How Spacing in a Sequence Works

The wait time in your sequence between each sequential step is calculated based on the schedule and wait time you set. Tasks are scheduled to appear after the established wait time. This also does not include delays caused by any rate limits you run into. Here's an example:

• First, you set a send schedule - for example → Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm 
• You set up the first step as an auto email with 0 minutes of Wait Time, so it will send as soon as a contact enters the sequence
• Step 2 you set as another auto email with 3 days wait time
• Step 3 you set as a call task with 3 days of wait time

Now, let's take a look at how 2 contacts, added on different days, would move through this sequence:

• Tom enters this sequence on Monday morning, at 7am
  • He will get step one as soon as 8am rolls around, since the schedule only sends between 8am and 5pm.
  • He will get step two ON the third day in the send schedule (Monday-Friday) after Monday, so this will send on Thursday, around 8am.
  • The third step, the call task, will appear in your task list 3 days after that, but again note this only counts days included in your schedule (Monday-Friday), so this will appear in your task list on Tuesday, around 8am.

• Jill enters this sequence on Friday morning, at 10am
  • She will get step one right away, at 10am
  • She will get step two 3 days after that, but note this only counts days included in your schedule (Monday-Friday), so this will send on Wednesday, around 10am.
  • The third step, the call task, will appear in your task list 3 days after that, but again note this only counts days included in your schedule (Monday-Friday), so this will appear in your task list on Monday, around 8am.

In a nutshell, wait days are counted from the days in your sequence schedule, not days in general. The day that a given step is completed starts the Wait counter (you can think of it as "day 0"), and the next step will fire ON the 3rd day after that, if the wait time is 3 days. 

Setting Wait Times Down to the Minute

When setting wait times down to the minute, Apollo may send out the email up to 2 minutes in advance of the scheduled time. This means that if you have an automatic email set to send 2 minutes after a prior step is completed, it's possible that this email will send within the same exact minute.