Workflow Logs
The Workflow Logs page lists every execution attempt of a workflow action (email alert, webhook, function, schedule, or button) triggered by a workflow rule. Use this page to track action outcomes, troubleshoot failures, set up failure notifications, and define retry policies that determine how Zoho Payroll reattempts failed actions.
Scenario: Priya, the payroll operations lead at Zylker Technologies, relies on a webhook that posts every new pay run to an external accounting system. One afternoon, the accounting system goes down for a few minutes, and several pay runs fail to sync. Priya opens the Workflow Logs page, filters for failed webhook executions, and reviews the failure reasons to identify the issue.
Access Workflow Logs
To access workflow logs:
- Click Settings in the left sidebar.
- Click Workflow Logs under Automations.
- Choose the action type tab whose logs you want to view:
- Email Alerts
- Webhooks
- Functions
- Schedules
- Buttons
Each tab displays the corresponding logs in a list view with the following columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Occurred At | Date and time the action was triggered. |
| Name | Name of the workflow action that was executed. |
| Logs | Log details for the execution. |
| Entity Type | The module the workflow rule belongs to. |
| Status | The outcome of the execution. |
View Log Details
To view the details of a specific log:
- Click Settings in the left sidebar.
- Click Workflow Logs under Automations.
- Open the tab for the action type whose log you want to inspect.
- Click the row of the log you want to view.
The log detail panel displays:
- Execution Time: Date and time the action ran.
- Workflow Rule: Name of the rule that triggered the action.
- Record: The record processed by the rule.
- Status: Success or failure outcome.
- Response: The response returned by the action.
- Failure Reason: The reason for failure (shown only when the status is Failure).
How to Handle Failed Workflow Actions
When a workflow action fails or crosses its usage threshold, Zoho Payroll can notify the right people and automatically reattempt the action. You can configure this using the Configure Failure Preferences option.
To set this up:
- Click Settings in the left sidebar.
- Click Workflow Logs under Automations.
- Click Configure Failure Preferences in the top right corner.
The configuration options are organised by action type. Select the appropriate tab: Email Alerts, Webhooks, or Functions.
Failure Notification
The Failure Notification setting controls when and to whom Zoho Payroll sends emails summarising failed workflow actions. You can configure it separately for Email Alerts, Webhooks, and Functions.
Under Failure Notification, set the following fields:
- Frequency: How often the digest email is sent. Choose Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
- Time: The time of day at which the digest email is sent. Applies to Daily, Weekly, and Monthly frequencies.
- Email Recipients: The users who receive the digest email.
Click Save.
Retry Policy
The Retry Policy setting controls how Zoho Payroll reattempts a failed workflow action. You can configure it separately for Webhooks and Functions.
Under Retry Policy, set the following fields:
- Retry Method: The pattern Zoho Payroll uses to space out retry attempts. Choose one of the following:
- Fixed interval: Each retry occurs after the same interval. For example, if the retry interval is 30 minutes and the retry count is 5, retries occur every 30 minutes after the failure.
- Additive: Each subsequent retry interval is the previous interval plus a fixed amount. For example, if the retry interval is 1 hour, the additive factor is 1, and the retry count is 6, retries occur at 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, and 6 hours after the failure.
- Multiplicative: Each subsequent retry interval is the previous interval multiplied by a factor. For example, if the retry interval is 5 minutes, the multiplicative factor is 6, and the retry count is 5, retries occur at 5, 30, 180, 1080, and 6480 minutes after the failure.
- Retry interval: The wait time before the first retry, entered as a number and a unit (such as Minutes or Hours).
- Additive factor (Additive method only): The number added to the retry interval for each subsequent retry.
- Multiplicative factor (Multiplicative method only): The number the retry interval is multiplied by for each subsequent retry.
- Retry count: The maximum number of retries Zoho Payroll attempts after the initial failure.
The Pattern preview below the fields shows the resulting sequence of retry intervals based on the values you have entered.
Click Save.
Filter Logs
To narrow down the logs displayed:
- Click Settings in the left sidebar.
- Click Workflow Logs under Automations.
- Open the relevant action type tab.
- Set your filter criteria using the filter options at the top of the page:
- Status: Filter by All, Success, or Failure.
- Modules: Filter by a specific module.
- Date Range: Filter by execution date (e.g., Last Three Months).
- Click Apply Filter.
Export Logs
To export workflow logs for offline analysis:
- Click Settings in the left sidebar.
- Click Workflow Logs under Automations.
- Open the relevant action type tab.
- Apply any filters you need.
- Click Export in the top right corner.
The file will be downloaded to your device.