Troubleshooting “Workflow Action Failed” in SharePoint

When you receive the error message “Workflow Action Failed” in SharePoint, it means that a specific action within your workflow could not execute as expected. This issue may arise due to various reasons such as permission problems, missing data, incorrect workflow logic, or service disruptions. Below is a detailed, step-by-step troubleshooting guide to diagnose and resolve the issue.

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Step 1: Identify the Failed Action in Workflow History

1. Navigate to the SharePoint site where the workflow is running.
2. Go to the List or Library where the workflow is associated.
3. Select an item where the workflow was triggered.
4. Click on “Workflows” to see the running instances.
5. Open the Workflow History List and look for error messages.
6. Identify the exact action that failed. Examples include:
   • Update List Item
   • Send Email
   • Assign Task
   • Log to History

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Step 2: Check Workflow Logic in SharePoint Designer or Power Automate

1. Open SharePoint Designer (if using SharePoint Designer Workflows).
2. Locate the workflow under Workflows > Your List/Library.
3. If using Power Automate, go to Power Automate Portal > My Flows and select the workflow.
4. Look at the workflow steps and identify where the failure occurred.
5. If conditions are involved (e.g., If statements, Loops), check whether incorrect logic is causing the issue.
6. Test the workflow manually with different inputs to see if the same action fails.

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Step 3: Verify User Permissions for Workflow Execution

1. The workflow may be running under a user without sufficient permissions.
2. Open the List or Library Settings and check user permissions.
3. Ensure that:
   • The user initiating the workflow has Contribute or Edit permissions.
   • If the workflow updates or modifies items, the user should have Full Control.
   • If the workflow assigns tasks, the user must have permission to create and complete tasks.
4. For Power Automate Workflows:
   • Go to Connections and check if the workflow has a valid authentication token.
   • If using a SharePoint action, ensure the authenticated user has permission to execute the action.

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Step 4: Check for Data Validation Issues

1. Some actions fail because of missing or invalid data in the workflow.
2. Go to the item where the workflow was triggered and verify that all required fields have valid values.
3. If the workflow references lookup columns or calculated fields, check if they are correctly formatted.
4. If an action attempts to update a field that is read-only, the workflow may fail.

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Step 5: Review Specific Action Failures

Common SharePoint Workflow Actions That Fail

1. “Send Email” Action Failed:
   • Ensure that outgoing email settings are configured in SharePoint Central Administration (for on-premises SharePoint).
   • If using Power Automate, check that the Outlook or SMTP connection is valid.
   • Verify that recipient email addresses are correct and formatted properly.
2. “Update List Item” or “Create Item” Action Failed:
   • Check if the list/library has required fields that are not being populated.
   • If the workflow is updating a lookup column, ensure the referenced item exists.
   • If versioning is enabled, check if the workflow is running on a checked-out document.
3. “Assign Task” Action Failed:
   • Ensure that the assigned user has access to the task list.
   • If tasks require approvals, check whether workflow participants have the “Edit” permission.
   • For Power Automate approval flows, verify that email notifications are properly set up.
4. “Pause Until Date” or “Wait for Field Change” Actions Failing:
   • These actions depend on the workflow timer service.
   • If using SharePoint on-premises, restart the Workflow Timer Service (Step 6).

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Step 6: Ensure Workflow Timer Service is Running (For On-Premises SharePoint)

1. If the failed action involves waiting or scheduling, check if the Workflow Timer Service is running.
2. Open the SharePoint Server and go to Services (services.msc).
3. Locate “SharePoint 2013 Workflow Timer Service” or “Workflow Manager Backend”.
4. If stopped, restart the service and check if workflows start working.
5. You can also restart the timer service using PowerShell: Restart-Service SPTimerV4 Restart-Service SPAdminV4

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Step 7: Review Workflow Throttling Issues (SharePoint Online)

1. SharePoint Online limits the number of simultaneous workflows.
2. If too many workflows run at once, some actions may fail.
3. Check the Workflow History and see if multiple instances have failed.
4. Try running the workflow during non-peak hours.

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Step 8: Debug Using SharePoint ULS Logs (For On-Premises)

1. Open the SharePoint ULS logs to check detailed error messages.
2. Use PowerShell to extract workflow-related errors: Get-SPLogEvent | Where-Object { $_.Message -like "*workflow*" }
3. Look for messages that indicate database timeouts, service failures, or permission errors.

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Step 9: Re-Publish or Recreate the Workflow

1. Open SharePoint Designer or Power Automate.
2. If the workflow logic seems fine but errors persist, try republishing it.
3. Save a backup of the existing workflow.
4. Create a new workflow from scratch to rule out corruption issues.

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