--- sourceDocument: Australia Workflow Data Fabric sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/integrate-applications Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Workflow Data Fabric ft:clusterId : - crint bundleId : - crint workflow : - Creator --- # Auto-retry function for your failed work items # Using auto-retry functionality for your failed work items in RPA Hub {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 7 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Using Auto-Retry Functionality for Your Failed Work Items in RPA Hub The auto-retry functionality in RPA Hub allows automated reprocessing of failed work items in your work queue, specifically for items marked with an Application exception type. This feature enhances the reliability of your robotic process automation (RPA) by reducing manual intervention when errors occur during item processing. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Automatic Retries:** Failed work items are retried based on the Application exception type, the Maximum Attempts, and the Attempt Delay settings defined in the Queue form. * **Configuration Requirements:** To use the auto-retry feature, set the `snrpafdn.queue.maximumattemptsmaxvalue` system property in addition to configuring Maximum Attempts and Attempt Delay fields in the Queue form. * **Work Item Tracking:** The Exception Type and Attempts Count fields on the Work Item form track the status and number of retry attempts for each item. ## Key Outcomes By implementing the auto-retry functionality, you can expect: * Increased efficiency in processing failed items without manual oversight. * A clear workflow for handling item statuses (In Progress, Failed, Success) based on retry counts and exception types. * Improved operational reliability as the system handles retries based on the configured rules, minimizing downtime and enhancing productivity. You can use auto-retry functionality in RPA Hub to retry the failed items automatically in your work queue. The retry functionality is based on the Application exception type only. ## Auto-retry overview {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__section_zj3_3s5_fvb} Usually, in an existing Robotic Process Automation (RPA) work queue, the items are processed by the criteria that you specified. The items in this type of work queue are picked by the robots for execution. Let's consider a scenario where the first item in your work queue is processed successfully, and the status is updated to success. But, when the robot picks the second item in the work queue for execution, it isn't processed successfully and the status is updated to failure. By using auto-retry functionality instead in this scenario, the work items are retried automatically based on the value in the Exception Type field on the Work Item form, and based on the values that you enter in the Maximum Attempts field and the Attempt Delay field on the Queue form. There are two exception types: application and business. In the Work Item form, if the value of the Exception Type field is Application, the value of the Maximum Attempts field is greater than 1, and the current value in the Attempts Count field is less than the value in the Maximum Attempts field, the failed item in the work queue is automatically retried. Note: If the value in the Exception Type field is Business, the auto-retry functionality isn't enabled. ## Queue fields and system property configuration {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__section_xl3_dt5_fvb} To enable auto-retry functionality, you must define the values in the sn_rpa_fdn.queue.maximum_attempts_max_value system property. For more information about these values, see [Configure RPA Hub properties](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/wRNW_tXOfpoIyDdWyhc6KQ "You can access system properties for RPA Hub by navigating to All > Robotic Process Automation > Administration > Properties ."). You can enable auto-retry functionality by configuring the following fields on the Queue form: * Maximum Attempts * Attempt Delay (mins) {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__ul_lnc_kt5_fvb}In the Maximum Attempts field, you define the number of attempts for the failed work items. In the Attempt Delay (mins), you define the maximum delay, in minutes, before the work item is attempted again. For more information about these fields, see [Queue form in RPA Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/oNNzzolfnYjd2xf6bMs9Xg "Use the Work Queue form to create a queue. A queue lists the work items that you want the robot to process.") and [Create a queue in RPA Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kW76m4XApCeYlUe_DkXMUg "Create a queue in RPA Hub to manage the work items that you want the robot to process."). You can view the following fields that are related to the auto-retry functionality on the Work Item form: * Exception Type * Attempts Count {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__ul_f4p_dqj_nvb}Based on the value in the Exception Type field, the auto retry functionality retries the work items. In the Attempts Count field, you can view the number of times the work item is picked for auto retry. For more information about these fields, see [Work item form in RPA Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Xvmw4tk6IuN~JNjrxNUTVw#work-queue-form "Use the Work item form to view more details of the executed work items."). ## Auto-retry workflow {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__section_j1s_1jq_nvb} When the status of the work item that is selected in the automation is In progress, the auto-retry workflow is as follows: * If the Exception Type field is Application, the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, and the current value in the Attempts Count field is equal to the value in the Maximum Attempts field, the status of the work item is updated to Failed and the Exception Type field is updated to Application. The work item isn't available for auto-retry. * If the Exception Type field is Application, the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, and the current value in the Attempts Count field is less than the value in the Maximum