Workflow Triaging

AEM Workflow Triaging — Cloud Service

Classify workflow issues, determine what logs and data to gather, and map to the correct runbook or log search. Optimized for production support on AEM as a Cloud Service.

Variant Scope

• This skill is cloud-service-only.
• Log access via Cloud Manager download or log streaming.
• No JMX — workflow counts and queue metrics come from logs, APIs, or Developer Console.

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When to use this skill

• User asks: "Workflow errors on <host> for the past X hours", "Workflow activity on <host>", "Why did workflow X fail?", "What should I collect to debug this workflow ticket?"
• User needs: Symptom classification, log patterns to search, Splunk queries, or required inputs for a runbook.
• Context: AEM Cloud Service (e.g. cm-p12345-e67890).

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Step 1: Classify symptom (symptom_id)

Map the user's description to a symptom_id and runbook.

| User says / observes | symptomid | Runbook | |----------------------|------------|---------| | Workflow not moving to next step; stuck in Running | workflowstucknotprogressing | runbook-workflow-stuck.md | | Task should be in Inbox but is not visible | tasknotininbox | runbook-task-not-in-inbox.md | | Workflow should start automatically but no instance created | workflownotstartinglauncher | runbook-launcher-not-starting.md | | Workflow in Failed state or step shows error | workflowfailsorshowserror | runbook-workflow-fails-or-shows-error.md | | Step failed after retries; failure item in Inbox | stepfailedretriesexhausted | runbook-failed-work-items.md | | Instance Running but no current work item (inconsistent) | staleworkflownoworkitem | runbook-stale-workflows.md | | Too many instances; slow queries; disk/repo bloat | repositorybloattoomanyinstances | runbook-purge-and-cleanup.md | | User cannot see work item or complete/delegate/return | usercannotseeorcompleteitem | runbook-inbox-and-permissions.md | | Cannot delete workflow model (running instances) | cannotdeletemodel | runbook-model-delete-and-update.md | | Jobs queued a long time; slow completion; queue depth high | slowthroughputqueuebacklog | runbook-job-throughput-and-concurrency.md | | New or changed workflow not starting or step not executing | workflowsetup_validation | runbook-validate-workflow-setup.md |

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Step 2: Required inputs for triage

Before suggesting a runbook or Splunk search, try to obtain:

| Input | Purpose | |-------|---------| | Host / instance | e.g. cm-p163724-e1759416 (Cloud Service program-environment format). | | Time range | e.g. "past 4 hours", "past 10 hours" – for log/Splunk scope. | | Workflow model or step name | e.g. "Dynamic Media Reupload", "DAM Update Asset", "testmodel". | | Instance ID (if known) | From Workflow console URL or payload; ties logs to one instance. | | Payload path (if known) | e.g. /content/dam/...; for path-related errors. | | Log source | Cloud Manager log download, log streaming, or Splunk index/sourcetype. |

If the user only provides host + time, respond with the generic workflow error searches and note that narrowing by model/instance ID will improve accuracy.

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Step 3: Log patterns and Splunk (what to search)

Logs on Cloud Service are accessed via Cloud Manager → Environments → Logs (download or streaming). When logs are in Splunk (or any log aggregator), use these patterns.

| Scenario | Primary log pattern(s) | Splunk hint | |----------|------------------------|-------------| | Step failed | Error executing workflow step | Add instance ID or model name to narrow. | | Process not found | getProcess for '*' failed | Extract process name for OSGi check. | | Stuck at Process step | Same as step failed + getProcess | Combine with payload path. | | Stale workflow | Cannot archive workitem | Correlate time with instance. | | Lock / throughput | wait for a lock or refreshing the session since we had to wait | Timechart by host. | | Permission | Terminate failed / Resume failed / Suspend failed + verifyAccess | Or AccessControlException. | | Payload path | PathNotFoundException + workflow/payload | Launcher: "launcher config". | | Launcher not starting | Error adding launcher config / Error retrieving launcher config entries | Path: /conf/global/settings/workflow/launcher/config. | | Purge failure | Workflow purge '*' : | Filter by repository exception / invalid state. |

