# Handling Failures

> Part of the NocoDB documentation (Workflows > Workflows). Index of all pages: https://nocodb.com/llms.txt. Any docs page is available as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL.

URL: https://nocodb.com/docs/workflows/handling-failures
Last updated: 2026-10-03

Retry failed workflow steps automatically in NocoDB, and find out what NocoDB does when a workflow run fails.

Steps that call other services can fail for reasons that you cannot control. Examples are a timeout, a rate limit or a service that is down for a short time. NocoDB can automatically try such a step again before it stops. When a run fails, NocoDB shows you exactly what occurred.

## Retry a step automatically

Action steps have an **On failure** section in their settings. This section is collapsed by default. Open it to select what occurs when the step fails.

| Setting                      | What it does                                                                                                                                                         |
| ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Retry if this step fails** | Turns on automatic retries for the step.                                                                                                                             |
| **Number of retries**        | Sets how many more times to try (up to 10).                                                                                                                          |
| **Wait before retrying**     | Sets how long to wait before the next try.                                                                                                                           |
| **Wait longer each time**    | Doubles the wait after each try, up to 1 hour.                                                                                                                       |
| **Retry on**                 | **Temporary problems only**: timeouts, rate limits and server errors. Recommended. **Any error**: all failures, also failures that will occur again in the same way. |

While a step waits for the next try, the run shows **Retrying at…** and the time of the next try. If the service asks NocoDB to wait (for example, after a rate limit), NocoDB waits for that time, up to 1 hour.

### Which steps retry by default

Steps that only read data retry automatically on temporary problems. Examples are **Find record**, **List records** and AI steps. You do not have to configure anything.

Steps that send or change data do not retry unless you turn on retries. Examples are sending an email, creating or updating a record and calling an API. A retry can do the action again, for example send the same email two times.

<Callout type="warning">
  Only turn on retries for a step that sends or changes data if it is okay for that action to happen more than once.
</Callout>

## When a run fails

When a step still fails after its retries, NocoDB marks the run as **Failed**. Open the run in the [execution logs](/docs/workflows/execution-logs) to see:

* Which step failed and its error
* Each attempt, with its error and what the step returned
* The inputs and outputs of the steps that ran before it

From there, you can [retry the run](/docs/workflows/execution-logs#retry-a-run). After you correct the problem, continue from the failed step, or run the whole workflow again.

## If a run is interrupted

A run can be interrupted on our side, for example during an update. If the current step is safe to repeat, NocoDB automatically continues the run. If not, NocoDB marks the run as **Stopped unexpectedly**. Nothing is lost. Retry the run to continue from where it was.

## If a schedule can't be read

If the schedule of a [Scheduled](/docs/workflows/nodes/trigger-nodes/scheduled) workflow is not valid, NocoDB turns the workflow off. NocoDB does not skip runs silently. The toolbar marks the workflow as **Turned off** and shows the reason. A failed run with the explanation shows in the run history. Thus all users who subscribe to the failures of the workflow get a notification. To turn the workflow on again, correct the schedule and publish the workflow.

## Availability

* Available on the NocoDB Cloud Plus plan and higher, and on licensed on-premise deployments.

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## Related pages

- [Create Workflow](https://nocodb.com/docs/workflows/create-workflow.md): Create a workflow in a NocoDB base and configure its trigger, action and flow nodes.
- [Actions on Workflow](https://nocodb.com/docs/workflows/actions-on-workflow.md): Rename, duplicate, delete, enable and disable a workflow in NocoDB.
- [Workflow Folders](https://nocodb.com/docs/workflows/workflow-folders.md): Group workflows and scripts into folders in the Workflows sidebar, and read each workflow's status at a glance.
- [Execution Logs](https://nocodb.com/docs/workflows/execution-logs.md): Use execution logs in NocoDB to follow, stop, pause, resume and retry workflow runs.