Issue
Symptoms
- Timer did not execute or failed
- Timer stuck
- Slow timers
- Hung workflow
- Workflow is not progressing
- Stuck workflow with asynchronous wftimer <sysID>
Workflow timer
When a workflow timer is executed, it creates a scheduled job according to the parameters set in the timer workflow activity. The scheduled job is a simple script that fires a timer event into the workflow. The created job is identified as WFTimer + the sys_id of the executing activity.
Release
All
Resolution
Finding the executing activity for a timer
- Navigate to Workflow > Live Workflows > Active Contexts.
A list of running workflows appears. - Find the workflow context containing the timer being investigated.
- Open the context.
- Select the Workflow Executing Activities related list.
- Select the timer being investigated.
- Right-click the header bar and select Copy sys_id.
A number similar to this appears: 9d9d0633d733110043ea6f14ce61038d. This is the sys_id of the executing record. It is the record of the Scheduled Job containing the Timer that the callback script will fire the timer event into. Follow any instructions to copy sys_id. - Navigate to System Scheduler > Scheduled Jobs > Scheduled Jobs.
- In the Search field type: WFTimer + the sys_id you copied.
Your search item should look something like this: WFTimer9d9d0633d733110043ea6f14ce61038d. - Click the Search icon.
If the timer is still in the scheduled job queue, the timer has not been fired. If the workflow appears to be stuck and waiting for this timer, the workflow is still in the queue. The workflow picks up once the timer is picked up by the scheduler.
How to determine if scheduler is backed up
- Navigate to System Diagonostics.
- On the page, find System Overview.
- If the scheduler backed up, Events Pending displays in red.
What to do if scheduler is backed up
If a scheduler is backed up, it is important to identify the scheduled jobs that are running and see if they are operating as expected.
- In the Application Navigator, type sys_trigger.list.
A list of jobs displays. - Filter out all jobs in the Ready state.
The remaining jobs are currently running and occupying the scheduler. Examine the running jobs. If one or more jobs are not operating as expected and are blocking the timer unnecessarily, cancel the offending transactions using the following steps:
- Navigate to User Adminstration > All Active Transactions.
- Identify the offending transaction.
- Select the checkbox next to the transaction.
- In the choice list actions, click Selected Rows.
- Then click Kill.
A series of messages explains that the transaction may not be terminated immediatey.
After the offending jobs are cancelled, the scheduler picks up the next set of queued jobs, which should include any due or overdue WFTimer jobs that have been queued as Ready.
