Can a workflow pause for a human approval and then carry on where it left off?

Yes. In FluidGrids[1], workflows can pause at any decision point using wait nodes for human-in-the-loop runs[2].

When a workflow reaches an approval gate:

• Full state preservation: The run parks at the wait step and holds its entire execution state intact—including all upstream node outputs—without consuming background worker compute, whether the human decision takes minutes or days.
• Resume with payload: When an authorized user decides, they resume the run with a JSON payload (such as an approval flag, modified values, or notes). Downstream nodes (like conditional if branches) then evaluate that payload as standard input data to carry on with fulfillment, notifications, or escalation.
• Permissions and automatic audit trails: Pause, resume, and cancel operations are permission-guarded so only authorized teammates can release a gate. The entire lifecycle is recorded in Run History, Inspection and Recovery[3], capturing the workflow version, the pause duration, the approver's identity, and the exact payload submitted.

This pattern is commonly used for multi-tiered review flows like purchase request approvals[4] and refund verifications.

To see step-by-step examples of configuring approval gates, check out the Human-in-the-Loop Runs use case[2].