# Workflow Timeout

In this chapter, you’ll learn how to set a timeout for workflows and steps.

## What is a Workflow Timeout?

By default, a workflow doesn’t have a timeout. It continues execution until it’s finished or an error occurs.

You can configure a workflow’s timeout to indicate how long the workflow can execute. If a workflow's execution time passes the configured timeout, it is failed and an error is thrown.

### Timeout Doesn't Stop Step Execution

Configuring a timeout doesn't stop the execution of a step in progress. The timeout only affects the status of the workflow and its result.

***

## Configure Workflow Timeout

The `createWorkflow` function can accept a configuration object instead of the workflow’s name.

In the configuration object, you pass a `timeout` property, whose value is a number indicating the timeout in seconds.

For example:

```ts title="src/workflows/hello-world.ts" highlights={[["16"]]} collapsibleLines="1-13" expandButtonLabel="Show More"
import { 
  createStep,  
  createWorkflow,
  WorkflowResponse,
} from "@medusajs/framework/workflows-sdk"

const step1 = createStep(
  "step-1",
  async () => {
    // ...
  }
)

const myWorkflow = createWorkflow({
  name: "hello-world",
  timeout: 2, // 2 seconds
}, function () {
  const str1 = step1()

  return new WorkflowResponse({
    message: str1,
  })
})

export default myWorkflow

```

This workflow's executions fail if they run longer than two seconds.

A workflow’s timeout error is returned in the `errors` property of the workflow’s execution, as explained in [this chapter](https://docs.medusajs.com/learn/fundamentals/workflows/errors). The error’s name is `TransactionTimeoutError`.

***

## Configure Step Timeout

Alternatively, you can configure the timeout for a step rather than the entire workflow.

As mentioned in the previous section, the timeout doesn't stop the execution of the step. It only affects the step's status and output.

The step’s configuration object accepts a `timeout` property, whose value is a number indicating the timeout in seconds.

For example:

```tsx
const step1 = createStep(
  {
    name: "step-1",
    timeout: 2, // 2 seconds
  },
  async () => {
    // ...
  }
)
```

This step's executions fail if they run longer than two seconds.

A step’s timeout error is returned in the `errors` property of the workflow’s execution, as explained in [this chapter](https://docs.medusajs.com/learn/fundamentals/workflows/errors). The error’s name is `TransactionStepTimeoutError`.


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