KB79702393: Automation Engine - Files sometimes go to Error output in the Data Collector, but there is no error message

Summary

Sometimes, files are sent to the "Error output" in the Data Collector in an Automation Engine workflow, but there is no error message. And when you run the same file(s) through the workflow again, the problem does not occur.

Symptoms

Files are sent to the "Error output" of a Data Collector, but you cannot select Open Log... for the Data Collector.

In a very simplified workflow, the problem looks as in this screenshot:

The original workflow in which we saw this problem was much more complex, but also had several Wait for Action (Checkpoint) tasks, giving a situation similar to this example.

Solution

The default setting of the Data Collector is to Fail when errors occur. This means that if there is an error on any file in any other part of the workflow, the Data Collector will send files to its "Error output".

In other words, with the given example workflow, the same will happen if any other task fails in that workflow. The files go to the Error button of the Data Collector.

This can happen when, for example, you:

1. Delete a To Do List item via Automation Engine Pilot > To Do List view > contextual menu of an item > Delete > OK. This will release that specific item to the Wait for Action (CheckPoint)'s "Error output". But it doesn't cancel the full workflow.
2. So, after launching the workflow, it first looks as follows:
   
3. In the To Do List view, you then click the Delete option.
   
4. At that moment, the workflow task will look like this:
   

1. If then your second file arrives in the Data Collector, that will fail. In this example workflow, the second To Do List item was released as follows:
   
2. With this as the result:
   

To correct this:

• Either don't delete To Do List items via the Delete option in the contextual menu of the To Do List item
• And/ or change the settings of the Data Collector from Fail when errors occur to Ignore errors.