Persist prompted variable values on failed Runbook execution (or validation errors)

[maral]

Problem

When running an Octopus Runbook with prompted variables (form inputs), all entered values are lost if the runbook fails — including cases where the failure happens very early (e.g., validation errors, precondition checks, or script exceptions).

This creates a frustrating user experience, especially for runbooks with:

• Long forms
• Multiple required fields
• Complex or error-prone inputs

Even a small mistake forces the user to re-enter all values from scratch.

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Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a runbook with multiple prompted variables (including required fields).
2. Start a runbook run and fill out all inputs.
3. Trigger a failure:
   • e.g., invalid input causing script validation error
   • or an early step failing intentionally
4. Observe that after the failure:
   • All previously entered values are lost
   • Re-running requires full re-entry of inputs

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Expected Behavior

After a failed runbook execution, Octopus should:

• Preserve previously entered prompted variable values
• Allow users to retry with the same inputs pre-filled

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Actual Behavior

• All prompted variable values are cleared after failure
• User must manually re-enter all values

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Impact

• Significant productivity loss for users
• Increased likelihood of repeated input mistakes
• Poor UX for operational workflows
• Discourages use of runbooks for complex forms

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Suggested Improvements

Any of the following would significantly improve usability:

1. Auto-preserve form values on failure

   • Pre-fill the form when re-running a failed runbook

2. “Retry with same inputs” option

   • Similar to re-running deployments with existing parameters

3. Draft / cached form state

   • Persist values temporarily in browser or server-side

4. Option to enable/disable this behavior

   • For teams that prefer clean forms