# Long actions

Long actions (or long running actions) are a special class of Workato actions that excels at processing bulk data. Long actions may require several minutes to hours to complete.

Under normal circumstances, actions throw a timeout error after a certain amount of time has elapsed. However, long actions allow the action to complete without raising a timeout error.

# Long actions not supported in test mode

Long actions aren't supported in test mode. This means that you can't use test mode to test recipes with batch actions, wait actions, long queries, and multi-step SDK actions. You can still test a recipe with these actions by clicking the Start button to trigger the recipe and confirm that your actions perform as expected.

Test jobs with long actions automatically time out after thirty minutes. Test jobs stay idle during long action steps if a recipe doesn’t start. Workato enforces this timeout to prevent incomplete jobs and ensure platform stability.

CAN'T RUN LONG ACTIONS IN TEST MODE

Long actions require dedicated users to periodically check if the action is complete. This is not available in test mode.

If your recipe contains a long action, start the recipe instead.

# Long actions development workflow

The following diagram illustrates how to correctly test your recipe functionality when you use long actions.

graph TD X["Recipe development workflow"] --> Y["Recipe without Long actions"] X --> Z["Recipe with Long actions"] subgraph a[" "] B["Development"] C["Test"] D["Production"] end subgraph aa[" "] Q["Development"] R["Click the Start button to confirm recipe functionality"] S["Production"] end B -..-> C B -..-> D Q -..-> R Q -..-> S Y -.Test mode is supported..->B Z -.Test mode is NOT supported..->Q classDef default fill:#67eadd,stroke:#b3e0e1,stroke-width:2px,color:#000; classDef LightTeal fill:#e1fffc,stroke:#b3e0e1,stroke-width:2px,color:#000; classDef WorkatoPink fill:#f3c1c2,stroke:#f3c1c2,stroke-width:1px; classDef NotSupported fill:#e1fffc,stroke:#f66,stroke-width:2px,color:#000,stroke-dasharray: 5 5 class a LightTeal class Q,R,S,Z WorkatoPink class aa NotSupported

# How does this work?

Workato temporarily puts the job on hold and checks periodically to determine if the long action has completed processing when the job execution reaches a long action. Workato proceeds to the next step in the recipe after the action completes.

LONG ACTIONS JOB SEQUENCE

If your recipe has a long action step and job, note that when the action is put on hold, Workato automatically disregards the job sequence. The next job begins to process even if the previous job is not finished and the recipe concurrency is set to 1.

# Handle long pauses in recipes

Workato supports long pauses in recipe execution for up to 370 days. This includes single-step pauses, such as the Scheduler by Workato Wait for time duration and Wait until specified time actions, and cumulative pauses across multiple steps.

Use pauses to wait until a specific time or for an external event, such as an approval or trigger.

Workato doesn't support indefinite pauses. Starting June 1, 2025, recipes that exceed a total cumulative pause duration of 370 days across all long actions will fail.

# Supported long actions

Long actions are supported by applications including Salesforce, NetSuite, database applications, and more.

