Running multiple web services workflow steps at the same time

If multiple web services steps run at the same time in a workflow, the workflow seems to only recognize that one of them has been completed.  For instance, if you have a collector step waiting for some web services steps that run simultaneously, it will remain waiting on all of them but one (maybe the first one) even though they individually complete successfully.

Is there a correct way to have simultaneous web services steps?   The use case here is to create different kinds of tickets based on a multiselect attribute.  We could make the steps all sequential in the workflow builder, but if multiple options are selected, it could drag out the time for the workflow to run a little as it waits 5 min for each web service.

Tags webservices workflow workflow-step
Asked by David Durling on Thu 9/19/19 4:54 PM Last edited Fri 9/20/19 8:50 AM
Sign In to leave feedback or contribute an answer

Answer (1)

This answer has been marked as the accepted answer
Mark Sayers Fri 9/20/19 9:10 AM

Hello David,

There is a known concern when web service steps are set to run concurrently that they may not register as completed or allow the workflow to move on, even if they *did* legitimately do what they were intended to do. It *is* our recommendation to make multiple steps run consecutively rather than simultaneously to best ensure that they complete their intended functions.

I know that isn't the recommendation you preferred, but right now it's the best way to ensure that all steps do fully complete.

You'd also be advised to put an enhancement in to ask for better handling by the workflow when web service steps *are* running simultaneously so it doesn't hang on any of them.

No feedback
ok, thanks Mark! - David Durling Fri 9/20/19 5:01 PM
I ran into this and requested an enhancement to fix this. (Not really an enhancement, eh?) Service Request #16248824. - Greg Van De Mark Mon 12/14/20 4:36 PM
Thanks Greg, I added a +1 to your request. - Lucas Friedrichsen Thu 1/7/21 2:54 PM