# Timer
The **Timer Event** is used to define the **maximum allowable time** for processing a task or waiting for an event.\
Timer events help control execution timing and enable flows to react when tasks exceed a predefined duration.
***
### Purpose
**Timer Events** are used to:
* Specify time constraints for tasks or activities
* Detect delays or timeouts during integration or workflow execution
* Trigger alternate actions when a task exceeds its allowed duration
A Timer can be used as:
* **Start Event** – to begin a flow at a scheduled time
* **Intermediate Event** – to pause or wait for a duration
* **Boundary Event** – to monitor and control task execution time
***
### Example Use Case
Consider a flow that calls an **external web service**:
* A Timer is attached to the Web Service Task
* If the external service does not respond within the configured time
* The Timer event is triggered
As a result, the flow can:
* Send an email or notification to an administrator
* Log the timeout event
* Terminate or redirect the execution flow
This makes Timer events especially valuable for **external system integration** and **error‑resilient workflows**.
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### Timer Configuration
The **Timer Configuration Panel** contains a single tab used to define timing behavior.
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#### Timer Tab
| Property | Mandatory | Default | Description |
| ----------------- | --------- | --------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Time Duration** | Yes | 0 | Maximum time allowed for the task |
| **Time Unit** | Yes | — | Unit of time (e.g. seconds, minutes) |
| **Terminate** | No | Unchecked | If checked, the task is terminated when the timer expires |
***
### Timer as a Boundary Event
When used as a **Boundary Event**, the Timer is attached to an Activity Node and acts as a **listener**.
Behavior:
* The activity starts execution
* The Timer monitors the time elapsed
* If the duration exceeds the configured limit:
* The Timer triggers an alternate path
* Optional termination of the original task occurs
This pattern is commonly used for:
* Timeout handling
* SLA enforcement
* Fallback or recovery logic
***
### Best Practices
* Always define realistic timeout values
* Use Timer boundary events for external system calls
* Avoid overly aggressive time limits that cause false timeouts
* Combine Timer with **Error Boundary Events** for robust handling
* Clearly document timeout behavior in long‑running flows
***
### Summary
The **Timer Event** provides time‑based control in ONEWEB integration and process flows.
Using Timer events, developers can:
* Enforce execution time limits
* Detect slow or unresponsive external systems
* Apply fallback or escalation logic
* Improve reliability of integration workflows
Timer is a critical component for building **resilient, time‑aware, and production‑ready integrations** in ONEWEB.
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