How to get email notifications for stalled workflows?

[joe_morton]

Is there a way to get email notifications for stalled workflows?

https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/cs98855 shows how to find them in the system, but I don't see a way to get alerts.

[d_graham]

@joe_morton , this can be done using a listener. There is a listener that can be used to detect a workflow state change and that’s the one you need to use to detect if a process is stalled.

If the process is stalled you can run code to do whatever. In this case whatever is send email notification to whoever you decide needs to be notified.

There may be a more OOTB way to do this but using a listener gives a lot of flexibility to get very specific with behavior.

[joe_morton]

I was hoping for a more OOTB solution. Also, workflow stall shows up under workflow "Health" - it's not a state change specifically. I saw another PTC article (I'd have to dig it up) that said that this field isn't actually stored in the database anywhere (so it can't be searched or reported on). Could a listener still pick up on something like that?

[d_graham]

Joe,

I don't think there is a OOTB solution for this.

That said, there are 13 OOTB potential workflow states that could be keyed off as well as many workflow robot states to key off.

For example, a workflow could have a state of Running (which seems like as is fine) however it could have a robot with a state of Aborted which does sound fine at all.

There is a listener for workflow activity state change that could be used to keep an eye on workflow robot states.  I would think that between these two listeners you could catch most of the problems.

Also, all of the robots have queue entries associated with them.  It's certainly possible to keep track of these and if any of these queue entries fail inform the appropriate people.  I do this now with publishing queue entries.  There's no reason this technique it could not be applied to workflow queue entries as well,

If you want to show me what you are facing send me a private message and we can setup a meeting to take a look.  I'd be happy to give you any advice and offer up solutions if I any come to mind.

Or drop me an email at windchill.developer@yahoo.com 

David

[rhart]

Have you looked at this @joe_morton ? I have not but maybe it does something useful in this case?

[joe_morton]

Hi @rhart,

I appreciate the response! I checked briefly, it doesn't look like the event I'm interested in would appear there. 

[rhart]

I was wondering maybe you could get notification of all workflow state changes, then maybe an inbox rule to filter the particular ones that show it stalled