A flow checks a whole journey step by step, such as logging in, adding to cart and checking out, or a chain of API calls. Every step must pass. The first step that fails stops the flow, and when a failure is confirmed an incident opens.
Create a flow
- Open Monitors, choose New monitor and pick Multi-step flow.
- Enter the Start page. Steps can use addresses relative to it, like
/login. - Under Steps, build the journey with Add step: Open page, Follow link (by its text), Submit form (fill in and send a form on the page) or API request (any method, headers and body). Up to 10 steps.
- For each step, choose what to check: the status, a text the page must or must not contain, or JSON fields.
- Choose Test the flow. It runs once from Stockholm, as the steps are now, and nothing is saved.
- Tick the alert channels and choose Create monitor.
Values and secrets
- Cookies carry over between steps, as in a browser, and forms keep their hidden fields, such as CSRF tokens.
- Save a value from one step, such as a token or an order id, and use it later as
{{name}}in addresses, fields, headers and bodies. - Mark passwords and tokens as secret. They are stored encrypted and never shown again.
Run in a real browser
For pages that need JavaScript, like many checkouts, turn on Run in a real browser. The steps then run in Chrome, a Click step can press buttons, and a screenshot is kept when a step fails. Browser flows run at most every 15 minutes.
Good to know
- When a step fails, the whole flow runs again shortly before anyone is alerted.
- Use a test account and test products, so the flow doesn’t place real orders.
More on flow monitoring; for single calls, see how to monitor an API endpoint.