Methods and apparatus for monitoring workfiles are disclosed. An authorized user or system programmer may input workfile threshold values and other monitoring information into a configuration file. A server reads the configuration file and starts traces to monitor workfile usage in a system. The server may continuously monitor the system to determine whether workfile usage in the system reaches workfile threshold values set in the configuration file. The server may list SQL queries using workfiles and then alert the system programmer when the threshold values are reached and is capable of reclaiming disk space by dropping and recreating overgrown workfiles with their original definitions.