service een webhook aanroept.

// Webhook configuratie
{
  "resumeOn": "On Webhook Call",
  "webhookSuffix": "order-processed", // Optioneel
  "limit": {
    "enabled": true,
    "amount": 24,
    "unit": "hours"  // Max wait time
  }
}

// Resume URL wordt automatisch gegenereerd:
// https://your-n8n.com/webhook-waiting/abc123/order-processed

4. On Form Submission 📝

Wacht tot een gebruiker een form invult. Ideaal voor approval workflows.

// Form configuratie
{
  "resumeOn": "On Form Submission",
  "formTitle": "Order Approval",
  "formDescription": "Please approve or reject this order",
  "formFields": [
    {
      "fieldLabel": "Decision",
      "fieldType": "dropdown",
      "requiredField": true,
      "fieldOptions": [
        "Approve",
        "Reject",
        "Request More Info"
      ]
    },
    {
      "fieldLabel": "Comments",
      "fieldType": "textarea",
      "requiredField": false
    }
  ]
}

Praktische Use Cases

Use Case 1: API Rate Limiting

Voorkom API rate limit errors door requests te throttlen:

// Rate limiting workflow pattern
{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "name": "Split In Batches",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches",
      "parameters": {
        "batchSize": 10  // 10 items per batch
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Process Batch",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "parameters": {
        "url": "https://api.example.com/process",
        "method": "POST"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Wait Between Batches",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.wait",
      "parameters": {
        "amount": 2,
        "unit": "seconds"  // Wait 2 seconds between batches
      }
    }
  ]
}

Use Case 2: Multi-Stage Approval Process

Use Case 3: Scheduled Email Follow-ups

// Email drip campaign met Wait nodes
const workflow = {
  "trigger": "User signs up",
  "sequence": [
    {
      "action": "Send welcome email",
      "immediate": true
    },
    {
      "wait": {
        "amount": 1,
        "unit": "days"
      }
    },
    {
      "action": "Send onboarding tips",
      "condition": "if not yet activated"
    },
    {
      "wait": {
        "amount": 3,
        "unit": "days"
      }
    },
    {
      "action": "Send case studies",
      "condition": "if engaged with previous emails"
    },
    {
      "wait": {
        "amount": 1,
        "unit": "weeks"
      }
    },
    {
      "action": "Send special offer",
      "condition": "if not yet converted"
    }
  ]
};

Use Case 4: Payment Processing Synchronization

// Payment webhook synchronization pattern
{
  "workflow": [
    {
      "node": "Create Payment",
      "action": "Send payment request to Mollie/Stripe",
      "output": "paymentId, checkoutUrl"
    },
    {
      "node": "Send to Customer",
      "action": "Email checkout URL to customer"
    },
    {
      "node": "Wait for Payment",
      "type": "wait",
      "config": {
        "resumeOn": "webhook",
        "webhookSuffix": "payment-{{paymentId}}",
        "maxWait": "30 minutes",
        "data": "Store order details"
      }
    },
    {
      "node": "Payment Received",
      "action": "Process order fulfillment",
      "condition": "if payment.status === 'paid'"
    }
  ]
}

Advanced Patterns & Techniques

Pattern 1: Cascading Waits met Fallbacks

// Multiple wait conditions met fallbacks
const cascadingWaitPattern = {
  "primary_wait": {
    "type": "webhook",
    "timeout": "2 hours",
    "suffix": "primary-response"
  },
  "if_timeout": {
    "secondary_wait": {
      "type": "time",
      "duration": "30 minutes"
    },
    "then": "Send reminder",
    "final_wait": {
      "type": "webhook",
      "timeout": "1 hour",
      "suffix": "reminder-response"
    }
  },
  "fallback": "Auto-reject after 3.5 hours total"
};

Pattern 2: Dynamic Wait Duration

// Bereken wait tijd dynamisch op basis van data
const calculateWaitTime = (priority, amount) => {
  let baseWait = 60; // Base wait in minuten
  
  // Adjust based on priority
  switch(priority) {
    case 'high':
      baseWait = 15;
      break;
    case 'medium':
      baseWait = 60;
      break;
    case 'low':
      baseWait = 240;
      break;
  }
  
  // Adjust based on amount
  if (amount > 10000) {
    baseWait = baseWait / 2; // Halve wait time for large orders
  }
  
  return {
    amount: baseWait,
    unit: 'minutes'
  };
};

// Gebruik in Set node voor Wait node
$json.waitConfig = calculateWaitTime($json.priority, $json.orderAmount);

Pattern 3: Parallel Waiting met Merge

Best Practices & Optimalisatie

Performance Consideraties

Security Best Practices

Error Handling Strategies

// Robuuste error handling voor Wait nodes
const errorHandlingPattern = {
  "wait_config": {
    "primary": {
      "type": "webhook",
      "maxWait": "1 hour"
    },
    "on_timeout": {
      "action": "log_timeout",
      "notify": "admin@company.com",
      "fallback": "use_default_values"
    },
    "on_error": {
      "retry": {
        "attempts": 3,
        "delay": "5 minutes"
      },
      "final_fallback": "manual_intervention_required"
    }
  },
  "data_validation": {
    "before_wait": "validate_required_fields",
    "after_resume": "validate_response_data"
  }
};

Integratie met Andere Nodes

Wait + Split In Batches

Combineer Wait met Split In Batches voor rate-limited batch processing:

// Batch processing met delays
[
  Split In Batches (10 items)
  → Process Batch
  → Wait (2 seconds)
  → Loop back if more batches
]

Wait + IF Node

Gebruik IF nodes voor conditional waiting:

// Conditional wait based on data
IF (amount > 1000)
  → Wait (manager approval)
ELSE
  → Process immediately

Wait + Merge Node

Combineer met Merge node voor parallel wait operations:

// Multiple wait paths merged
Path 1: Wait for payment → Merge
Path 2: Wait for inventory → Merge
Path 3: Wait timeout (30 min) → Merge
→ First to complete continues workflow

Troubleshooting Guide

Veelvoorkomende Problemen

Debug Tips

Real-World Implementatie Voorbeelden

Voorbeeld 1: Order Fulfillment Workflow

// Complete order fulfillment met waits
const orderFulfillmentWorkflow = {
  "trigger": "New order webhook",
  "steps": [
    {
      "name": "Validate Order",
      "action": "Check inventory, pricing, customer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Send Payment Link",
      "action": "Create Mollie payment, email customer"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wait for Payment",
      "type": "wait",
      "config": {
        "mode": "webhook",
        "suffix": "payment-{{orderId}}",
        "maxWait": "24 hours"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Process Payment Result",
      "condition": "Check if paid"
    },
    {
      "name": "Reserve Inventory",
      "action": "Update stock levels"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wait for Shipping Label",
      "type": "wait",
      "config": {
        "mode": "webhook",
        "suffix": "shipping-{{orderId}}",
        "maxWait": "2 hours"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Send Tracking Info",
      "action": "Email customer with tracking"
    },
    {
      "name": "Wait 7 Days",
      "type": "wait",
      "config": {
        "mode": "time",
        "duration": "7 days"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Request Review",
      "action": "Send review request email"
    }
  ]
};

Voorbeeld 2: Document Approval Chain

// Multi-level document approval
const approvalChain = {
  "levels": [
    {
      "level": 1,
      "approver": "direct_manager",
      "wait": {
        "type": "form",
        "timeout": "24 hours",
        "reminder_after": "12 hours"
      }
    },
    {
      "level": 2,
      "approver": "department_head",
      "condition": "if amount > 5000",
      "wait": {
        "type": "form",
        "timeout": "48 hours",
        "escalate_on_timeout": true
      }
    },
    {
      "level": 3,
      "approver": "cfo",
      "condition": "if amount > 25000",
      "wait": {
        "type": "form",
        "timeout": "72 hours",
        "auto_approve_on_timeout": false
      }
    }
  ],
  "on_all_approved": "Execute request",
  "on_any_rejected": "Notify requester and stop"
};

Conclusie en Next Steps

De Wait node is veel meer dan een simpele pause knop - het is een krachtige orchestration tool die je workflows intelligent en responsive maakt. Van API rate limiting tot complexe approval chains, de Wait node stelt je in staat om real-world business processes perfect te modelleren.

Veelgestelde Vragen