Instances

An instance is an occurrence of a workflow. A workflow instance is created when a workflow is executed. A single workflow can have multiple workflow instances. The Instances page shows a list of all workflow instances. By default, this page shows running workflow instances initiated during the last five days. For each workflow instance, the list indicates the name of the associated workflow, and the initiated and completed dates. Your workflows and those shared with you are listed. Users with the Administrator role can see instances for all workflows across the tenancy.

Note: Instances are terminated when they reach a 1-year running time. All terminated workflows can be resubmitted from the beginning with the same start data as the original workflow. Resubmitting the workflow will create a new instance of the workflows. For more information, see Resubmit workflows.

Use the Instances page to:

  • Find workflow instances of interest.
  • Resubmit workflow instances with a Failed or Completed status.
  • Terminate instances that you don't want to run any longer.
  • Delete instance data from completed, terminated, or failed workflows.
  • Drill down to instance details to determine which activities remain.

Jump to:

Access the Instances page

  • Go to Workflows > Instances.

Find and terminate instances

  1. Go to Workflows > Instances.

  2. Click Custom filter, complete the search parameters that you want, and then click Apply filter.

    You can also click any of the default search links:

  • Started last 5 days
  • Failed last 5 days
  • Running last 5 days

For more information on Custom filter, see Custom filter fields and selections.

  1. Go to Workflows > Instances.

  2. Click Select to terminate.
  3. Select the check boxes to the left of instances that you want to terminate. You can select multiple instances.
  4. Click Terminate.

You can also terminate instances from the Instance details page.

Delete instances

You can manually delete instance data from completed, terminated, paused, or failed workflows. This deletion method is useful when you have a set of workflows that do not have many running instances. Deleting instance data from workflows also deletes all of the start data, tasks, and files associated with the workflows. If instance data is manually deleted, the form files will also be deleted regardless of the File upload storage configuration. Once instance data is deleted, it cannot be restored.

For workflow designers and developers to delete instances, an administrator must have turned on the Instance data retention setting. For more information, see Manage instance data. Administrators can manually delete instance data at any time.

  1. Go to Workflows > Instances.

  2. Click Select to delete.
  3. Select the check boxes to the left of instances that you want to delete. You can select up to 50 instances to delete at one time.

    Note: You can only select the most recent instance of a resubmitted instance. Deleting a resubmitted instance will delete all instances linked to that resubmitted instance.

  4. Click Delete. Instances may take some time to delete.

You can automatically delete instance data from completed workflows. You cannot automatically delete instance data from terminated or failed workflows. This deletion method is useful when you have workflows that complete many instances per day (up to 10,000 total instances per hour). Deleting instance data from workflows also deletes all of the start data and tasks associated with the workflows. If a workflow is configured to automatically delete instance data, the form files will also be deleted regardless of the File upload storage configuration. Once instance data is deleted, it cannot be restored. Instances may take some time to delete after they are completed.

For workflow designers and developers to delete instances, an administrator must have turned on the Instance data retention setting. For more information, see Manage instance data. Administrators can manually delete instance data at any time.

To automatically delete instances of an individual workflow, change the Instance retention setting for the workflow. For more information, see Change instance retention settings.

Drill down to instance details

  1. Go to Workflows > Instances.

  2. Click one of the search links:
    • Started last 5 days
    • Failed last 5 days
    • Running 5 last days
    • Custom filter
  3. (Optional) To include instances of deleted workflows, click the Custom filter tab and select the Include instances of deleted workflows to see deleted instances on the Deleted instances page.

    Note: Only users with an administrator role can retrieve instances of deleted workflows.

  1. If you searched for instances using a date range or custom filter, click the name of the instance that you want to view (instance names are listed in the first column).

    2. The Instance details page page appears. To go back to your search results, click Back to instances at the top of the page.

Visualize workflow with Flow

You can open a visual representation of your workflow execution from the Instances page, making it easier to understand how your workflow progresses from start to finish.

You can:

  • Visualize workflow execution while a workflow is running or after it has completed.

  • Track action statuses to identify which actions succeeded, failed, or were skipped.

  • Play animation of workflow to view execution paths step by step to understand the workflow’s progress.

  • Inspect instance logs and errors to view detailed information for individual actions and troubleshoot issues.

Open the Flow view

  1. Go to Workflows > Instances.

  2. Click Flow next to the instance you want to view.

    The workflow view is displayed.

  3. The Flow view provides several options to help you explore the workflow execution.

    • Play animation: On the toolbar, click Play animation to view the workflow execution path step by step.

    • View start data: On the toolbar, click View start data to open the Start data panel and view the start data for the instance.

    • Full screen: On the toolbar, click Full screen to display the workflow view in full-screen mode.

    • Refresh: On the toolbar, click Refresh to reload the page.

    • View workflow: On the instance details card, click View workflow to open the workflow in the workflow designer.

The following columns or selections are displayed when you view the Instances page.

Section

 Column or selection Description

Filters

Started last 5 days

This is the default filter applied when the page loads.

Shows all workflow instances that were started within the last five days, regardless of the current status.

 

Failed last 5 days

Shows all workflow instances that completed within the last five days and have a current status of Failed.

 

Running last 5 days

Shows all workflow instances that were started within the last five days and are currently running.

 

Custom filter

Click to run a search of instances based on selected search criteria.

For information, see Custom filter fields and selections.

 

Refresh

Click to refresh the page.

 

Select to terminate

Select the checkbox to select current running instances to terminate.

  Select to resubmit Select this checkbox to enable check boxes in the instances list to select instances to resubmit. You can select instances with Failed, Completed, or Terminated status. For more information, see Resubmit workflows.
  Select to delete Select this checkbox to enable check boxes in the instances list to select instances to delete. You can select failed, completed or terminated instances to delete instance data. Once data is deleted, it can't be restored. For more information, see Delete instances.

(table)

 Instance name

The name of the instance, which is derived from the following information:

  • The workflow name that is specified when the workflow was published

  • The date and time when the instance began running

  • The custom instance name that is specified in the Set instance name action

Click the name of the instance to display the Instance details page.
  Workflow name The name of the workflow associated to the instance.

 

Status

Current state of the instance. Possible values follow.

  • All: All workflow instances.
  • Running: Currently running instances.
  • Paused:Paused workflow instances. Instances that have been paused can be resolved. For more information, see Error handling settings.
  • Completed: Completed workflow instances.
  • Failed: Failed workflow instances.
  • Terminated: Terminated workflow instances.

 

 Date initiated Date and time when the instance began running.

 

Date completed

Date and time when the instance reached completion.
  Flow Opens a visual representation of your workflow execution

The following fields or selections are displayed when you click Custom filter.

Field or selection Description
Workflow name Type the name of the workflow from which you want to search instances.
Instance name Type the name of the instance that you want to search.
Table ID

The ID of the table whose instances you want to search. Filters and displays instances specific to this table.
Table row ID The row ID within the table for which you want to view instances.
Status

Choose one of the following options:

  • All: (Default) Does not limit search results by instance status.
  • Running : Limits search results to currently running instances.
  • Paused: Limits search results to paused instances.
  • Completed: Limits search results to instances of the status "Completed."
  • Failed: Limits search results to instances of the status "Failed."
  • Terminated: Limits search results to instances of the status "Terminated."

Start date range

Click the Date picker to select a date range.

Select Preset or Custom.

  • Preset: Quickly filter by past 1, 5, 30, 60, or 90 days.

  • Custom: Select a custom start and end date using the calendar.

Default value: Six days that includes the previous five days and today. For example, if the date today is September 30, then the default Start date range is from September 25 to 30.

Include instances of deleted workflows

Select this check box to include instances from workflows that have been deleted.

Note: Only users with an administrator role can retrieve instances of deleted workflows.
Apply filter

Click to start the search.