Question

Workflow keeps sending email, over and over again and won't stop

Workflow

Updated April 20, 2016

asked on April 19, 2016 • Show version history

Hi folks,

We created a simple correspondence workflow, that allows us to move documents to a folder with the option of also sending the documents as an email attachment. The workflow seemed to run well for a few minutes but then it started sending the email over and over. We tried making this workflow before and it did the same thing last week, so we added the "end work flow" function in the designer. However even with this added the workflow still keeps sending the email multiple times (and it won't stop). Are we missing something? I have attached a screen shot of what the workflow looks like. So far it has sent the email over 200 times and it keeps going. Last week when we tried deleting the previous one it said that the workflow instances were still running and it took us a while to finally get it to stop. Any assistance or advice provided would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Mel

Screen shot of workflow.jpg (223.51 KB)

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Replies

replied on April 19, 2016

Looks like you have a run away workflow. Remember to add the condition "User does not equal to "user being used in the workflow connection manager"

I would recommend disabling the starting rules, do a search on the workflow name and terminate all of them.

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi Heatha,

From the screenshot, it looks like your default connection profile uses the "admin" account but your starting rule excludes the "WF" account. Which account are you using as the connection profile for the workflow? The connection profile and excluded account should be the same user (either both WF or both admin).

-Ben

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replied on April 20, 2016

I'm glad you got this resolved! For future reference, check out the Best Practices for Condition Starting Rules white paper.

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replied on April 19, 2016

Thanks Tommy, tried that but the workflow still keeps going. I also tried removing all the activities and deleting it but it tells me that the workflow has instances running and I am not able to delete it. I have attached a screen shot of the message I get when I try to delete the workflow.

Screen shot 2.png (167.06 KB)

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replied on April 19, 2016

you need to do a common search first for the workflow in question:

sort based on the status of the workflow, select all of the instances that are running, and right click and select terminate:

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replied on April 19, 2016

First of all, you want to disable the starting rule. If this is in fact a runaway workflow, it's triggering itself from the changes made in the currently running instances. So before you search and terminate instances, go into the Rule Manager, find the starting rule, right-click it and disable it.

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi I disabled all the starting rules but its still sending the messages. Do you know why it would loop. Did we miss out something in the workflow design.

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View 1 previous reply

replied on April 19, 2016

We can't tell why from your screenshots, we'd need to see the starting rules, not the workflow definition.

There are 2 major parts to a Workflow rule: the definition (what it does) and the starting rule (when it does it). Every time the starting rule is satisfied, a new instance (or a "run") is started. So if you see more instances running than you expect, the problem is most usually in the starting rule. Adding End Workflow activities to the definition can't help with that, it will just end that specific instance.

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replied on April 19, 2016

Wow thanks, I'm learning so much here. I will update you when I get back to the office, however I'm still getting messages in my inbox. (I have filtered them for now but I will work on the workflow asap)

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi Miruna and Tommy,

Thank you. I finally got the workflow to stop by disabling the starting rule. I am unsure why the workflow did not work well. I'm giving this another try. Do you have any recommendations regarding how to best set up the starting rule/s.

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi Heatha,

Could you post a screen shot of the starting rules please?

-Ben

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi Ben,

We created another workflow. I have attached a screenshot of the starting rules.

screen shot 3.png (156.98 KB)

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replied on April 19, 2016

Hi Ben,

Thanks we're using the admin account, so I will update the starting rule tommorow and let you know if it all works out. Thanks again.

Cheers

Heatha

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replied on April 20, 2016

Thanks everyone the workflow works great now.

Thanks again.

Mel

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replied on April 20, 2016

Hi Mel & Heatha,

Great to hear and thanks for reporting back.

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replied on April 20, 2016

Thanks Sarah, will do.

Cheers,

Mel

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Workflow keeps sending email, over and over again and won't stop

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