glossary term · cross business
Idempotency
Learn what idempotency means through a plain-language definition, a synthetic business example, practical limits, and links to workflow guides.
Definition
Idempotency means repeating the same intended operation has no additional effect beyond performing it once. In a workflow, a stable action key and a reliable record of execution help recognize retries. Preventing duplicates also requires controls that work when attempts overlap and when a destination accepted a write but the response was lost.
Owner example
Synthetic example: Two deliveries of intake I17 refer to the same intended CRM creation. The second attempt finds the verified destination record and records completion rather than creating another. The action key stays the same across retries.
Non-example and limitation
Checking a sheet and then appending in a separate step can race when two workers run together. A new random key for every retry also prevents recognizing the repeated intent. Similar customer names are not a reliable submission identity.
Related terms
A webhook can deliver repeated events. Evaluation should include sequential, simultaneous, and uncertain-write replay cases.
Deeper guide and practical link
Read duplicate prevention and recovery for the fuller explanation. Use the illustrative approval replay tests to apply the distinction to a bounded task.
Sources and scope
This is an original editorial definition with a synthetic example, not a report of a tested implementation or business result. Suggest a correction.
Change notes
Foundation draft prepared October 20, 2026. No public publication or successful live-tool test is claimed.
Next learning step: Prevent duplicate records and recover from failed runs