Workflow Executor not returning Result Rows from Shared Workflow

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1

Hi everyone,

I’m practicing for the AutomationEdge Developer Certification and I’m stuck with Shared Workflow execution.

Scenario

I have created a shared workflow (WF_Validate_Bookings) and a main workflow (WF_Main_Travel).

Shared Workflow

The shared workflow performs the following:

Reads CustomerBookings.xlsx
Validates TravelDate > BookingDate
Invalid records are written to an Excel file
Reads CustomerDetails.xlsx
Validates MembershipStatus (Yes/No)
Merge Join with valid booking records
Finally uses Copy Rows to Result

The shared workflow executes successfully.

The log for Copy Rows to Result shows:

Copy Rows to Result
R = 8

which indicates that 8 rows are being copied to the result.

Main Workflow

The main workflow contains:

Workflow Executor
↓
(Result Rows after execution hop)
↓
Sort Rows

For the Workflow Executor:

Selected “This output will contain the result rows after execution”
In the Result Rows tab:
Target Step = Sort Rows
Added all expected fields manually (TripID, CustomerName, Destination, Mode, BookingDate, TravelDate, Email, MembershipStatus)

However:

Workflow executes successfully.
No errors are shown.
Sort Rows receives 0 rows.
Preview Data is empty.

I also tried using Get Rows from Result by manually defining all fields, but it still returns no rows.

My Questions
Is my Workflow Executor configuration correct?
Is there any additional configuration required in the Result Rows tab?
Should Copy Rows to Result be connected directly after the Merge Join, or can there be an Excel Writer before it?
Is this a known behavior in AutomationEdge 8.4?
Has anyone successfully implemented a Shared Workflow returning rows using Workflow Executor in Process Studio 8.4? If yes, could you share the expected workflow structure?

Any guidance or screenshots of a working setup would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

2

A Workflow Executor step failing to return Result Rows (or returning 0 rows) from a Shared Workflow usually comes down to row-streaming mechanics or missing metadata binding.

Here is how to diagnose and fix the issue:

Primary Causes & Fixes

  1. Missing Copy Rows to Result Step (Most Common)

    • Cause: A workflow streams rows continuously by default; it does not automatically accumulate them at the end unless explicitly instructed.

    • Fix: Open the Shared Workflow and append a Copy rows to result step at the very end of your row stream.

    • Verification: Run the child workflow independently in Process Studio. Check the Result Rows tab in the Execution Results panel to confirm rows appear there before calling it from the parent executor.

  2. Main Workflow / Shared Export Metadata Not Bound

    • Cause: The Shared Workflow was exported without its main entry point declared correctly, preventing row metadata from being passed up to the parent.

    • Fix: In the child project, right-click the workflow $\rightarrow$ Set as Main Workflow before re-exporting as a Shared Workflow. Then, run Tools $\rightarrow$ Sync $\rightarrow$ Shared Workflows in Process Studio.

  3. Field Names & Output Structure Mismatch

    • Cause: The Workflow Executor step expects a defined schema for the rows coming back.

    • Fix: In the parent workflow, open the Workflow Executor step, navigate to the Result Rows tab, and explicitly define the field names and data types expected from the child workflow.

  4. Target Workflow Executes 0 Rows Due to Input Filtering

    • Cause: If you pass parameter fields to the child workflow and no rows meet the criteria, the child silently completes with zero result rows.

    • Fix: Run the child workflow using Debug Project or Verify Project with hardcoded test parameters to ensure it actually processes rows.