Error saving workflow

💬 Workflows
1

  1. My goal:
    To save a large workflow (approx. 6.8 MB in size).

  2. Issue:
    When trying to save, I get the following error:
    "Error saving workflow: failed to fetch."
    This happens every time, and the workflow is not saved.

  3. Steps I’ve taken to troubleshoot:

  • Reloaded the page
  • Tried incognito mode
  • Tested in multiple browsers (Chrome, Safari)
  • Verified network – no blocked requests or auth issues
  • Reduced complexity slightly – still fails
  • Observed that smaller workflows save without issues
  1. Additional info:
  • Workflow size: ~6.8 MB
  • Hosting: Retool Cloud
  • Screenshot: see attached
  • It seems the error could be related to a size or payload limit (maybe hitting a request body size cap?)

Would appreciate any clarification if there’s a known limit, and if so, whether large workflows should be modularized or optimized in a specific way.

3

Hello @ds001, welcome to the Community forum! :sunglasses:
Did you include a screenshot? I don’t see it here, could you post it again? Also, 6.8 MB sounds like a pretty large workflow. Is that the size of the JSON export? Can you clarify what might be contributing to the workflow size?

4

hi @ds001,

Here are a few things you can try:

1. Split the workflow into smaller parts

  • Break down the workflow into multiple smaller workflows instead of keeping everything in one big file.
  • You can then call these smaller workflows from a main workflow.

2. Remove unused queries/blocks

  • Clean up any extra test queries or temporary blocks that are increasing the workflow size.

3. Reuse functions instead of repeating code

  • If you have repeated steps, move them into one helper workflow and call it when needed.

In short: breaking the workflow into smaller, reusable modules usually fixes this issue.

Hope this helps!

5

@ds001 Hey, just checking in to see how you’re doing and if you had a chance to take a look at the questions I shared above. Do you still need help with this? :folded_hands:t3:

6

Hello again @ds001, how are things going on your end? Were you able to take a look at these questions? I am here to help!

1 Like
7

The best-practice solution is to modularize and optimize the workflow by breaking it into smaller parts and reducing unnecessary data or complexity. This will allow you to save your workflows reliably and is strongly recommended for maintainability and performance.

If you’re near or over the platform’s size limit, simplifying your workflow into modules is the only sustainable approach. Retool’s team will also recommend this as the standard solution.

8

Hey there @ds001, how’s it going? Were you able to take a look at the follow up questions I shared above? Let me know! :+1:t3: