diff --git a/shared/workspaces/src/workspaces/services.py b/shared/workspaces/src/workspaces/services.py
index bcb4e25e66a8ebe05d2e9cc1240e7038770f7275..1046bd8a3fe9aa231009f3bb5ee847c3d2266910 100644
--- a/shared/workspaces/src/workspaces/services.py
+++ b/shared/workspaces/src/workspaces/services.py
@@ -416,13 +416,15 @@ class WorkflowService(WorkflowServiceIF):
         definition = self.info.lookup_workflow_definition(workflow_name)
 
         # 2. create and save request, return request id
-        record = self.info.create_workflow_request(workflow_name, argument)
+        request_id = self.info.create_workflow_request(workflow_name, argument)
 
         # 3. render templates to files, returns list of rendered files
-        contents = definition.render_templates(argument, files)
+        workflow_files = definition.render_templates(argument, files)
+        for file in workflow_files:
+            self.info.save_file(request_id, file.filename, file.content)
 
         # 4. prepare files for condor execution
-        temp_folder = self._prepare_files_for_condor(contents)
+        temp_folder = self._prepare_files_for_condor(workflow_files)
 
         # 5. execute condor and retrieve log file
         log_file = self._execute_prepared(temp_folder)
@@ -434,7 +436,7 @@ class WorkflowService(WorkflowServiceIF):
         with workflow_events:
             for e in events:
                 # send amqp event and update database
-                self.on_workflow_event(e, record, temp_folder)
+                self.on_workflow_event(e, request_id, temp_folder)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _prepare_files_for_condor(files: List[AbstractFile]) -> Path:
@@ -471,12 +473,15 @@ class WorkflowService(WorkflowServiceIF):
 
         # some file in here should end in .dag; that file is our dagman input
         dagman = list(folder.glob("*.dag"))[0]
+        print(f"dagman file {dagman} exists.")
 
         # ensure the log file exists
         logfile = folder / "condor.log"
+        print("condor.log exists.")
         logfile.touch()
 
         # submit
+        print("submitting to condor...")
         subprocess.run(["condor_submit_dag", str(dagman)], cwd=str(folder.absolute()))
 
         # return the logfile
@@ -576,19 +581,19 @@ class WorkflowInfo(WorkflowInfoIF):
 
     def save_request(self, request: WorkflowRequest):
         """
-        Save a given entity and return an integer identifier for it
+        Save a given request and return an integer identifier for it
         :param request: request to save
-        :return:        the entity's identifier
+        :return:        the request id
         """
         self.session.add(request)
         self.session.flush()
 
     def save_file(self, request_id: int, filename: str, content: bytes):
         """
-        Save a given List of request files
-        :param request_id:
-        :param content:
-        :param filename:
+        Save a given file for the specified request to the database
+        :param request_id: request id of request to update with new file
+        :param filename: filename of new file
+        :param content: contents of new file in bytes
         :return:
         """
         wrf = WorkflowRequestFile(workflow_request_id=request_id, filename=filename, content=content)