# Sequence Settings, Shorter Delay Options for Sequences Steps **URL:** \ **Category:** HubSpot Ideas\ **Tags:** sequences\ **Created:** [July 13, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923 "2022-07-13T19:12:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NicoleJ](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/nicolej/32/76591_2.png) [@NicoleJ](https://community.hubspot.com/u/NicoleJ)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/1 "2022-07-13T19:12:20Z")
Right now, Sequence settings will only apply to the subsequent follow-up steps. > After adding steps to your sequence, you can edit the sequence settings, including the follow-up email send times and default task creation times. These settings only apply to the emails and tasks that execute after the first step in your sequence. 1) Please make the first Sequence step apply to the first Sequence Step This issue requires of a workaround of the user adding an initial “dummy” task, followed by an automated email that _is_ subject to the Sequence Settings, however, you can’t have the automated email sent out immediately. Instead, we are limited by one day (see screenshot). 2) Please allow for a shorter delays for subsequent steps, including a delay of zero (immediate action) ![664718_1_Screen Shot 2022-07-13 at 1.08.02 PM.png](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/9/3/93d29fd0adf872572bc9842af50a0e7f6d01b975.png) ---
**Author:** ![StewHeredia](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/stewheredia/32/60590_2.png) [@StewHeredia](https://community.hubspot.com/u/StewHeredia)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2022, 7:24pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/2 "2022-07-13T19:24:20Z")
The ability to manage sequenced engagement steps by day and time is paramount to creating an excellent experience for our customers and prospects. ---
**Author:** ![AdamShilton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@AdamShilton](https://community.hubspot.com/u/AdamShilton)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/3 "2022-09-13T17:09:49Z")
Having an hourly option as well as a daily option would be useful ---
**Author:** ![JHershman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecb155/32.png) [@JHershman](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JHershman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:35pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/4 "2022-09-15T16:35:08Z")
Agree with all the comments here. Not sure why there is a minimum of 1 day. Both Salesloft and Outreach give you the ability to schedule a follow up task immediately after a task is completed or you can choose a set number of hours. Huge misstep by Hubspot. ---
**Author:** ![VScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ba0ec/32.png) [@VScott](https://community.hubspot.com/u/VScott)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/5 "2022-09-28T20:29:14Z")
Agree. My team needs shorter delays for subsequent steps in a sequence, including a delay of zero (immediate action) for effecient outreach. ---
**Author:** ![MSchneider33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@MSchneider33](https://community.hubspot.com/u/MSchneider33)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2022, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/6 "2022-10-26T17:45:20Z")
Please allow more than one acticty per day!! I understand not more than one email a day, but a call and an email is different! ---
**Author:** ![Kate\_Moore](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/kate_moore/32/30180_2.png) [@Kate\_Moore](https://community.hubspot.com/u/Kate_Moore)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/7 "2023-03-22T16:00:44Z")
As an agency, this is a functionality that many of our sales-savvy customers require in order to completely customize and effectively manage the sequence steps. A forced full-day delay is much too long in many instances. Some cases would benefit from the complete removal of the delay altogether. ---
**Author:** ![phst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@phst](https://community.hubspot.com/u/phst)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2023, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/8 "2023-09-06T12:45:48Z")
This feels like a must-have. We use sequences that involve both calling and emailing on the same day someone signs up for a trial, and I’m pretty surprised we are not able to do this without workarounds. ---
**Author:** ![JFranzese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@JFranzese](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JFranzese)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2023, 10:07pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/9 "2023-09-09T22:07:04Z")
Yes, we need shorter delays. ---
**Author:** ![TWind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a698b9/32.png) [@TWind](https://community.hubspot.com/u/TWind)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/10 "2023-10-09T15:42:43Z")
Agree - Would like to have emails sent 5 minutes after leaving voicemail ---
**Author:** ![DToms](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/dtoms/32/69256_2.png) [@DToms](https://community.hubspot.com/u/DToms)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2023, 5:58am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/11 "2023-10-26T05:58:23Z")
Agree with all previous comments - delays for automated emails following a call need to be much shorter (minutes - not days!) ---
**Author:** ![April\_at\_Paubox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@April\_at\_Paubox](https://community.hubspot.com/u/April_at_Paubox)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/12 "2023-10-26T16:55:03Z")
we’re switching CRMs to HubSpot and this has been extremely disappointing to learn. ---
**Author:** ![meBilletto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@meBilletto](https://community.hubspot.com/u/meBilletto)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 8:26am UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/13 "2024-03-19T08:26:49Z")
Agreed - we are switching crm too, and our team have been disappointed to learn the delay have to be days, not minutes. ---
**Author:** ![LudmillaGarcia](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/ludmillagarcia/32/17331_2.png) [@LudmillaGarcia](https://community.hubspot.com/u/LudmillaGarcia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2024, 10:03pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/14 "2024-05-15T22:03:39Z")
this is a must have! our customers keep asking for this feauture ---
**Author:** ![TGroc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TGroc](https://community.hubspot.com/u/TGroc)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2025, 2:53pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/15 "2025-02-20T14:53:09Z")
Must-Have ! ---
**Author:** ![JJeffery3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JJeffery3](https://community.hubspot.com/u/JJeffery3)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/16 "2025-05-21T15:48:15Z")
we would like more options on the delay- the 1 day equalling 24 hours is just not appropriate in every setting. Especially if you have a call task that delays the sequence from moving onto the next email, if that call task is completed late in the day your send times are set for business hours sometimes the next email take 2 business days to send. Hours and Minutes are a must! ---
**Author:** ![KCookwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/919ad9/32.png) [@KCookwell](https://community.hubspot.com/u/KCookwell)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/17 "2026-03-04T22:48:13Z")
Why doesn’t this have more up votes?! 😭 We need minutes/hours delays here. ---
**Author:** ![adimarino](https://d10pqhm3lwygmk.cloudfront.net/user_avatar/community.hubspot.com/adimarino/32/51520_2.png) [@adimarino](https://community.hubspot.com/u/adimarino)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://community.hubspot.com/t/sequence-settings-shorter-delay-options-for-sequences-steps/60923/18 "2026-05-11T21:23:37Z")
Hello, I’m Ana, the product manager for sequences. We currently do not have any plans to develop this idea. That is not to say we’ll never prioritize this, but it’s not currently on the roadmap. Wanted to share a bit more about how our current delays work and some potential workarounds for some of the issues mentioned in this thread: 1. The send window setting only applies to follow up emails. The intention is to allow the first step to send immediately. If you don’t want the first step to execute immediately, you can choose to schedule it for later at the time of enrollment. ![Screenshot 2026-05-11 at 5.20.15 PM.png](https://d2qpr2jzcazej7.cloudfront.net/original/3X/7/5/75a40ac1b7a0888c91bf553d5ffc90ee0dc3636f.png) 2. Automated emails require a minimum delay of one day. However, task steps can be immediate with no delay. If you’d like to send an email after a call step, I recommend using a manual email task instead of an automated email. This will queue up the template and let you customize any content based on the outcome of your call. 3. Delays are in day increments only at this time. We don’t have any plans to introduce smaller increments like hours or minutes. Best, Ana