Keyboard and Wait Nodes

Keyboard nodes send keys to the active page. Wait nodes let the workflow continue only after a time, element, or network condition is satisfied. This guide covers 2 keyboard nodes and 3 wait nodes.

Keyboard and Wait nodes

Keyboard Actions

Key Press

Select a key from the preset list and send it to the active page. Add Notes to record its business purpose.

Common uses:

• Send Enter in an input to submit a search.
• Use Tab to move focus.
• Use arrow keys with keyboard-navigable controls.
• Send Escape to close a page overlay.

Before sending a key, ensure the intended element is focused. Use Focus Element or a Click Element node first when necessary.

Key Press configuration

Keyboard Shortcut

Record and send a shortcut composed of several keys. The node validates the shortcut format and also supports Notes.

Operating system, browser, and website shortcuts can conflict. Debug separately on each platform when the same workflow runs on different systems.

Avoid high-risk system shortcuts in a formal workflow. If focus is uncertain, focus an element first and validate in a test profile.

Keyboard Shortcut configuration

Wait for Duration

Pauses the workflow for a specified number of milliseconds:

Mode	Default	Description
Fixed	2000ms	Waits the same duration every time
Random range	1000-2000ms	Selects a random duration between the minimum and maximum on each run

The random duration is resolved before the node runs. The minimum must not exceed the maximum.

Fixed waits suit intentional pauses. For webpage state, prefer Wait for Element or Wait for Request, because a fixed duration cannot guarantee that the page is ready.

Wait for Duration configuration

Wait for Element

Continuously checks an element until it reaches the expected state or the timeout is reached.

Configure:

• A CSS selector, XPath, or text location.
• Whether the element should be visible or hidden.
• A timeout, default 30000ms.
• Whether to save the result in an output variable.

See Element Location and Selectors for complete location rules.

Common scenarios:

• Wait for the main content to appear after navigation.
• Wait for a loading indicator to disappear after submitting a form.
• Wait for the next page of a scrolling list.
• Confirm that an overlay is hidden after closing a dialog.

When saved to a variable, the result can drive an IF branch.

Wait for Element configuration

Wait for Request

Waits for a network request matching a URL to complete. The default timeout is 10000ms.

A static request address must be a valid URL. Variable-enabled fields can construct the address at runtime.

1. Add the click, input, or page action that triggers the request.
2. Add Wait for Request after it.
3. Enter a URL that identifies the request.
4. Set a timeout appropriate for the API response.

Wait for Request synchronizes request completion only. To extract request or response data, use Listen for Request or Capture Request Results.

Wait for Request configuration

Choose a Wait Method

Whether a page is actionable matters more than how many seconds have elapsed. Waiting for a specific state reduces failures caused by network variation.

Target	Goal	Recommended node
Time	Pause for a fixed or random duration	Wait for Duration
Page	Wait for a button, table, or dialog to appear	Wait for Element with visible expected state
Page	Wait for a loading layer or dialog to disappear	Wait for Element with hidden expected state
Network	Wait for an API request to finish	Wait for Request

Troubleshooting

Keyboard Node Has No Effect

Confirm the active tab and focus. Add Focus Element or Click Element before the keyboard node and inspect execution order in Debug Logs.

Wait for Element Times Out

Review the selector, expected state, and active page. Scroll into a lazy-loaded area first when required, and confirm that navigation has not left the workflow on the previous tab.

Wait for Request Reports an Invalid URL

Enter a complete valid URL for a static value. If it comes from a variable, confirm that the upstream node produced it and that runtime resolution creates the intended address.

Fixed Wait Still Fails on Some Profiles

Network and page response times vary. Replace the fixed duration with an element or request condition and set a reasonable condition timeout.

Related Guides

• Page Action Nodes: Focus elements, click pages, and trigger requests.
• Data Collection and Storage Nodes: Listen for and extract request data.
• Debug Automation Workflows: Use logs to locate wait failures.