If Error

This function allows you to specify alternate actions to handle an error without stopping your flow.

The If Error function appears as a container in a flow where you can specify the following options:

  • Try: Run one or more actions or functions.

  • If Error: Specify alternate actions or functions to run if an error occurs in any of the steps in the Try section.

  • Outputs: The flow can use the optional output fields in subsequent steps. The value assigned to each output depends on whether an error occurred.

Use the dropdown menu to switch between the Try steps and If Error steps.

Try

When you add a new If Error container to a flow, you must first define the steps in the Try section. These steps consist of one or more actions or functions to run. You can add cards to this container just as you would elsewhere in a flow.

To add error handling to an existing set of steps in your flow, insert the If Error card into the flow after the cards that you want in your Try block. Then drag the existing cards in one by one, starting with the rightmost card.

To retry a step in your flow automatically before manually fixing an error, see Set error handling for cards in flows.

If Error

The If Error block contains the steps that you want to take to handle an error. You can add actions or functions just as you would elsewhere in a flow.

To avoid parsing errors caused by complex error handling, Okta recommends a limit of no more than three nested If Error blocks.

An error object is added to each If Error block. This object contains the following details of the error in the Try block that results in a switch to the If Error block:

  • message: Text of the error message, when available.

  • code: Error code, for example, 500.

  • method: ID for the step where the error occurred.

  • flo: ID of the flow.

  • execution: ID of a specific execution of the flow. You can use these values in your error handling steps. For example, you can send an email with details of the error. Or, if it's an expected error, conditionally check if the flow should proceed.

Return and Continue If cards typically end a flow but behave differently when inside a Try or If Error block. Think of Try or If Error blocks as anonymous helper flows. Just like when you call a helper flow, a Return card returns you to the parent. So, adding a Return or Continue If (when false) card inside a Try or If Error block proceeds to the step immediately after the If Error container.

If you want to halt the flow rather than continue, use a Return Error, Return Error If, or a Continue If card outside the If Error block.

Outputs

You can drag outputs from cards that run before the If Error function into a Try or If Error block. However, you can't drag outputs from inside the Try or If Error block to cards that are run after the If Error function. This is because a step from inside a Try or If Error may not always run. To avoid this, use the optional Outputs feature.

  1. To access the outputs, click View Outputs on the top-right of the If Error container. This opens up a pane to the right of the Try and If Error blocks.

  2. Click to add an output. You can type the name and choose the type. Two new fields appear beneath each output.

  3. Drag an output from the Try block to one of these fields. This output is used when an error doesn't occur.

  4. Drag an output from the If Error block to the other field. This output is used when an error occurs.

You can then map the outputs from this pane to subsequent steps in the flow.

Related topics

Functions

Workflow elements