Example Splunk searches (replace index/sourcetype/field names as needed):

• All workflow step errors (last 24h):

index=aem sourcetype=aem:error "Error executing workflow step" | table _time host message | sort - _time

• Process not registered:

index=aem "getProcess for" "failed" | table _time host message

• By workflow model or instance:

index=aem ("Error executing workflow step" OR WorkflowException) (message=** OR message=**) | sort - _time

• Lock contention:

index=aem "wait for a lock" OR "refreshing the session since we had to wait" | table _time host message

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Step 4: Example triage prompts and responses

| User prompt | Triage response | |-------------|------------------| | "Workflow errors on <host> for the past X hours" | Classify as workflowfailsorshowserror / stepfailedretriesexhausted. Search Cloud Manager logs or Splunk for "Error executing workflow step", "Error processing workflow job", "getProcess for … failed" on that host. Route to runbook-workflow-fails-or-shows-error. | | "Workflow activity on <host> for the past X hours" | Clarify: "activity" = counts (started/completed/failed) or list of errors? For errors, use same searches. For counts on Cloud Service, use log aggregation or custom reporting API — no JMX. | | "Why did <workflow-or-step> fail? Show failure details." | Need: host, time range, and if possible instance ID. Search Cloud Manager logs for "Error executing workflow step" + model/step name or instance ID; return exception type, message, and stack. Route to runbook-workflow-fails-or-shows-error. | | "Task not in Inbox" | symptomid: tasknotininbox. Route to runbook-task-not-in-inbox. Gather: instance ID, assignee, whether user is initiator/assignee; check Inbox filters and enforceWorkitemAssigneePermissions. | | "Workflow not starting" | symptomid: workflownotstartinglauncher. Route to runbook-launcher-not-starting. Gather: model name, payload path, launcher config path; search logs for launcher errors. | | "Workflow stuck / not progressing" | symptomid: workflowstucknot_progressing. Route to runbook-workflow-stuck. First: Does instance have a current work item? If no → stale. If yes, follow decision tree by step type. |

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Step 5: What logs can and cannot answer

Can answer (with AEM workflow logs in Cloud Manager / Splunk):

• Step failures: exception type, message, stack (by host, time, model, step).
• Process not registered: which process.label is missing.
• Stuck: step errors, getProcess failures, lock wait, payload/path errors.
• Stale: "Cannot archive workitem" and transition errors.
• Throughput: lock wait, session refresh, JobHandler volume.
• Permission: Terminate/Resume/Suspend failed (verifyAccess), AccessControlException.
• Payload/launcher: PathNotFoundException, launcher config errors.
• Purge: "Workflow purge …" repository exception or invalid state.

Cannot answer directly (Cloud Service limitations):

• Console state (e.g. "is there a current work item?"). Use Workflow Console UI or custom API.
• JMX counts (e.g. countStaleWorkflows, queue depth). No JMX on Cloud Service — use log aggregation, custom HTTP APIs, or Developer Console.
• Thread pool metrics. Request thread dump via Developer Console or support.
• Configuration status ZIP. Request from support.

Always pair log-based triage with the appropriate runbook for actions (retry via Inbox, Purge Scheduler config, pipeline deploy).

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References (in repo)

• Machine-readable index: aem-agent-marketplace-workflow-knowledge-base/docs/debugging-index.md
• Decision guide: runbooks/runbook-decision-guide.md
• Splunk scenarios and queries: Workflow-docs/splunk-workflow-triaging.md
• Error patterns: docs/error-patterns.md

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: adobe
• Source: adobe/skills
• License: Apache-2.0
• Homepage: https://www.adobe.com/ai/overview.html

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.