Time Triggers are the time-delayed actions inside Workflow Rules and Approval Processes — "Send a follow-up email 7 days after the Lead was created." They live in the Time-Based Workflow Queue until the trigger time fires, then their actions execute. Modern automation prefers Scheduled Flow over Time Triggers.
- For Workflow: Setup → Workflow Rules → click into a Rule
Time Triggers are configured per Workflow Rule, not standalone.
- Scroll to Time-Dependent Workflow Actions section
Below the Immediate Workflow Actions list.
- Click Add Time Trigger
Specify the time offset and direction (X days / hours after / before a date field).
- Set the Time Trigger formula
Most use a date field reference like 'CreatedDate + 7 days.' Negative offsets fire before the date.
- Save → add Workflow Actions to this Time Trigger
Field Update / Email Alert / Task. These are what fires when the trigger time arrives.
- Activate the Workflow Rule
Inactive rules don't queue Time Triggers.
X minutes / hours / days / months before or after a date field.
Days from CreatedDate / from a custom date field / from a formula evaluation.
Whether to re-check rule criteria at trigger time. If false, the trigger fires regardless of current state.
- Salesforce has retired new Time Triggers as part of Workflow Rules retirement. New automation should use Scheduled Flow with a Wait element instead.
- Time-Based Workflow Queue accumulates pending Time Triggers. Editing the underlying record may move or remove queue entries — verify in Setup → Monitor Workflow Services.
- Re-evaluate criteria when trigger fires defaults to false. Many Time Triggers should re-check (e.g., "Email if still Open after 7 days"); without re-eval, they fire even after the lead converts.