Trouble Executing Embedded Subworkflow in n8n GitHub Backup Workflow?

Below is some guidance for setting up your Execute Workflow node to call your embedded sub-workflow:

1. Prepare the Sub-Workflow

• Create the Sub-Workflow: Make sure your sub-workflow is set up correctly. It should begin with the Execute Workflow Trigger node. This node serves as the entry point when your main workflow calls the sub-workflow.
• Verify for Errors: Ensure the sub-workflow is error-free, as any issues will prevent it from being successfully executed by the parent workflow.

2. Configure the Execute Workflow Node

When adding the Execute Workflow node in your main (parent) workflow, you need to specify how the sub-workflow should be loaded. The node supports several sources:

• Database:

  • Use this if your sub-workflow is saved in your n8n database.
  • Set the Source option to Database and enter the sub-workflow’s ID. (You can find this ID in the sub-workflow URL – it’s the alphanumeric string at the end).

• Local File, Parameter, or URL:

  • These options are available if you’re loading the sub-workflow from a file, passing JSON directly, or fetching it from a URL.

3. Execution Mode

• Run once with all items: If you want to pass all input items together into a single execution of the sub-workflow.
• Run once for each item: If your sub-workflow should process each incoming item individually.

Choose the mode based on how you designed your sub-workflow to handle the incoming data.

4. Wait for Sub-Workflow Completion

• There is an option labeled Wait for Sub-Workflow Completion.
• Enable it if you want your main workflow to pause until the sub-workflow finishes execution. This is useful if later nodes depend on data processed by the sub-workflow.

Example Configuration

If you’re calling the sub-workflow that’s already in the database, your Execute Workflow node might have these settings:

YAMLCopied
Source: Database
Workflow ID: <your-sub-workflow-id>
Mode: Run once for each item
Wait for Sub-Workflow Completion: On

Recap

1. Ensure your sub-workflow is set up with the Execute Workflow Trigger node and is error-free.
2. In your Execute Workflow node, select a source (Database is typically the easiest when the workflow is saved in n8n).
3. Specify the correct workflow ID (or use the appropriate source if you’re loading it from a local file, parameter, or URL).
4. Configure the mode and decide if your main workflow should wait for the sub-workflow to finish.

Following these steps should help you correctly call the embedded sub-workflow from your main workflow when using the backup template. If you run into further issues, ensure the sub-workflow is active in your database and that there aren’t any configuration mismatches between the parent and sub-workflows.