Every flow action has a trigger, and that trigger can be set one of two ways: Relative — fire a set amount of time before or after something happens — or Fixed — fire on a specific calendar date and time. This article explains the difference so you can pick the right one for each action.
Two ways to time an action
When you configure a flow action's trigger, you'll see a When section with a toggle between two options: Relative and Fixed. Relative ties the action to something that happens in the project — a signed contract, a paid invoice, a project start date. Fixed locks the action to one literal date on the calendar. The choice you make here determines how the action behaves across every project the flow is applied to.
Relative triggers
A relative trigger watches for a condition and fires a set amount of time before or after it. Because the timing is tied to each project's own events, the same flow adapts to every client — no manual adjustments needed.
How the offset works
When Relative is selected in the When section, three controls appear in a row: a number field (the amount), a unit dropdown, and a trigger condition dropdown.
The unit dropdown offers four options:
hour(s)
day(s)
week(s)
year(s)
There is no month option. For timing that falls between weeks and years, use days or weeks to express the interval.
The trigger condition dropdown groups available conditions into categories — Workflow, Project Dates, Form/Contract, Primary Invoice, and Appointments — so you can find the right event quickly. Full details on project start and end dates and conditions like when a client signs a contract, completes a form, or pays an invoice are covered in those dedicated articles.
The trigger condition dropdown includes a category labeled Workflow (which also contains an option reading "after this workflow starts"). This label reflects the in-app text — "workflow" here means flow.
Using 0 for immediate actions
The minimum offset value is 0. Entering 0 means the action runs immediately when its condition is met, with no delay at all. The default for a new action is 0 day(s) after all previous actions are completed.
Enter 0 for the amount when you want an action to run immediately as soon as its condition is met.
Decimal offsets
You can use decimal values for finer-grained timing. For example, entering 0.25 with hour(s) selected runs the action 15 minutes after the condition is met. Keep in mind that the flow template view may not display the decimal after saving — you'll see it reflected once the flow is applied to a project.
Fixed date triggers
A fixed trigger fires at one specific date and time, regardless of which project it's in. When Fixed is selected in the When section, a date picker appears where you choose a date and time.
Fixed triggers are the right choice when you're building a flow around a calendar event — a holiday promotion, a product launch, a seasonal campaign — where every project should act on exactly the same date.
A fixed date fires at the same date and time for every project the flow is applied to. If you need the timing to follow each individual project's own events or dates, use a relative trigger instead.
Setting a fixed date on a single project
You don't have to use a fixed date in the template for it to be useful — you can also switch an individual action's trigger to Fixed inside a specific project, without touching the template at all.
This is useful when you apply the flow to a project and realize one action needs a hard date specific to that client engagement.
To set a fixed date on a single project's action:
Open the project and go to the Flows tab.
Open the flow and click Edit.
Click the action node to open its configuration panel.
In the When section, switch the toggle to Fixed.
Select a date and time using the date picker.
Click Save.
Editing a trigger inside one project changes only that project's flow. The flow template is unaffected.
FAQ
When should I use a relative trigger vs. a fixed date?
Use relative for almost everything. Relative triggers adapt to each project's own timeline — when the contract was signed, when the form was completed, when the project started — so the same flow works across all your clients without any manual adjustments. Reserve fixed triggers for situations where every project should act on one specific calendar date, like a holiday promotion or a launch campaign.
What does entering "0" do?
Entering 0 for the amount tells the action to run immediately with no delay, as soon as its trigger condition is met. Zero is the minimum value; you cannot enter a negative number.
Why didn't my fixed-date action fire at each client's own date?
Fixed dates are intentionally the same for every project — that's what makes them useful for calendar-based campaigns. If you need the timing to follow each project's own events, switch to a relative trigger. For conditions based on project dates or client progress milestones, the sibling articles walk through the available options.
Can I use a fixed date for just one project?
Yes. Open the project, go to its Flows tab, open the flow, click Edit, click the action node, and switch the When toggle to Fixed. Choose a date and save. Only that project's flow is affected — the template stays unchanged.
I set a fixed date in my flow template, and now that date is in the past. Will my flow still work the next time I apply it to a project?
If a flow template uses a fixed date for an action and that fixed date is now in the past, the action associated with that fixed date trigger will likely encounter an error stating "The trigger for this action has expired." Fixed dates do not automatically adjust themselves as time elapses, so take care to keep any fixed date triggers in your flow templates up to date.