Connector	Long actions
Anaplan	Run data import: Run a data import process in Anaplan. Run data export: Run a data export process in Anaplan. Run deletion: Run a delete action in Anaplan. Run process: Run a process in Anaplan.
Azure OpenAI	Generate images: Generates images in Azure OpenAI.
Google BigQuery	Search rows: Searches rows in Google BigQuery. Search rows using custom SQL: Searches rows in Google BigQuery using custom SQL. Run custom sql in BigQuery: Runs custom SQL in Google BigQuery. Load data into BigQuery: Loads data into Google BigQuery. Select rows: Selects rows in a table in Google BigQuery. Select rows using custom SQL: Selects rows in Google BigQuery using custom SQL. Select rows using custom SQL and insert into table: Selects rows using custom SQL and inserts rows into a table in Google BigQuery. Load data from Google Cloud Storage into BigQuery: Loads data from Google Cloud Storage into Google BigQuery.
Google Sheets	Update rows in bulk: Updates rows in bulk in Google Sheets.
Hubspot	Import CRM Data: Imports CRM data in Hubspot. Export object data: Export content from HubSpot to a file. You can use the file contents in subsequent recipe steps to upload the file into other applications.
Marketo	Bulk import objects from file: Bulk imports objects from a file in Marketo. Bulk export objects from file: Bulk exports objects from a file in Marketo.
Netsuite	Create standard records in bulk: Creates standard records in bulk in Netsuite. Update standard records in bulk: Updates standard records in bulk in Netsuite. Upsert standard records in bulk: Upserts standard records in bulk in Netsuite. Create custom records in bulk: Creates custom records in bulk in Netsuite. Update custom records in bulk: Updates custom records in bulk in Netsuite. Upsert custom records in bulk: Upserts custom records in bulk in Netsuite.
Salesforce	Create records in bulk from CSV file: Creates records in bulk from a CSV file in Salesforce. Update records in bulk from CSV file: Updates records in bulk from a CSV file in Salesforce. Upsert records in bulk from CSV file: Upserts records in bulk from a CSV file in Salesforce. Create records in bulk from CSV file (API 1.0): Creates records in bulk from a CSV file in the Salesforce API 1.0. Update records in bulk from CSV file (API 1.0): Updates records in bulk from a CSV file in the Salesforce API 1.0. Upsert records in bulk from CSV file (API 1.0): Upserts records in bulk from a CSV file in the Salesforce API 1.0. Retry bulk job for failed records from CSV file: Retry a bulk job for failed records from a CSV file in Salesforce. Search records in bulk using SOQL query (API 1.0): Searches records in bulk using a SOQL query in Salesforce API 1.0. Search records in bulk using SOQL query (API 2.0): Searches records in bulk using a SOQL query in the Salesforce API 2.0.
SAP RFC	Send IDoc: Sends an IDoc in SAP RFC. Send IDoc (Advanced): Sends an IDoc in SAP RFC. Call remote function module: Calls a remote function module in SAP RFC. Call BAPI: Calls BAPI in SAP RFC.
Shopify	Reorder product media using GraphQL: Reorders product media using GraphQL in Shopify. Create file using GraphQL: Creates a file using GraphQL in Shopify.
JSON Transformations by Workato	JSON transformation: Executes a JSON transformation in JSON Transformations by Workato.
RPA by Workato	Start job: Starts a job in RPA by Workato.
Callable recipes by Workato	Wait for async calls: Waits for specified async calls to complete before proceeding to the next step in Callable recipes by Workato.
SQL Transformations by Workato	Query data: Queries data in SQL Transformations by Workato.
Workato Data Tables	Create record: Creates records in Workato Data Tables. Update record: Updates records in Workato Data Tables. Upsert record: Upserts records in Workato Data Tables.
Wrike	Create from blueprint: Creates from blueprint in Wrike.
Zendesk	Create/update record: Creates/updates a record in Zendesk.
Zoho CRM	Bulk create standard objects: Bulk creates standard objects in Zoho CRM. Bulk update standard objects: Bulk updates standard objects in Zoho CRM. Bulk upsert standard objects: Bulk upserts standard objects in Zoho CRM. Bulk create custom objects: Bulk creates custom objects in Zoho CRM. Bulk update custom objects: Bulk updates custom objects in Zoho CRM. Bulk upsert custom objects: Bulk upserts custom objects in Zoho CRM.
HTTP	Send request (offload proxy): Sends an offload proxy request in HTTP. You can designate this HTTP action as a long action by setting the Wait for response field to Yes.
Google Workspace	Transfer Data: Transfers data in Google Workspace.
Nasuni Management Console	Create share: Creates a share in Nasuni Management Console. Create volume: Creates a volume in Nasuni Management Console. Request snapshot volume: Requests a snapshot volume in Nasuni Management Console. Update share: Updates a share in Nasuni Management Console. Global lock folders: Manages global lock folders in Nasuni Management Console. Create directory: Creates a directory in Nasuni Management Console. Bring path into cache: Brings a path into the cache in Nasuni Management Console. Pin data to cache: Pins data to a cache in Nasuni Management Console. Disable pinning mode for folder: Disables pinning mode for a folder in Nasuni Management Console. Auto caching for file: Enables auto caching for files in Nasuni Management Console. Disable auto cache mode: Disables auto cache mode in Nasuni Management Console. Update folder quota: Updates folder quotas in Nasuni Management Console. Delete folder quota: Delete the folder quota in Nasuni Management Console.
SQL Server	Bulk load into table from an on-prem file: Bulk loads files into a table from an on-prem file in SQL Server. Export Query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in SQL Server. Run long query using custom SQL: Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in SQL Server.
Databricks	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in Databricks. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in Databricks.
IBM Db2	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in IBM Db2. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in IBM Db2.
JDBC	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in JDBC. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in JDBC.
Knack	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in Knack. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in Knack.
MongoDB	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in MongoDB. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in MongoDB.
MSSQL	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in MSSQL. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in MSSQL.
MySQL	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in MySQL. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in MySQL.
Oracle	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in Oracle. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in Oracle.
PostgreSQL	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in PostgreSQL. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in PostgreSQL.
Amazon Redshift	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in Amazon Redshift. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in Amazon Redshift.
Snowflake	Export query result: Exports a query result as a CSV in Snowflake. Run long query using custom SQL: Runs a long query using custom SQL in Snowflake.

# Wait long actions

Wait long actions are supported by the applications in the following table.

Connector	Long actions
Scheduler by Workato	Wait for interval: Waits for a specified interval of time. Wait until specified time: Waits until a time you specify.
Workbot for Slack	Wait for user action: Suspends the Workbot job until the user provides input. The job continues to the next action when Workbot receives the input.
Workbot for Microsoft Teams	Wait for user action: Suspends the Workbot job until the user provides input. The job continues to the next action when Workbot receives the input.
Workflow apps	Wait for user action: Suspends the Workbot job until the user provides input. The job continues to the next action when Workbot receives the input.

Last updated: 10/2/2025, 10:50:43 PM