Troubleshoot automation runs

Automation troubleshooting is a process of narrowing the cause. Most issues come from access, plan availability, network state, a trigger mismatch, a condition mismatch, broad scope, or overlapping rules.

Start with this checklist when:

1. A rule did not make the expected change.
2. A rule ran on the wrong work.
3. A rule ran more often than expected.
4. Automations shows loading, retry, no-access, upgrade, or no-internet states.
5. You need to test a rule safely.

Diagnostic Reference

Question	Why it matters
Is Automations loading?	If the builder cannot initialize, rules cannot be reviewed or changed.
Are you online?	Automation management needs network access.
Are you in the right Space?	Rules and access are Space-specific.
Can your role view automations?	No-access states prevent rule review.
Does the plan allow automations?	Upgrade prompts mean the feature is not available under the current plan.
Is the rule active?	Paused or disabled rules should not run.
Did the trigger happen after the rule was saved?	A rule cannot respond to past changes unless the builder explicitly supports that behavior.
Did every condition match at the time of change?	Conditions decide whether the action is allowed.
Is the item inside scope?	Rules cannot act on work outside their scope.
Are there overlapping rules?	Similar rules can create duplicate or unexpected updates.

Diagnose a rule that did not run

1. Open Automations.
2. Confirm the builder loads.
3. Confirm the rule exists and is active.
4. Confirm the affected item is inside scope.
5. Confirm the trigger happened after the rule was saved.
6. Compare the item to every condition.
7. Confirm the action target still exists and is accessible.
8. Test with one safe item that clearly matches the rule.

Expected outcome: You know whether the issue is access, availability, trigger, condition, scope, or action behavior.

Diagnose a rule that ran too often

1. Pause or disable the rule if it is still causing unexpected updates.
2. Review the scope first.
3. Review the trigger.
4. Add stricter conditions.
5. Check whether another rule can respond to the same change.
6. Test with both matching and non-matching safe items.
7. Re-enable only after the result is correct.

Diagnose duplicate updates

1. Search for rules with similar triggers.
2. Compare their scopes and conditions.
3. Disable the broader or duplicate rule temporarily.
4. Test the remaining rule.
5. Rework rules so only one action performs the same update.

Diagnose access or plan blockers

1. Check the message shown on the Automations page.
2. If it says no internet, reconnect and retry.
3. If it shows no access, ask a Space admin to review your role.
4. If it shows an upgrade prompt, ask the billing owner to review plan availability.
5. If it shows retry, refresh the app and retry the builder.

If There Is No Separate Run History

Some Spaces may not expose a separate run-history panel in the visible builder. In that case, verify behavior through the affected item:

1. Confirm the item changed at the expected time.
2. Check whether the expected field, assignee, reminder, or notification changed.
3. Compare the item state against the rule conditions.
4. Reproduce with a safe test item and record the approximate time.

Troubleshooting

Rule does not run after a task changes

• Symptom: The task changed but the expected action did not happen.
• Cause: The trigger may not match that change, or conditions did not match at the time of change.
• Resolution:
  1. Confirm the exact trigger.
  2. Confirm the task was inside scope.
  3. Confirm every condition.
  4. Test with a safe task.

Rule affects unrelated items

• Symptom: Items that should not match are updated.
• Cause: Scope or conditions are too broad.
• Resolution:
  1. Pause or disable the rule.
  2. Narrow scope.
  3. Add required conditions.
  4. Test non-matching items before re-enabling.

Builder cannot be opened for troubleshooting

• Symptom: You cannot load the builder.
• Cause: Offline, no access, plan availability, session, or initialization issue.
• Resolution:
  1. Confirm network access.
  2. Retry.
  3. Refresh the app.
  4. Ask an admin to verify your role.
  5. Include the Space and approximate time when reporting the issue.

FAQ

What should I include when reporting an automation issue?

Include Space name, rule name, affected item, expected action, actual result, and approximate time.

What is the safest test?

Create a low-risk item only for testing. Make it match the rule, confirm one expected action happens, then clean it up.