Fix an automation that stopped working

An automation that used to work, like enquiries landing in your spreadsheet or reminders going out on their own, has gone quiet or started doing something odd. This guide walks you through finding out what broke, fixing the most common causes, catching up on anything that was missed, and setting up a simple alert so you hear about it sooner next time.

Before you start

• A login to the tool that runs the automation, such as Zapier, Make, or the app with the built-in rule.
• Logins for the apps it connects.
• A rough idea of when it last worked properly.
• About 30 minutes.

Want to do it yourself?

Difficulty

8 out of 10

Estimated completion time

1–3 hours, plus monitoring the next run

Skills you’ll need: Read run history, check credentials and field mappings, and reconcile missed records without creating duplicates.

I’ll do it myselfI’d rather get help

How this helps your brand

A quiet automation failure can leave a website enquiry waiting in the wrong place. Tracing a test submission from its source to the final record helps restore the handoff and identify requests that still need attention.

1. 1

   Step 1: Work out what’s missing and since when

   Before you change anything, write down exactly what’s wrong. “It’s broken” is hard to fix. “New enquiries haven’t appeared in the spreadsheet since Tuesday” points straight at the problem.

   For website enquiries, draw the route before troubleshooting: page and form provider → original submission → connector event → final record → owner notification. Find the last real record at each stage. This distinguishes a form that never captured a request from a later notification failure, and helps you find people still waiting for a reply.

   • What should have happened, and what happened instead.
   • The last time you know it worked.
   • Anything that changed around then: a password, a new form, a renamed spreadsheet column, an app update, a new team member, a card that expired.

   Tip: Make a list of anything that was missed while it was down, such as enquiries or bookings. You’ll need it in step 5.

2. 2

   Step 2: Check the run history

   Most connector tools keep a log of every time an automation ran, and whether it worked. In Zapier and Make this is usually called the history. Built-in app rules often have an activity or log page too. Search the tool’s help pages for “history” or “log” if you can’t find it.

   Look for the first failed or skipped run. It usually comes with an error message. Copy it word for word.

   • If there are failed runs, the error message tells you where to look.
   • If there are no runs at all since a certain date, the trigger isn’t firing, or the automation has been switched off.

   Illustrated exampleThe first failure gives you a starting point

   Example run history · form → spreadsheetFind where the pattern changed

   1. Monday, 4:42pmSuccess · enquiry added to the sheet
      Last working
   2. Tuesday, 9:08amFailed · spreadsheet connection

      “Account connection expired”

      First failure
   3. Tuesday, 11:35amFailed · the same error appeared again
      Same cause?

   Start with Tuesday’s first error. Copy its exact wording, then check that app’s connection.

   —

   No runs at all? Check whether the automation is on and whether the trigger is firing.

3. 3

   Step 3: Try the most common fixes first

   Most broken automations come down to a handful of causes. Check these in order:

   • It’s switched off. Some tools turn an automation off after repeated errors. Check it’s on.
   • A connection has expired. If you changed a password, or an app logged you out, reconnect that app’s account in the connector tool.
   • Something was renamed or moved. A renamed spreadsheet, column, folder or form field can break the link. Put the old name back, or update the automation to use the new one.
   • You hit a plan limit. Connector tools usually limit how many times automations can run each month. Check your usage and billing page.
   • The app changed. If an app updated its features, the connector tool’s status or help pages may mention it.

   Tip: Change one thing at a time, then test. If you change several things at once, you won’t know which one fixed it.

4. 4

   Step 4: Test with a made-up entry

   Once you’ve made a fix, trigger the automation with a test you control, such as filling in your own website form with a made-up name. Then check the result arrived in the right place, with every detail in the right field.

   If it still fails, copy the new error message and use the prompt at the end of this guide to get a plain-English explanation.

   Illustrated exampleFollow one test all the way through

   Made-up form submission

   Name

   Jamie Test

   Email

   [email protected]

   Message

   TEST — please ignore

   Submit once, then check the destination

   Spreadsheet · new row

   Name

   Jamie Test

   Email

   [email protected]

   Message

   TEST — please ignore

   One new row. Every detail in the right column.

   A “success” in the log is only part of the check. Open the actual result too.

5. 5

   Step 5: Catch up on what was missed

   An automation that was down for a few days may have skipped real customers. Use your list from step 1 and the run history to find anything that didn’t go through, and deal with it by hand.

   Some tools let you replay failed runs once the problem is fixed. Check the tool’s help pages before you do, so you don’t send anything twice.

   Illustrated exampleRecover the missing items without adding duplicates

   Example recovery list · Tuesday’s enquiriesCompare before you replay

   Original enquiryDestination check → next action

   • ENQ-104 · 9:08amMissing from spreadsheet

     Add onceEnter it by hand, or replay if the tool supports it.

   • ENQ-105 · 11:35amAlready added by a teammate

     Already handledLeave this one out of the replay.

   • ENQ-106 · 2:10pmMissing from spreadsheet

     Add onceCheck the result, then mark it handled.

   Three missed runs, two items to recover. The run log alone cannot tell you what someone already fixed by hand.

6. 6

   Step 6: Set up an alert for next time

   Most connector tools can email you when an automation fails. Check the tool’s notification settings and make sure alerts go to an inbox someone actually reads.

   Update your note on how the automation works, or start one: what it does, which accounts it uses, and what you fixed this time. Next time, that note will save you most of this guide.

An automation for my small business has stopped working and I need help fixing it. I’m not technical, so please explain in plain English.

What it’s supposed to do: [for example, when someone fills in my website form, add them to my Google Sheet]
The tool that runs it: [for example, Zapier, Make, or a built-in rule in my booking app]
What’s happening instead: [for example, nothing has arrived since Tuesday]
The last time it worked: [date]
What changed around then: [for example, I changed my Google password, I renamed a column]
The exact error message: [copy it word for word, with any private details taken out]

Please:
1. Explain what the error most likely means, in plain English.
2. List the likely causes, most likely first.
3. Give me the steps to check and fix each one, one change at a time.
4. Tell me how to test the fix safely with made-up data.
5. Don’t guess at exact menu names. Tell me what to search for in the tool’s official help pages instead.