# How to make a flow fail (return an error, exception) **URL:** \ **Category:** Flows\ **Tags:** advancedflow\ **Created:** [May 25, 2024, 8:35am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446 "2024-05-25T08:35:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bischowski](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bischowski/32/16864_2.png) [@bischowski](https://community.homey.app/u/bischowski)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 8:35am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/1 "2024-05-25T08:35:57Z")
Hi Everyone, how can I make a flow fail, that a calling flow will be aware of the failure. I have an advanced flow, which I start from another advanced flow (like an subroutine) and when in the subroutine-flow an error occurs, I want to give this back to the calling flow to proceed on the red line. thanks in advance bischowski ---
**Author:** ![Rrrr](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/rrrr/32/629_2.png) [@Rrrr](https://community.homey.app/u/Rrrr)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 8:39am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/2 "2024-05-25T08:39:42Z")
There are no subroutines. Best is to call the original flow with for example a number tag that indicates the Error. The excellent app Advanced Triggers has an option to return values but after trying it, I think the use case does not justify the complication. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_Henderson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/andy_henderson/32/80642_2.png) [@Andy\_Henderson](https://community.homey.app/u/Andy_Henderson)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 11:11am UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/3 "2024-05-25T11:11:49Z")
> [@bischowski](#): > > I have an advanced flow, which I start from another advanced flow (like an subroutine) and when in the subroutine-flow an error occurs, I want to give this back to the calling flow to proceed on the red line. You could set a variable in the called routine to indicate success or failure. E.g. set a boolean xxxFailed to true at the start and false at the successful outcome(s). You can then test the variable in the calling routine. I’ve just checked and when a called flow finishes it does return control to the calling flow so you can chain a test of the variable after the call. For more information, you could use a string variable to store error messages and use ‘success’ to indicate successful completion. If you don’t get control back in your situation, you could try adding a branch before the call with a delay before testing the variable. A kludge, but it might do what you need. Andy ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2024, 1:20pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/4 "2024-05-25T13:20:23Z")
In 3+ years I’ve never experienced a flow _itself_ fails for unknown reasons It’s always: - me: I did something stupid, like deleting a variable which still was used in a flow - a variable which got an invalid value somehow - app crash / paused app: this causes all related flowcards to become unavailable. The flow breaks, and stops functioning, but, This wonderful app monitors all those variables, breaks, errors and mistakes and notifies you: **[Flow Checker](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-flow-checker/50986)** Advice: add **[Simple Log](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-simple-sys-log-use-this-app-for-simple-sys-logging/77533)** app log cards to each and every part of your flows, to be able to search historical data. It even has a [script to add log cards to all flows](https://community.homey.app/t/app-pro-simple-sys-log-use-this-app-for-simple-sys-logging/77533/6). ---
**Author:** ![bischowski](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bischowski/32/16864_2.png) [@bischowski](https://community.homey.app/u/bischowski)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/5 "2024-05-28T14:29:44Z")
Well, starting a flow from another flow with text (JSON in this case) seems to be very close to a subroutine/procedure call in my opionion. The start-flow-with-text-card has a error-branch. How to use this branch, when there is no way to make the flow fail/return error state? But nevertheless, thanks for the feedback. SimpleLog needs to do the job until this might be added in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Kawa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/peter_kawa/32/173848_2.png) [@Peter\_Kawa](https://community.homey.app/u/Peter_Kawa)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/6 "2024-05-28T17:51:48Z")
> [@bischowski](#): > > The start-flow-with-text-card has a error-branch. How to use this branch, when there is no way to make the flow fail/return error state? > > Simple log needs to do the job until this might be added in the future. Grab your chance here, and ask why its absent, and/or propose what you’d like to see: > [@Ten years of Homey — Ask Me Anything speech\_balloon](https://community.homey.app/t/ten-years-of-homey-ask-me-anything/110598): > > Ten years of Homey — Ask Me Anything speech_balloon Today is our tenth birthday! partying_face To celebrate, we’ll host an AMA (Ask Me Anything) livestream on Monday June 3rd, 19:00 CEST. This is a nice opportunity to ask anything to Athom’s founders: Stefan (Commercial Director) and Emile (Creative Director). Make sure to set a reminder on YouTube so you won’t miss it! bell If you can’t make it, reply your question to this topic, and we’ll try to answer it during the livestream. … ---
**Author:** ![bischowski](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/community.homey.app/bischowski/32/16864_2.png) [@bischowski](https://community.homey.app/u/bischowski)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2024, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.homey.app/t/how-to-make-a-flow-fail-return-an-error-exception/110446/7 "2024-05-28T19:10:41Z")
> [@Peter\_Kawa](#): > > Grab your chance here, and ask why its absent, and/or propose what you’d like to see: There are a lot more important things to do for athom. Many of them are already asked. I will try to find the time to join the event, but … hmm, how to say. Even though I love homey for many years, I’m not a athom fanboy. Even if they created an amazing product, I don’t like their closed doors politics and the way they handle problems.