---
sourceDocument: Yokohama Build workflows
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/yokohama/build-workflows

 Release :

    - yokohama

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Yokohama Build workflows

ft:clusterId :

    - crworkflow

bundleId :

    - crworkflow

workflow :

    - Creator


---

# Wait For Message action

# Wait For Message action {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Yokohama
* 
* Updated January 30, 2025
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read

Summarize  
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This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.  

## Summary of Wait For Message action

The Wait For Message action in ServiceNow's Workflow Studio allows you to pause a flow until it receives a specific message via the flow API'ssendMessage()method.
This action lets you specify the exact string message that will resume the flow and optionally set a timeout period to prevent indefinite waiting.
It is designed to help control flow execution based on external inputs or events.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Pause and Resume Flow:** The flow waits until it receives a predefined string message through **sendMessage()** before continuing.
* **Timeout Support:** You can enable a timeout to limit how long the flow waits. If the message isn't received within the specified duration, the flow proceeds automatically. This prevents indefinite pauses.
* **Inputs:**
  * **Message:** The exact string the flow waits to receive.
  * **Enable timeout:** Boolean to activate timeout behavior.
  * **Duration:** How long to wait before timing out (hours, minutes, seconds).
* **Outputs:**
  * **Payload:** A text string returned by the **sendMessage()** API, usable in subsequent flow logic.
  * **State:** Numeric status indicating success (0) or error (1) of the action.
* **Role Access:** Available to users with the **flowdesigner** or **admin** roles.

## Practical Usage and Guidelines

* **Conversion from Classic Workflows:** Replace classic workflows' Wait for WF Event activities with this action by using the event name as the message string.
* **Message Generation:** Use the **sendMessage()** API to send messages that resume flows. Messages can be generated inside the flow (via a custom Script step) or externally (via events or scripts).
* **Example Scenario:** In an approval flow, if an approval is rejected or skipped, the flow waits for a message to resume. For instance, after addressing feedback, running **sendMessage()** with the message "Resume Flow" and a payload like "Resubmitted for approval" resumes and continues the flow logic, such as rerunning approval steps.

## Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

This action empowers you to create more dynamic, flexible flows that can pause and resume based on external events or manual interventions, improving automation control and error handling. Timeout settings ensure flows do not hang indefinitely, which enhances process reliability. By integrating with the **sendMessage()** API, you have a powerful mechanism to coordinate asynchronous events and user inputs within your workflows.  
Pause a flow until it receives a specific message from the flow API. Specify the string message that resumes running the flow, and optionally provide a time out value to resume the flow if no message is received after a specific amount of time.

## Roles and availability {#wait-for-message-action__section_wmr_fkc_mcc}

Available as a Workflow Studio ServiceNow core action. Users with the flow_designer or admin role can add an action to a flow and define configuration details.

## Inputs {#wait-for-message-action__section-inputs}

Provide a value for each input that your action needs. To add dynamic values, you can also drag pills from the Data panel or select them from the pill picker.{#wait-for-message-action__inputs-description}

Message
:   Data type: String

    The text string that the flow is waiting to receive from the sendMessage() API. The action uses this message to resume running the flow. For more information about the sendMessage()
    API, see .

Enable timeout
    : Data type: True/False  
    Option to limit the amount of time that the flow waits for the action to be completed before continuing.  
    Note:  
    Use the Enable timeout option to help prevent the flow from infinitely waiting. If the message isn't received, a timeout value specifies when the system can skip the Wait for Message action and go to the next item in the flow. You must set a Duration value to enable a timeout.

Duration
:   Data type: Duration

    Amount of time that the flow waits before continuing when the Enable timeout option is selected. Enter the time to wait in hours, minutes, and seconds. If you
    leave this field empty, the flow doesn't wait.

## Outputs {#wait-for-message-action__section-outputs}

These outputs appear in the Data panel. You can use them as inputs elsewhere in your flow.{#wait-for-message-action__outputs-description}  

Payload
:   Data type: String

    A text string returned by the sendMessage() API. The parent flow can use payload values as inputs for other actions or flow logic.

State
    : Data type: Choice  
    The completion status of the action as a numeric value.

    * 0 (success)
    * 1 (error)
    {#wait-for-message-action__ul_x5y_hjs_qlb}

## General Guidelines {#wait-for-message-action__section_jkh_zbd_mcc}

Use these general guidelines when creating flows that wait for a message.

Convert workflow event waiting activities using this action
:   Convert classic workflows that use the Wait for WF Event activity to flows that use the Wait For Message action. You can use the event name as the message text that resumes the flow.

Use the sendMessage() method to create messages
:   Create messages for waiting flows using the sendMessage() method. If you want the flow to generate the message to resume running, create a custom action with a Script step to generate the message. Alternatively, create some
script logic that runs outside the flow such as an event to generate the message. For more information about the sendMessage() API, see .  

## Wait for message to run Go back to flow logic {#wait-for-message-action__example_z1k_rkr_c2c}

In this example flow, the approval state determines whether to run the Wait for Message action. If the approval state is skipped or rejected, the flow waits for a message from the sendMessage() API before continuing. You could use
this logic to fix a rejected approval request and resubmit it for approval.

In this example, Fred Luddy rejected the approval and requested more information. To resume the flow, someone has to address Fred's comments, and then run the sendMessage() API to send the proper message `Resume
Flow`.

After fixing the change request, someone ran the sendMessage() API to send the message `Resume Flow` and also send the flow a Payload value of `Resubmitted for approval`. For more information about the
sendMessage() API, see .

Since the API message value matched the conditions of the Wait for Message action, the flow resumed running. In this case, the flow used a Go back to flow logic block to rerun the Ask for Approval action.

Here is the activity log of the change request. The payload value `Resubmitted for approval` was added to the Additional comments field.