Create a task timer with Lambda and Amazon SNS - AWS Step Functions
Step 1: Create the state machineStep 2: Run the state machine

Create a task timer with Lambda and Amazon SNS

This sample project creates a task timer. It implements an AWS Step Functions state machine that implements a Wait state, and uses an AWS Lambda function that sends an Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS) notification. A Wait workflow state state is a state type that waits for a trigger to perform a single unit of work.

Note

This sample project implements an AWS Lambda function to send an Amazon Simple Notification Service (Amazon SNS) notification. You can also send an Amazon SNS notification directly from the Amazon States Language. See Integrating services with Step Functions.

This sample project creates the state machine, a Lambda function, and an Amazon SNS topic, and configures the related AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) permissions. For more information about the resources that are created with the Task Timer sample project, see the following:

For more information about how AWS Step Functions can control other AWS services, see Integrating services with Step Functions.

Step 1: Create the state machine

  1. Open the Step Functions console and choose Create state machine.

  2. Find and choose the starter template you want to work with. Choose Next to continue.

  3. Choose Run a demo to create a read-only and ready-to-deploy workflow, or choose Build on it to create an editable state machine definition that you can build on and later deploy.

  4. Choose Use template to continue with your selection.

Next steps depend on your previous choice:

  1. Run a demo – You can review the state machine before you create a read-only project with resources deployed by AWS CloudFormation to your AWS account.

    You can view the state machine definition, and when you are ready, choose Deploy and run to deploy the project and create the resources.

    Deploying can take up to 10 minutes to create resources and permissions. You can use the Stack ID link to monitor progress in AWS CloudFormation.

    After deploy completes, you should see your new state machine in the console.

  2. Build on it – You can review and edit the workflow definition. You might need to set values for placeholders in the sample project before attemping to run your custom workflow.

Note

Standard charges might apply for services deployed to your account.

Step 2: Run the state machine

  1. On the State machines page, choose your sample project.

  2. On the sample project page, choose Start execution.

  3. In the Start execution dialog box, do the following:

    1. (Optional) Enter a custom execution name to override the generated default.

      Non-ASCII names and logging

      Step Functions accepts names for state machines, executions, activities, and labels that contain non-ASCII characters. Because such characters will not work with Amazon CloudWatch, we recommend using only ASCII characters so you can track metrics in CloudWatch.

    2. (Optional) In the Input box, enter input values as JSON. You can skip this step if you are running a demo.

    3. Choose Start execution.

    The Step Functions console will direct you to an Execution Details page where you can choose states in the Graph view to explore related information in the Step details pane.

Congratulations!

You should now have either a running demo or a state machine definition that you can customize.