You've built the perfect campaign or flow, but nothing's happening. Customers aren't receiving emails, analytics show zero sends, and you're wondering what went wrong. This guide helps you diagnose and fix stuck marketing automation.
Campaign vs Flow Issues
First, identify what's not running:
Campaigns are one-time or scheduled sends to a segment.
- Check Campaigns in the sidebar
- Look for send count and status
Flows are event-triggered automated sequences.
- Check Flows in the sidebar
- Look for enrollment and step completion
The diagnosis is different for each. Campaigns depend on schedule and segment. Flows depend on triggers and conditions.
Campaign Troubleshooting
Check Campaign Status
Navigate to your campaign and verify its status:
| Status | Meaning | Action | | --------- | --------------------- | --------------------------- | | Draft | Not yet activated | Click "Activate" or "Send" | | Scheduled | Waiting for send time | Wait or adjust schedule | | Sending | Currently processing | Wait for completion | | Sent | Completed | Check analytics for results | | Paused | Manually stopped | Resume if ready |
Verify Campaign is Active
If status is "Draft," the campaign won't send. Click Activate or Send Now to start it.
Check the Segment
An empty segment means zero sends:
Preview Segment
Click on your campaign's segment and check: - How many customers match - If conditions are reasonable - That date ranges are current
Common segment issues:
- Conditions too restrictive (AND vs OR)
- Date ranges excluding everyone
- Testing on empty development data
Check the Schedule
For scheduled campaigns:
Verify Send Time
- Is it scheduled for the past? (Won't send) - Is timezone correct? - Is it within quiet hours? (Will be delayed)
Past Schedules
Campaigns scheduled for a past date won't automatically send. Reschedule for the future or use "Send Now."
Check Email Configuration
Even an active campaign fails without proper email setup:
- Provider connected and working
- From address verified
- Subject line present
- Email content not empty
See Emails Not Sending for detailed email troubleshooting.
Flow Troubleshooting
Flows have more moving parts. Let's diagnose systematically.
Check Flow Status
Verify Flow is Active
Go to Flows and check the status: - Active (green): Running and accepting entries - Paused (yellow): Not accepting new entries - Draft (gray): Never published
Check the Trigger
The trigger must fire for customers to enter:
Verify Trigger Configuration
Common triggers and their requirements:
| Trigger | Requirement | | --------------- | ----------------------------- | | Cart abandoned | Shopify/WooCommerce connected | | Order placed | E-commerce integration active | | Form submitted | Form exists and is live | | Segment entered | Customer matches segment | | Manual | API call or UI trigger |
Check Entry Conditions
Even with a valid trigger, conditions might block entry:
Review Entry Filters
Click on the trigger node and check:
- Entry conditions (e.g., "Cart value > $50")
- Re-entry rules (can customers enter again?)
- Time-based restrictions
Verify Integration Connection
Most flow triggers require a working integration:
- Go to Settings > Integrations
- Check your e-commerce platform shows "Connected"
- Verify last sync was recent
- Look for webhook errors
See Integration Sync Issues if sync is broken.
Check Individual Steps
A flow might be running but stuck at a specific step:
Review Flow Analytics
In the flow editor, each node shows: - Entered: People who reached this step - Completed: People who passed this step - Waiting: People currently at this step
A high "Waiting" count on a step indicates:
- Wait node: Normal, they're in the delay period
- Email node: Possible sending issue
- Condition node: Everyone failing the condition
Check Wait Times
Are customers stuck in wait nodes longer than expected?
- Verify wait duration is what you intended
- "Wait 3 days" means 72 hours exactly
- Timezone affects "Wait until time" nodes
Testing Flows
Use a test customer with a real email you control. Trigger the flow and check each step executes as expected.
Common Causes Summary
Campaign Not Running
| Cause | Solution | | --------------------------- | ------------------------- | | Status is Draft | Activate the campaign | | Scheduled for past | Reschedule or Send Now | | Empty segment | Adjust segment conditions | | Email provider disconnected | Reconnect provider | | Subject line missing | Add subject line |
Flow Not Running
| Cause | Solution | | --------------------------- | -------------------------------- | | Status is Paused | Activate the flow | | Integration disconnected | Reconnect integration | | Webhooks not registered | Re-register webhooks | | Entry conditions too strict | Relax conditions | | No matching trigger events | Wait for events or test manually |
Testing and Verification
Test a Campaign
- Create a small test segment (just you)
- Send a test campaign
- Verify you receive it
- Check analytics update
Test a Flow
- Create a test customer with your email
- Manually trigger the flow (or trigger the event)
- Watch the customer progress through steps
- Verify each email arrives
Checking the Logs
For definitive answers, check the logs:
Campaign logs: Settings > Logs > Campaigns Flow logs: Settings > Logs > Flows Email logs: Settings > Logs > Email
Look for:
- Execution attempts and results
- Error messages
- Customer IDs processed
When to Contact Support
Reach out if you've verified:
- Campaign/flow is active
- Segment has customers
- Triggers should be firing
- Provider is connected
- Logs show no errors
Include:
- Campaign or flow name
- Screenshots of configuration
- Any error messages
- Steps you've tried
Next Steps
- Review email sending issues for delivery problems
- Check integration sync if triggers aren't firing
- Learn flow basics to build better automation
Most campaigns and flows just need a small configuration fix. Check each piece systematically and you'll find the issue!
