Workflow Will Not Send Emails.

[ChanningChea]

I just created a simple Workflow that sends users an email once their contact properties place them into an Active List. I'm trying to test this workflow by manually placing myself in the List (a method I've used before), but I am not triggering the Workflow.

Even when I manually try to enroll my work contact, it will not work. And yes, I made sure the re-enrollment settings were set. Eventually, I managed to manually enroll my personal email into the workflow, but even though my personal contact was mentioned in the history section, it did not receive the email itself. 

This problem seems to be isolated to this individual Workflow. I had no trouble enrolling myself in another workflow when I realized this was happening.

Please advise. Thank you.

[Mike_Eastwood]

Hi @ChanningChea 

In the Workflows "History" Tab can you see anything suspicious?

Usually the re-enrollment is the "gotcha" that catches most people out but it sounds like you have it sorted.

-Mike

[ChanningChea]

Thanks for responding!

When I manually placed my contacts in the List that triggers enrollment, the notification tells me "Your contact wasn't enrolled" and directs me to the history page for details. However, nothing will display on that page. This same thing happens when I run my work contact through the Test function as well. 

However, if I run my personal contact through the test function it will say it delivered the email and display in the History section that I completed the workflow, but the email won't actually deliver.

Finally, if my contacts meet the criteria for the list and I try to enroll them, I receive the top two notifications on the history page. It says they've both met the goal criteria. However, in this workflow, the goal is for the user to receive an email. Since the email has not been delivered to either address, this is not true.

See image for details.

[Mike_Eastwood]

Hi Channing

From your last paragraph it could be you have some criteria that's cancelling out the requirements of the Workflow – It's difficult to debug a workflow without looking at your Workflow. 

One technique we use for debugging is to create multiple fake Contacts.

A useful Gmail feature is the + in the email address, I could use mike+testworkflow@webalite.co.nz and it's delivered to my email address mike@webalite.co.nz. Everything after the + is ignored by Gmail but HubSpot thinks it's a different contact. 

Do you use Gmail for your companies email?

Thinking about email deliverability - do you know if your domain name has been set up to allow HubSpot to send emails on your domain's behalf? In geek speak have the SPF and DKIM records been set up?

Mike

[ChanningChea]

I have not used that + feature yet, but I may try it soon. 

But yes, the domain is set up for Hubspot to use. We've been using the platform for a few years now, and I haven't experienced this yet.

Something else worth nothing may be there was a previous version of this same workflow that was operating perfectly but got deleted accidentally. I'm creating this current workflow to replace it. Part of me thinks HubSpot is getting confused since they are named the same thing, and maybe that is causing some issues.

These images are the settings for the Workflow enrollment, if it helps.

[Mike_Eastwood]

Glad to hear your email deliverability is sorted.

Looking at the images I'm wondering what your Active List Criteria is?

Could the List have criteria that changes when they enter the Workflow - at which stage they are removed... in other words:

If you change "When a contact no longer meets the enrollment criteria, remove them from the list?" from "Yes" to "No" does it work?

Mike

[ChanningChea]

Unfortunately, there's no way for me to tell because I get these contacts to enroll to begin with =(.

The List criteria only checks if one of two contact properties has been updated in the last 24 hours. If so, they enter the list for that day and are kicked out again.

[Mike_Eastwood]

New option for you to test: 

Try an enrollment criteria of "If [your custom property] is known" this will trigger when the property changes. 

You will need to test it thoroughly - but it sounds like you're already an expert on testing ;o)

The only risk is when the property keeps changing you could send multiple emails.

Mike

[ChanningChea · Accepted solution]

Ok, I've made some headway.

First, it looks like my goal criteria was keeping my users from re-enrolling. Simply deleting my goal allowed users to enroll again. However, I also needed to add my enrollment criteria to the workflow itself to achieve that result. Due to the specific needs of the workflow (which is to allow users to repeatedly re-enroll each time they enter my Active List) means I have to remove that criteria. So I did.

Once I did, I tested once again, and the users were able to enroll just as I planned, entering the workflow as soon as they join my List. But now there's another issue...

For some reason, HubSpot thinks these users don't meet the required starting criteria... But of course they do. Otherwise, they wouldn't join the workflow to begin with. My next step might be to change the "Unenrollment and suppression" settings to keep users in the workflow to avoid that issue.

[ChanningChea]

Changing unenrollment suppressions as noted yesterday worked. As of today, more people have been traveling through the workflow and receiving the email again.

Thank you for your help, Mike!

[Mike_Eastwood]

Nice work Channing,

There's a few gotchas with Workflows so patience, and lots of testing, is often required.

One trick I use - for temporary Workflows (e.g. a one-off data change) is to set a temporary Custom Property that enrolls the Contact. Then make the last step in the Workflow to unset the Cutom Property.

Have fun

Mike

[ChanningChea]

Thank you for the assistance so far! I'll keep working at it and provide an update if I find a solution.

Considering that this popped up when I tried to send this post, I'm guessing it's just a bug, though.