Troubleshooting Automations: Step-by-Step Guide and Best Practices

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Check the Automation Entry Conditions

Start by confirming whether the contact or transaction met the criteria to enter the automation.

• Was the correct tag applied or the right triggering event used?

• Were all required fields present (such as an assigned loan officer, transaction type, or loan status)?

• Did the data meet the entry conditions at the exact time the automation was set to trigger?

2. Confirm the Automation Was Assigned

If the criteria were met, verify that the automation was actually assigned.

• View the automation history on the contact or transaction record.

• Check for any "Assigned Automation" activity in the timeline or activity log.

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3. Review Automation Actions

If the automation was assigned but the actions didn’t occur, inspect the specific steps.

For Email Steps:

• Is the email published and active?

• Does the contact have a valid email address?

• Is the contact flagged as "Do Not Email" or unsubscribed?

• Was the same email already sent previously and skipped due to deduplication rules?

For Tags, Status Updates, or Other Actions:

• Is the automation applying a tag or status the record already has?

• Is the transaction in a state that prevents updates, such as "closed" or "archived"?

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4. Check for Exit Conditions or Delays

• Did the record exit the automation due to an exit condition being met?

• Are there wait steps or delays that haven’t yet completed?

• Was the automation paused, edited, or deactivated after assignment?

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5. Inspect Contact or Transaction Data

Some automations fail due to incomplete or incompatible data.

• Is there an assigned loan officer, processor, or team member?

• Is the transaction in an expected status or pipeline stage?

• Are custom fields or required values present and correctly filled?

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Best Practices to Prevent Automation Issues

• Use Internal Test Records: Always test automations on internal contacts or transactions before applying them to live accounts.

• Label Steps Clearly: Use descriptive naming conventions for automation steps to make review and debugging easier.

• Avoid Redundant Triggers: Ensure that overlapping automations or conditions don’t conflict with each other.

• Define Exit Conditions Carefully: Review exit conditions to prevent early or accidental removal from automation.

• Conduct Regular Audits: Check and validate automations on a recurring basis, especially for business-critical workflows.

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Common Example: Email Didn’t Send After Automation Was Assigned

This is a frequently reported issue. Here's how to break it down:

1. Contact met entry conditions and was assigned to the automation

2. Email step exists and is published

3. Email was not delivered

Troubleshooting checklist:

• Is the contact's email address present and properly formatted?

• Is the email action marked as "Skipped" in the automation history?

• Has the contact unsubscribed or been flagged as "Do Not Email"?

• Has the same email already been sent previously through another automation?

Possible resolution steps:

• Re-publish the email if unpublished

• Add a condition to check if the email has been sent before triggering it again

• Reassign the contact to the automation or trigger a new one

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