Workflow continues to send email after list item is deleted

[pwomack]

I'm using WSS 3.0 and SharePoint Designer 2007. I'm new to workflows.

I've installed the HelpDesk template and created a workflow that starts automatically when an item is added to the service request list.

The workflow has 2 steps:
1. Pause for 3 hours
2. I then have a compare field condition where I check the 'assigned to' field. If the field is empty then I send an email.

What has started to happen today is that the recipient of the emails is getting an email with question marks '?????' where the values for the lookup fields should be in the body of the email.

I also added a hyperlink in the email to point back to the list item. When the user clicks the hyperlink, he get the 'New Item' form.

There are no items in the list; they were deleted earlier by the user.

What appears to be happening is that the workflow is still alive and sending emails eventhough the list items were deleted.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pwomack]

* Update*

I created 3 services requests and I see 3 workflows in progress in the 'Workflow settings' page. This is as expected. I deleted 2 service requests; however, the number of workflows in progress remain at 3. I would expect to see only 1 remaining workflow in progress. Is there some way to stop or kill the workflow when a task is deleted before the 3 hours expiration?

 

[dinger2121]

did you look at the task library and delete the associated tasks?
just a thought....

 

[pwomack]

Thanks, Dinger.

Maybe the solution is to manually terminate the workflow before deleting the task item? Is that what you mean?

Is there any way to terminate a workflow in SharePoint Designer when an item is deleted?

 

[dinger2121]

I'm not entirely sure - I don't have a whole lot of experience with SPD workflows.
I was just thinking that the workflow may be tied to the task, and while the task still exists, the wf may still be seen as active.

 

[pwomack]

The tasks no longer exist. They were deleted before the emails were scheduled to be sent. However, the user still received the emails after the 3 hour duration ended.