Overview
Automated workflows are designed to improve efficiency by triggering actions when certain conditions are met. If a workflow doesn’t fire or complete, it can disrupt operations and result in missed communications or tasks. This guide walks through common reasons why workflows fail, how to check logs, and what steps to take to troubleshoot and resolve issues.
Symptom / Error
• Workflow does not trigger when expected.
• Workflow triggers but fails to complete.
• Logs show errors or missing actions.
Cause
Workflow failures are often related to:
• Incorrect trigger conditions
• Inactive workflows
• Missing required data
• User permission issues
• Conflicting workflows
• System bugs or misconfigurations
Steps
Part 1: Common Reasons Workflows Don't Trigger
Before diving into logs, consider these frequent causes:
Incorrect Trigger Conditions:
Check: Did the actual event in the CRM (e.g., status change, new record creation) exactly match all the conditions set in your workflow's trigger? Even a small mismatch (e.g., "Lead Status is 'New'" vs. actual "New Lead") can prevent triggering.
Review your workflow's trigger conditions carefully and compare them against the data in the record that should have activated it.
Workflow Not Active:
Check: Is the workflow simply turned off? Workflows must be set to "Active" or "Enabled" to run.
Go to the workflow settings and ensure the "Active" toggle is switched on.
Missing Required Data
Check: Does the record that should trigger the workflow have all the necessary fields populated that the workflow relies on? For example, if an email action needs a client's email address, and that field is empty, the email won't send.
Ensure all fields referenced in the workflow's conditions or actions are populated on the relevant CRM record.
User Permissions:
Check: Does the user who performs the action that should trigger the workflow have the necessary permissions? Sometimes, a user might lack the permission to trigger certain automations.
Verify the user's role and permissions, especially if the workflow involves creating or updating records they don't normally have access to.
Conflicting Workflows:
Check: Are there multiple workflows set up for the same trigger or module that might be interfering with each other? Review other active workflows that might overlap and adjust their triggers or order of execution if possible.
Look for any error messages or details provided in the log entry. This is often the most direct clue to the problem.
Re-running Workflows (if applicable)
In some cases, especially after fixing a configuration issue, you might be able to manually re-run a workflow or trigger it for a specific record, and the best practice is to replicate and exact workflow addressed to your email in order to test it before giving any news to a client.
Go to the specific record that should have triggered the workflow. If the workflow is designed to trigger on a field change (e.g., status update), try changing that field back and forth to re-trigger the workflow.
Monitor Results
After re-running, check the workflow logs and the CRM record to see if the workflow executed successfully this time.
If you've gone through these steps and are still unable to identify or resolve the workflow automation failure, please gather any error messages from the logs for a possible BUG.
Escalation
If workflows still fail after following these steps:
• Gather error messages and logs.
• Document configuration details.
• Escalate to Dazos Support for bug investigation or advanced troubleshooting.