# How can I tell whether a workflow is stuck or simply taking a long time?

Canonical URL: https://help.iagenify.com/faqs/workflows/how-can-i-tell-whether-a-workflow-is-stuck-or-simply-taking-a-long-time

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HELP CENTER · FAQ Workflows 1 min read
# How can I tell whether a workflow is stuck or simply taking a long time?
Use step-level progress, timestamps, and expected-duration signals to distinguish slow work from a stalled run. A workflow should expose what it is waiting on, how long it has waited, and what condition would let it continue.
IaGenify
Workflows

## Observe progress at meaningful steps
Record when each step starts and finishes, with status and a correlation identifier. For long-running steps, report checkpoints or measurable progress such as items processed rather than repeating a generic running message.
Identify expected waits such as external callbacks, scheduled delays, rate limits, and human approval. If a step waits for an event, make its deadline and timeout behavior explicit so the run does not remain pending forever.
## Set thresholds and recovery actions
Choose warning and timeout thresholds from observed service behavior and business needs, not an arbitrary short interval. A slow external dependency may need a different threshold from a local transformation.
When a threshold is exceeded, inspect the last completed step and its dependency before retrying. Notify an owner with the run identifier and actionable context; resume or cancel only through a defined recovery path. [← Back to Workflows FAQs](https://help.iagenify.com/faqs/workflows)