Workflow not delivering expected results (email delivery)

[KSweeney27]

In the workflow below, the 1st Email sent contains three links. One to Catalog, one to Custom, and one to QC.

Ignoring the delays, because they are put in for testing purposes.

We tested four different email addresses, one to test each branch. Under the first email of each branch are several other emails for that branch.

When testing, the contact that clicked the Catalog link got all the Catalog emails. This contact was using Gmail.

When testing, the contact that clicked the Custom link got all the Catalog emails. This contact was using the new version of Outlook.

When testing, the contact that clicked the QC link got all the QC emails. This contact was using the old version of Outlook.

After the issue with Custom getting Catalog, we tested clicking the Custom link again with the Gmail account and it worked properly.

I don’t know if the platforms make a difference here, but, it is the only thing we could see was a factor. It also shows the enrollment history incorrectly.

 

Enrollment history for New Outlook email (incorrect results):

Please note the only link CLICKED in this email was the Custom link. No other links were clicked.

Enrollment history for Gmail email (correct results):

Results for Old Outlook were correct. For some reason HubSpot is not showing the full enrollment history. 

As you can see it is not giving the expected results and we cannot figure out why, especially since it is based on a specific action. Any thoughts?

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @KSweeney27,

A few things are important here:

• If clicks happen later than 1 minute after the email send, they're not considered in the branch.
• If clicks happen in short succession and if a contact meets the criteria of multiple branches, they will go down the branch of whatever the first branch is that evaluates as correct.
• Testing users might have different levels of privacy settings, especially regarding link tracking. It might look like the client itself is the issue but it could also be program, device, or network based features that prevent tracking. Can you rule out that this might be the case?
• HubSpot link tracking might not be instant. Assume that there can also be delays in HubSpot registering certain activity and that 1 minute might not be enough for everything to process for the branch to evaluate activity.

Could one of the above explain what you're experiencing?

Best regards

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

---

@KSweeney27 wrote:
We can try to extend the time some for testing, however, please take note that the gmail and old outlook testings were consistently correct. 

---

I would suggest so, yes, because the short delay alone might be the cause for the experienced behavior.

@KSweeney27 wrote:
Additionally, if there are that many factors in a workflow that is sending automated emails how are we ever to know what someone is going to get. I thought we would be safe with the trigger being a deliberate click. How are we to ensure that someone goes down the appropriate branch?

---

There aren't necessarily many factors. It's already narrowed down to a potentially too short delay or the new Outlook potentially interfering with link click activity.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@KSweeney27 I think even 10 minutes should suffice. If that doesn't yield the expected results, I'd reach out to HubSpot support to rule out a bug.

[KSweeney27]

I don't think this should be marked as solved, as it continues to be an unresolved issue that hasn't been fully addressed, even by HubSpot Support.

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

Hi @KSweeney27,

A few things are important here:

• If clicks happen later than 1 minute after the email send, they're not considered in the branch.
• If clicks happen in short succession and if a contact meets the criteria of multiple branches, they will go down the branch of whatever the first branch is that evaluates as correct.
• Testing users might have different levels of privacy settings, especially regarding link tracking. It might look like the client itself is the issue but it could also be program, device, or network based features that prevent tracking. Can you rule out that this might be the case?
• HubSpot link tracking might not be instant. Assume that there can also be delays in HubSpot registering certain activity and that 1 minute might not be enough for everything to process for the branch to evaluate activity.

Could one of the above explain what you're experiencing?

Best regards

[KSweeney27]

A few things are important here:

• If clicks happen later than 1 minute after the email send, they're not considered in the branch.
  We quite literally clicked right after the email was recieved. 
  
  
• If clicks happen in short succession and if a contact meets the criteria of multiple branches, they will go down the branch of whatever the first branch is that evaluates as correct.
  We were careful to only click ONE link per email, despite what the enrollment history states.
  
  
• Testing users might have different levels of privacy settings, especially regarding link tracking. It might look like the client itself is the issue but it could also be program, device, or network based features that prevent tracking. Can you rule out that this might be the case?
  I don't beleive this would be the case since we tested multiple clients all from the same computers/networks. 
• HubSpot link tracking might not be instant. Assume that there can also be delays in HubSpot registering certain activity and that 1 minute might not be enough for everything to process for the branch to evaluate activity.
  We can try to extend the time some for testing, however, please take note that the gmail and old outlook testings were consistently correct. 
  
  Additionally, if there are that many factors in a workflow that is sending automated emails how are we ever to know what someone is going to get. I thought we would be safe with the trigger being a deliberate click. How are we to ensure that someone goes down the appropriate branch?

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

---

@KSweeney27 wrote:
We can try to extend the time some for testing, however, please take note that the gmail and old outlook testings were consistently correct. 

---

I would suggest so, yes, because the short delay alone might be the cause for the experienced behavior.

@KSweeney27 wrote:
Additionally, if there are that many factors in a workflow that is sending automated emails how are we ever to know what someone is going to get. I thought we would be safe with the trigger being a deliberate click. How are we to ensure that someone goes down the appropriate branch?

---

There aren't necessarily many factors. It's already narrowed down to a potentially too short delay or the new Outlook potentially interfering with link click activity.

[KSweeney27]

Do you think that 35 minutes is a long enough delay to test?

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@KSweeney27 I think even 10 minutes should suffice. If that doesn't yield the expected results, I'd reach out to HubSpot support to rule out a bug.

[KSweeney27]

I ended up doing the 35 minutes to be safe and the it is still sending the wrong emails. I tested two different emails. I even cloned the workflow so that it wasn't a 're-enrollment' just in case that was affecting anything. The first email I clicked on the QC link in the email and was sent down the Catalog path. Additionally, when I look at the log it says I clicked on all the links and I most certainly did not. 

Same with the second test. I clicked on the Custom Link for that one and got the Catalog emails. 

Clicking a link is a very deliberate action. I do not understand why this is not working. 

[karstenkoehler · Accepted solution]

@KSweeney27 if it's working for some clients and others not, it seems to be client related. I would check with HubSpot support if I were you.