# Dropped spans when the transaction has more than 500 spans(default), how is it decided to drop which spans?

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/dropped-spans-when-the-transaction-has-more-than-500-spans-default-how-is-it-decided-to-drop-which-spans/217338>\
**Category:** APM\
**Tags:** java\
**Created:** [January 31, 2020, 9:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/dropped-spans-when-the-transaction-has-more-than-500-spans-default-how-is-it-decided-to-drop-which-spans/217338 "2020-01-31T09:34:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shubhangi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Shubhangi](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Shubhangi)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:34am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/dropped-spans-when-the-transaction-has-more-than-500-spans-default-how-is-it-decided-to-drop-which-spans/217338/1 "2020-01-31T09:34:01Z")

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**Kibana version** : 6.8

**Elasticsearch version** : 6.8

**APM Server version** : 6.8

**APM Agent language and version** : JavaAgent 1.9

**Original install method (e.g. download page, yum, deb, from source, etc.) and version** : download tar.gz from elastic official site

**Description of the problem including expected versus actual behavior. Please include screenshots (if relevant)**:  
Spans are dropped when the transaction has more than 500 spans(default), how is it decided to drop which spans? Or the spans, after the limit 500 is reached, are dropped?  
I just wanted to clarify on which merit the spans are dropped.  
My concern is, what if they're the problematic ones, which need to be reviewed?

Response would be appreciated. Thanks!

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**Author:** ![felixbarny](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/felixbarny/32/27341_2.png) [@felixbarny](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/felixbarny)\
**Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 12:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/dropped-spans-when-the-transaction-has-more-than-500-spans-default-how-is-it-decided-to-drop-which-spans/217338/2 "2020-01-31T12:10:57Z")

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After 500 spans have been recorded for a transaction, the agent will drop all further spans. See also [https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/apm/agent/java/current/config-core.html#config-transaction-max-spans](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/apm/agent/java/current/config-core.html#config-transaction-max-spans)

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2020, 8:10am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/dropped-spans-when-the-transaction-has-more-than-500-spans-default-how-is-it-decided-to-drop-which-spans/217338/3 "2020-02-21T08:10:57Z")

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