When creating a pathway, you can configure when each of the steps should be delivered. Here we discuss the three different intervals.
Option 1: No delay
When this option for a step is chosen, this and the previous step will be delivered at the same time. The client will receive two separate activities at the same time.
Option 2: After fixed amount of time
When this option for a step is chosen, there is a fixed amount of time between this and the previous step.
The exact amount of time between this and the previous step can be configured in the same panel:
Please note that if in the previous step the “required” toggle is switched on, this step will not be sent, even after the chosen time interval has passed. The client has to complete the previous step first before the activity in this step will be delivered. In other words, switching on the “required” toggle can override the time interval set in the next activity when the client has not completed this required step yet.
If the “required” toggle is switched off in the previous step, this step will be delivered after the chosen time interval has passed, regardless of whether the client has completed the previous step or not.
Option 3: After completing previous step
When this option is chosen, this step will be delivered when the client has completed the previous step. Thus, when this option is chosen for a step, the client’s completion of this step impacts the delivery of future steps since the pathway “pauses” until this particular step has been completed.
The delivery of the first step
The delivery of the first step is determined by the date and time specified on the “Send pathway” page. In the example displayed below, the first step of the pathway will be delivered on May 19, 2021, at 12:48 PM.
The time interval setting of the second step is derived from this date. Unless blocked by the required setting of the first step that is.
For example, if you sent out the pathway on Monday, June 23 at 8 PM, and the interval for the next activity in the pathway is 1 day later, the next activity will be sent June 24 at 8 PM unless the first step is set to required and the client has not completed it yet. In that case, the next activity will be sent as soon as the first step is completed.