Automations Guide

Testing & Debugging Automation Workflows

Run your automation in test mode before going live, and use execution logs to diagnose issues when something goes wrong.

1

Test Mode

Test mode runs your workflow end-to-end using sample data but does not execute real actions. No emails are sent, no Slack messages are posted, and no external services are called during a test run.

How to Run a Test

  1. Open your workflow in the builder
  2. Click "Test Workflow" in the top toolbar
  3. If your trigger is a Form Submission or Webhook, paste a sample JSON payload
  4. Click "Run Test"
  5. Watch each step highlight green (pass) or red (fail) as the test progresses
  6. Click any step to inspect the input data, output data, and any error messages

What Test Mode Does and Does Not Do

Does:

  • Evaluate all conditions
  • Resolve all variables
  • Show what each action would do
  • Report any configuration errors

Does not:

  • Send real emails
  • Post Slack messages
  • Call external webhooks
  • Write to databases
2

Execution Logs

Every time your workflow runs (in live mode), StackBloom records a detailed execution log. Use logs to confirm successful runs and diagnose failures.

  1. Go to your workflow in the Automations dashboard
  2. Click the "Execution Log" tab
  3. You will see a list of all runs with their status (Success, Failed, Skipped)
  4. Click any run to expand the full execution trace
  5. Each step shows its input data, output data, duration, and any error message

Execution Status Meanings

SuccessAll steps completed without errors
FailedOne or more steps encountered an error
SkippedConditions evaluated to false; no actions ran
PartialSome steps succeeded before a failure occurred
3

Common Errors & Fixes

Variable resolves to undefined or empty

Possible causes:

  • The field name in the variable does not match the actual field name in the trigger
  • The trigger payload did not include that field
  • Field names are case-sensitive — check capitalization

Fix: Use the trigger test step to inspect the exact payload and copy the correct field path.

Slack action fails with "channel not found"
  • The Slack channel name is incorrect — double-check the spelling and the # prefix
  • The StackBloom Slack app has not been added to the channel — go to the channel in Slack and type /invite @StackBloom
  • The connected Slack workspace has changed — reconnect Slack in Settings → Integrations
Email action fails with "invalid recipient"
  • The email address variable is empty or malformed — check the trigger data
  • The email contains a typo from the original form submission
  • Add a condition to check that the email field is not empty before the send action
Webhook action returns 401 or 403
  • The Authorization header is missing or incorrect
  • The API key or token has expired — regenerate it in the external service
  • Update the header value in your HTTP Request action configuration
Workflow runs but conditions never pass
  • Check that the field value in your condition exactly matches the data format in the trigger payload (numbers vs. strings, case sensitivity)
  • Use the execution log to see the actual field value that was evaluated
  • Temporarily remove conditions to confirm the rest of the workflow works, then re-add them one at a time
4

How to Debug Failed Runs

When a live execution fails, follow this systematic approach to find and fix the root cause.

  1. Open the Execution Log and find the failed run
  2. Look at the last step marked in red — that is where execution stopped
  3. Click the failed step to see the error message and the input data it received
  4. Check if variables resolved correctly — a missing variable often explains action failures
  5. Fix the configuration in the builder and click "Re-run" on the failed execution to retry with the same payload

Pro Tip: Use the Re-run Button

The "Re-run" button replays a failed execution with the exact same original data. This saves you from having to manually trigger the workflow again and is the fastest way to verify your fix worked.

Testing Tips

✓

Test Before Every Change

Any time you modify a live workflow (adding an action, changing a condition), run a test before re-activating. Changes take effect immediately once saved.

✓

Keep Logs for 30 Days

Execution logs are retained for 30 days. If you need to audit a workflow run from further back, export the log data from the settings panel.

✓

Add Error Notifications

In workflow settings, enable "Notify on failure" to receive an email or Slack alert whenever a live execution fails. Catch problems before they affect users.

Next Steps

Open Automations

Go to the Automations dashboard and review your workflow execution logs

Creating Workflows

Step-by-step guide to building automation workflows from scratch

Video Walkthrough

Watch how to build, test, and activate workflows in the visual builder

Get Help

Contact support if you cannot resolve a workflow error on your own