Attempts field, the status of the work item is updated to In progress and the Exception Type is updated to Application. The work item is available for auto-retry only after you set the duration (if any) in minutes in the Attempts Count field. * If the Exception Type field is Business and the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to Failed, and the Exception Type field is updated to Business. The work item isn't available for auto-retry. * When there's no value in the Exception Type field and the Attempts Count field isn't incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to In progress. The Exception Type isn't updated. The work item is available for auto-retry only after you set the duration (if any) in minutes in the Attempts Count field. {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__ul_sbk_2kq_nvb} Note: If the value in the ReleaseMode field is locked, then you can't increment the value in the Attempts Count field because the robot is still executing the work item. The value in the Attempts Count field must be incremented only when the value in the ReleaseMode field is release. The value in the Attempts Count field is incremented when an item is released by the robot or when an item's status is set to Failure. The following table shows the auto-retry workflow for an In progress work item.{#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_pss_qhq_nvb__entry__5} | Exception Type | Attempts Count (Increment by 1) | Condition | Status updated to | Exception Type updated to | |-|-|-|-|-| | Application | Yes | If the current value in the Attempts Count field is equal to the value in the Maximum Attempts field. | Failed | Application | | Application | Yes | If the current value in the Attempts Count field is less than the value in the Maximum Attempts field. | In progress | Application | | Business | Yes | \ | Failed | Business | | \ | No | \ | In progress | \ | [Table 1. Auto-retry workflow for an In progress work item] {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_pss_qhq_nvb} When the status of a work item that is selected in the automation is Success, the auto-retry workflow is as follows: * If the Exception Type field is Application and the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to Success and the Exception Type is updated to blank. The work item isn't available for auto-retry. * If the Exception Type field is Business and the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to Success. The Exception Type is updated to blank, and the work item isn't available for auto-retry. * If there's no value in the Exception Type field and the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to Success. The Exception Type field is updated to blank, and the work item isn't available for auto-retry. {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__ul_bk1_qlq_nvb}The following table shows the auto-retry workflow for a Success work item.{#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_hpp_cjq_nvb__entry__4} | Exception Type | Attempts Count (Increment by 1) | Status updated to | Exception Type updated to | |-|-|-|-| | Application | Yes | Success | \ | | Business | Yes | Success | \ | | \ | Yes | Success | \ | [Table 2. Auto-retry workflow for a Success work item] {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_hpp_cjq_nvb} When the status of work item that is selected in the automation is Failed, the auto-retry workflow is as follows: * If the Exception Type is Application, the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, and the current value in the Attempts Count field is less than the value in the Maximum Attempts field, the status of the work item is updated to In progress. The Exception Type field is updated to Application, and the work item is available for auto-retry only after the duration that you set in the Attempts Count field. * If the Exception Type field is Application, the Attempts Count field is increment by 1, and the current value in the Attempts Count field is equal to the value in the Maximum Attempts field, the status of the work item is updated to Failed. The Exception Type field is updated to Application, and the work item isn't available for auto-retry. * If the Exception Type is Business, the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated to Failed. The Exception Type field is updated to Business, and the work item isn't available for auto-retry. * If there's no Exception Type field and the Attempts Count field is incremented by 1, the status of the work item is updated as Failed. The Exception Type field isn't updated, and the work item isn't available for auto-retry. {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__ul_wk1_ylq_nvb}The following table shows the auto-retry workflow when the Failed status is selected in the automation.{#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_yhh_ljq_nvb__entry__5} | Exception Type | Attempts Count (Increment by 1) | Condition | Status updated to | Exception Type updated to | |-|-|-|-|-| | Application | Yes | If the current value in the Attempts Count field is less than the value in the Maximum Attempts field. | In progress | Application | | Application | Yes | If the current value in the Attempts Count field is equal to the value in the Maximum Attempts field. | Failed | Application | | Business | Yes | \ | Failed | Business | | \ | Yes | \ | Failed | \ | [Table 3. Auto-retry workflow for a Failed work item] {#auto-retry-wqi-rpa__table_yhh_ljq_nvb} Note: The value in the Deferred Till field is obtained from the component. This field always takes precedence over the Attempt Delay (mins) field. The Deferred Till field is a read-only field on the work item form. For more information, see [Work item form in RPA Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Xvmw4tk6IuN~JNjrxNUTVw#work-queue-form "Use the Work item form to view more details of the executed work items."). **Related concepts** * [Queue implementation in RPA Hub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/_2ybyJy6VjdsHOzePYNTpg "In RPA Hub, the queues are implemented to distribute the workload among various robots. Work Items (WI) within a queue are processed simultaneously by two or more robots.")