---
title: "Pausing and Resuming a Flow"
slug: "pausing-and-resuming-a-flow"
updated: 2021-03-12T15:05:24Z
published: 2021-03-12T15:07:04Z
canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/pausing-and-resuming-a-flow"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Pausing and Resuming a Flow

Example Lab ArticleWhile Example Lab projects are resources for public use, articles and assets are not actively maintained. Screenshots and features are from the specified version below. These references may become dated as new versions are released.

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## Overview

| ## Example Lab Details |
| --- |
| **Version** | 6.4.0 |
| **Root Folder** | Example Lab - Pausing and Resuming |
| **Modules** | None |
| **Dependencies** | None |

This Example Lab project demonstrates how to automatically save user progress while working on a Flow to reserve the ability to leave and come back and resume working without losing any previously entered data.

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## Explanation

This project works by self assigning each Form the user works on in the flow and keeps them open until the Form is complete. This way if the user exits the Form and ends the Flow before completion, the assignment remains in their inbox and any data entered in the previous Forms will be preserved and saved in the "PauseResume Data" Folder. Each time the user runs the Flow the data will be saved under a new folder which is given a random name that is generated in the first step of the "Main Flow".

To resume working on an unfinished task the user can either find the folder name in the "PauseResume Data" Folder and continue working from there or simply go to their inbox and continue working on the assigned task.

In order to save the data in this way after each Form there is a reusable Sub Flow that converts the flow structure to the Flow Execution Extension Data Structure.

Reference Articles[Using Flow Structures](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/en/creating-simple-flow-structure)  
[Mapping Step](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/en/using-mapping-step)  
[Using Sub Flows](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/en/using-sub-flows)  
[Create Data Step](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/en/using-the-create-data-component)  
[About Assignments](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/en/about-assignments)

![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/Screen%20Shot%202020-10-07%20at%2011.28.44%20AM.png)

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## Project Download

The examples attached were developed to be instructional and were not developed as officially supported components. For more information or to engage our service team to develop fully supported, production quality solutions, please contact services@decisions.com. Import the project below to a Decisions environment on version 6.4.0 or later using our [Importing/Exporting](https://documentation.decisions.com/docs/exporting-and-importing-overview) article.  
  
  
[ExampleLab[PausingAndResuming].zip](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/ExampleLab%5BPausingAndResuming%5D.zip)

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