Node: Schedule Message

The Schedule Message node queues an outbound message to the contact to be sent at a future point in time, instead of sending it immediately. It's how you build reminders, follow-ups, or deferred messages inside a workflow.

When to use it

• For reminders ("I'll write again tomorrow if you haven't replied"), post-sale follow-ups, or reactivation messages scheduled ahead of time.
• When the send shouldn't go out at the moment of the trigger, but later.

Requirements

• The message (content) can't be empty.
• A destination conversation must be resolvable based on the chosen channel mode (see below).
• Message variables ({{contact.first_name}}, etc.) are resolved at scheduling time, not when the message actually sends — they reflect the contact's state at that moment, not whatever it becomes hours or days later.

Configuration

• Send timing:
  • Relative mode (mode = relative): sends N minutes after being scheduled (delay_minutes).
  • Absolute mode (mode = absolute): sends at an exact date/time (at). If that time has already passed by the moment the node runs, the message is sent immediately instead of being dropped.
• Channel mode (channel_mode):
  • last (default): sends on the trigger's own conversation.
  • specific: sends on an existing (or new) conversation on the chosen channel.
  • start_new: always creates a fresh conversation on the chosen channel — designed exactly for scheduled sends where there may not be an open conversation at that time.
• Channel (channel_id): required when the mode is specific or start_new.
• Message (content, required): the text to send; supports variables.

Example

A workflow fires when an agent closes a sales conversation without the contact confirming payment. The Schedule Message node is set to relative mode with delay_minutes = 1440 (24 hours) and channel_mode = start_new on the contact's WhatsApp channel, with the text "Hi {{contact.first_name}}, were you able to complete the payment? Let me know if you have any questions."

Tips

• Use start_new when you can't guarantee an open conversation will exist at the actual send time (e.g. multi-day schedules).
• If you schedule in absolute mode with a date that's already past, the system doesn't discard the message — it sends it right away instead of silently dropping it.

Troubleshooting

• "Empty message content": the Message field was left blank.
• "Invalid schedule time": delay_minutes (relative mode) or at (absolute mode) is missing, or the value isn't valid.
• "channel_mode=last but the trigger did not provide an open conversation": switch to specific or start_new and set a channel — last mode needs an active conversation on the trigger.