When setting up a Series (drip campaign) in VipeCloud, each step includes a setting called “Days delay after prior step.”
This controls when each step runs after the previous step has completed.
This article explains:
How delays work
How to send multiple steps immediately
How tasks affect Series timing
How “Send on weekdays only” works
How Step Delays Work
A step delay is calculated after the prior step completes.
Example:
Step 1 sends on Monday
Step 2 has a 4-day delay
Here’s what happens:
Tuesday = Day 1
Wednesday = Day 2
Thursday = Day 3
Friday = Day 4
Step 2 sends on Friday.
The delay is based on full days passing after the previous step runs.
How To Send Multiple Steps Immediately
By default, Step 1 fires immediately when the Series is launched, unless:
You have a delay inside the automation that launches the Series, or
You manually schedule the Series for later
If you want Step 2 (or additional steps) to also fire immediately, here’s what to do:
Edit / create Step 2.
Open Step Timing.
Set Days delay after prior step = 0.
Set the Time to process to the earliest time of day (for example, 12:01 AM).
This ensures:
Step 2 runs as soon as Step 1 completes.
The email or text sends immediately.
This works for:
Emails
Text messages
Important: Tasks Pause a Series
Tasks behave differently than emails and texts.
When a task is created in a Series:
The Series pauses
No additional steps will run
The Series resumes only after the task is completed
This is intentional. It prevents automation from running out of order if a task is delayed.
How To Send Emails/Text Immediately AND Create a Task
If you want:
An email
A text
And a task
All to happen “right away” you must structure the Series correctly.
Correct setup:
Step 1 – Email (0 day delay)
Step 2 – Text (0 day delay)
Step 3 – Task (0 day delay)
Do NOT put the task first.
If the task is first:
The Series pauses
The email and text will not send until the task is completed
Instead:
Put automated actions (email/text) first
Then add the task as the final immediate step
Set the task due date to “Due immediately”
What Happens When “Send On Weekdays Only” Is Enabled
When this option is turned on:
Saturday and Sunday are skipped
No emails or texts send on weekends
If a step is scheduled to send on Saturday or Sunday:
The system waits
It sends on Monday instead
Future steps continue from that Monday date
Example
Step 1 sends on Monday
Step 2 has a 5-day delay
That would normally land on Saturday
Because weekends are blocked:
Step 2 sends Monday instead
Future steps calculate from that Monday