Wait For Message action

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Wait For Message action

    The Wait For Message action allows a flow to pause until it receives a specific message via the flow API. This action can include an optional timeout feature, enabling the flow to resume if the message is not received within a designated timeframe.

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    Key Features

    • Roles and Availability: Available as a Workflow Studio core action; requires flowdesigner or admin role to configure.
    • Inputs:
      • Message: The specific string that the flow awaits from the sendMessage() API.
      • Enable timeout: A True/False option to limit the wait time for the action.
      • Duration: The time (in hours, minutes, and seconds) that the flow waits if timeout is enabled.
    • Outputs:
      • Payload: A string returned by the sendMessage() API that can be used in subsequent actions.
      • State: Indicates the action's completion status (0 for success, 1 for error).

    Key Outcomes

    This action is particularly useful for managing flow logic based on external events. For instance, it can be employed to handle approval processes by waiting for messages that indicate changes in status or additional information. By correctly implementing this action, users can streamline workflows and ensure proper communication is established before proceeding with subsequent actions.

    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

    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

    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.

    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 FlowAPI - sendMessage(String contextSysID, String message, String payload).

    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

    These outputs appear in the Data panel. You can use them as inputs elsewhere in your flow.

    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)

    General Guidelines

    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 FlowAPI - sendMessage(String contextSysID, String message, String payload).

    Wait for message to run Go back to flow logic

    Execution details of the Wait for Message action in the Waiting state. The other steps of the flow are in the Not Run state.

    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.

    Execution details of the Wait for Message action in the Completed state. The payload has a runtime value of Resubmitted for approval.

    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 FlowAPI - sendMessage(String contextSysID, String message, String payload).

    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.

    Example activity stream of a change record with the text Resubmitted for approval.

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