Pipelines step limitation

Question

In the Pipelines help article it states there is a step limit of 26. I have found that you can add more than 26 steps and it even seems to complete them all. I have ran a Pipeline with 30 steps that completed the final step, they were all using the Quickbase channel. I am using the Bulk Record Sets: Remove Record(s) step for every step in my Pipeline except the first which is a trigger based on a record being deleted.

Is anyone aware of how this limitation is actually imposed on a Pipeline?

I know that using the Quickbae channel is said to have no billable steps used, is the 26 step limit of a Pipeline based on billable steps only?

For a step to be counted towards the 26 step total does the step need to actually find records? Or is a step simply an entry in the Pipeline no matter if it finds records or not?

Those are the only things I can come up with as far as why I am able to seemingly go past the 26 step limit. If anyone has any additional insight here that would be awesome. Even better if Evan or another staff member could clarify things here for me.

evanmartinez · Answer

Hi Austin,Sorry for the delayed response I was running this back to a few people to make sure something hadn't changed since last I talked to someone. We do indeed recommend you keep your Pipelines to 26 steps or shorter, it is possible to make more steps then that but we have had some issues with Pipelines with more than 26 steps erroring and not being stable. It is something the Pipelines team is looking into though and if you want to get tied into that escalation you can put a case in with the team. In the interim I can say we do encourage users not to include 26 steps in their Pipelines and instead make the 26th step call another Pipeline to continue their automated workflows.------------------------------Evan Martinez------------------------------

austink · Answer

I am still looking for help here. If anyone has any insight into Pipelines beyond 26 steps that would be very much appreciated. @Evan Martinez Tagging you just in case you may be able to help. I know you are fairly active on the board usually.​

seanconnaughto1 · Answer

I haven't personally tried this, but I will have to in the near future. My first guess would be to have as many steps as possible on the first pipeline, then create a second, callable, pipeline to complete the rest of the steps. Once the first pipeline completes as much as it can, have the last step be to call the next pipeline.

Just a thought, let me know if it works!

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Sean Connaughton
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austink · Answer

That can work but with how fragile Pipelines tend to be it worries me using 2 for one task where if one fails it leaves orphaned records. If I am going to put this in Pipelines I would prefer it to be in one rather than splitting it up.

I think chances are it will just need to be put into a more robust service that can actually handle things like this.

donlarson · Answer

@Evan Martinez,Any new guidance on Step Limits?I have a Pipeline that is going to be 26 Steps today and am afraid that it will just continue to grow as the business case expands with the client.------------------------------Don Larson------------------------------

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Pipelines step limitation