The Add Comment workflow action in Zoho Desk can appear 1–2 minutes after the triggering field change, while other actions (like a Field Update) run immediately. This note explains why that happens, how to isolate the cause, and what to try first.
What it means — concrete explanation tied to the Zoho API surface, cited [1]
When a workflow triggers on a ticket field update, Desk records each action in the Ticket History. In the reported case the Field Update entry appears immediately but the Add Comment entry appears ~1–2 minutes later, which indicates the comment action is being executed asynchronously or is queued separately from the field update action rather than running in the same synchronous execution window [1].
Common causes
- The Add Comment action is implemented as a non‑instant/custom action (Deluge script, webhook, or background job) that runs outside the immediate workflow execution window [1].
- The workflow contains multiple actions and Desk’s execution ordering puts the Add Comment into a background queue after immediate updates [1].
- Third‑party calls or slow code inside a custom Add Comment script introduce processing latency (API calls, external webhooks).
- Built-in system throttling or transient platform queueing causes short delays under load.
How to fix it
- Reproduce in a controlled test: create a simple workflow (Setup > Automation > Workflows > Tickets) that triggers only the Add Comment action and update the field; check Ticket History timestamps to confirm delay.
- Isolate action type: confirm whether Add Comment is a standard action or a custom action (Deluge/webhook). If it’s custom, inspect the script for external calls or sleep/wait statements and remove or optimize them.
- Split actions into separate workflows: move the Field Update into one workflow and Add Comment into a separate workflow triggered by the same condition; compare timing. This shows whether ordering causes queuing.
- Replace custom Add Comment with the native add‑comment action if possible; native actions are more likely to run immediately.
- If the Add Comment relies on external APIs, add retries and timeout controls in the script and test again.
- Gather evidence: collect Ticket History screenshots with timestamps, workflow configuration screenshots, workflow IDs, and sample ticket IDs showing consistent delay.
When to escalate
Open a ticket with Zoho Support if a minimal test workflow (single Add Comment action) still shows the 1–2 minute delay or if the delay breaks SLA obligations. Provide Ticket History screenshots, workflow config, workflow ID, and sample ticket IDs so Support can trace the internal queue processing [1].
[1]: Add Comment workflow action delayed