Flow Designer is powerful, but even seasoned users run into the same common snags now and then—flows that won’t open, sys_id not found errors, tasks blocked by security rules, and stuck flows. This article may help resolve some of these errors with common tips. While by no means exhaustive, there’s a fair chance one may apply to you.
Error message: "Your flow cannot be found. Flow sys_id:n"
This is a common message that has several potential root causes: invalid references to catalog item variables, missing or incorrect references to subflows, or flows not captured in an updated set. To fix this, you can transfer the missing subflow from a different instance or recreate the flow if no valid subflow is available.
Let’s review how to fix a missing subflow. Start by finding an instance where the flow is working as expected without errors, and then do the following:
1. Go to the Flow Snapshot table [sys_hub_flow_snapshot].
2. Open the table and filter by the sys_ID used in the error message. For example, <SYS_ID_FROM_ERROR_MESSAGE>
3. In the Parent flow field, open the subflow.
4. Verify that this is the subflow that is missing from the affected instance.
5. Transfer the subflow to the affected instance.
If there is no instance where the flow is working properly:
1. Review your deleted subflows in case it was removed from any of your instances.
2. If you can't find it, recreate the flow.
Error message: "The requested flow operation was prohibited by security rules"
In this scenario, a flow running as a user creating a catalog task action fails because of security rules. The table requires write access and there is no access control list (ACL) that provides for that. This means only users with admin privileges can run the flow.
Looking at the error message, it shows addVariableToTask, which indicates that write permission is needed.
ERROR MESSAGE
Flow Designer: Operationxxx.Create Catalog Task) failed with error: com.snc.process_flow.exception.OpException: The requested flow operation was prohibited by security rules.
at com.snc.process_flow.operation.SetCatalogVariablesOperationBase.addVariableToTask(SetCatalogVariablesOperationBase.java:47)
at com.snc.process_flow.operation.SetCatalogVariablesOperationBase.setCatalogVariables(SetCatalogVariablesOperationBase.java:37)
An admin can fix this as follows:
-
Create an ACL for catalog_admin.
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Give write access to the sc_item_variables_task table.
A few words of caution before implementing this.
Be careful of creating ACLs that have broad write privileges due to the potential for unintended consequences. Assign an ACL to sc_item_variables_task with the strictest conditions (in other words, the least privileges necessary) and, of course, test in a non-production instance first.
The flow is stuck
It’s not an error message per se, but it certainly feels like one. Flows can get 'stuck' at various stages, like an approval activity, and then time out. To help those stuck flows move along, you can use this firm, but polite 'nudge': sn_fd.FlowAPI.nudgeFlow(). This API works with wait-for condition actions and approvals in all versions.
To resume a stuck flow:
1. Copy the sys_id from the sys_flow_context record.
2. Go to Scripts > Background.
3. Run the following script, replacing the placeholder with your sys_id:
sn_fd.FlowAPI.nudgeFlow('<sys_flow_context.sys_id>', 1);
4. The parameter 1 specifies the number of seconds the system waits before resuming the flow.
Additional Resources
- Unable to open flow in Flow Designer
- Flow Designer Create Task fails due to security rules
- Resume a stuck flow
