Automation Troubleshooting

Understanding How Automations Start

Automations in Levitate can trigger based on various conditions, including dates, tags, contact creation, and integration events. However, the timing and method of triggering depends on the automation type and your account settings.

How Date-Based Automations Trigger

Date Field Automations

When you set up an automation based on a date field (birthday, anniversary, policy renewal, etc.):

Automatic vs. Manual Triggering:

Date-based automations typically check for qualifying contacts on a daily schedule
If you add or update a date today, the automation won't immediately start
The system runs qualification checks overnight or at scheduled intervals
Contacts with dates within the automation's window will enter the automation flow

Example:

Automation: "Send birthday email 7 days before birthday."
You add a contact with a birthday on December 15
On December 8, the automation will automatically queue this contact
Email sends on schedule without manual intervention

Why Dates Don't Trigger Immediately:

Automations run on scheduled intervals (typically daily)
System needs to process and qualify contacts
Prevents overload from bulk date imports
Allows for proper sequencing of automation steps

If Automation Doesn't Trigger:

Check Date Format: Ensure date is entered correctly in the date field
Verify Automation Active: Confirm automation is enabled/published
Review Qualification Window: Check if date falls within automation's trigger range
Wait for Processing: Allow 24 hours after adding date for automation to process
Check Contact Eligibility: Verify contact meets all automation conditions

How Tag-Based Automations Trigger

Tag Triggers - Important Limitation:

Tag-based automations have specific triggering behavior

Default Behavior (Most Accounts):

Tag-based automations are NOT fully automatic by default
When you add a qualifying tag to a contact, the automation does not automatically start
You must manually start the automation for each contact
This is a platform design choice, not a bug

Why Manual Start for Tags?

Prevents accidental automation sending when organizing/cleaning up tags
Gives you control over when automation actually runs
Allows bulk tagging without triggering hundreds of automations
Provides review opportunity before automated communications

How to Start Tag-Based Automations

Method 1: Start from Contact Profile

Go to contact's profile page
Look for Automations section
Find the tag-based automation
Click Start Automation
Automation begins first step

Method 2: Start from Automation Dashboard

Go to Automations
Open the specific automation
View Qualified Contacts (contacts with the trigger tag)
Select contact(s)
Click Start for Selected Contacts

Accounts with Integration-Based Automatic Tag Triggers:

Some accounts with specific integrations may have tag automations that trigger automatically:

This requires special configuration
Typically enabled for specific integration workflows
Contact support if you need automatic tag triggering enabled
May not be available for all account types

Common Automation Trigger Scenarios

Scenario 1: "I added birthday date, automation didn't start"

What's Happening:

Date automations process on daily schedule, not immediately
Contact may already be past the trigger window

Solution:

Check if birthday is within the automation's qualification range
Wait 24 hours for processing
Verify automation is active
Check automation settings for date range (e.g., "30 days before" means birthday must be 30+ days away)

Scenario 2: "I tagged contact with 'New Client', automation didn't start."

What's Happening:

Tag automations require manual start (unless special integration configuration exists)

Solution:

Go to contact profile
Find automation in Automations section
Click "Start" manually
Or, contact support about automatic tag trigger configuration

Scenario 3: "Automation started but stopped immediately"

What's Happening:

Contact may have been disqualified mid-automation
Tag might have been removed
Date might have been changed or deleted
Contact might have opted out

Solution:

Check contact's current tags and dates
Review automation step conditions
Check contact's communication preferences
Verify contact hasn't unsubscribed

Scenario 4: "Bulk import contacts, none entered automation"

What's Happening:

Date automations process on schedule (wait 24 hours)
Tag automations need manual start

Solution:

For date automations: Wait for overnight processing
For tag automations: Use bulk start feature from automation dashboard
Consider import timing relative to qualification windows

Best Practices for Automation Triggers

Date-Based Automations:

Set up automation before importing dates
Use date ranges that give sufficient lead time
Document date field requirements for team
Test with single contact before bulk import
Allow 24-48 hours after import for processing

Tag-Based Automations:

Document which tags trigger automations
Train team on manual start requirement
Create process checklist for when to start automations
Consider using date-based triggers if automatic is required
Monitor qualified contacts dashboard regularly

Testing Automations:

Create test contact
Add qualifying date or tag
For tags, manually start automation
For dates, wait for processing window
Monitor test contact's progression
Adjust settings as needed

Alternative Trigger Methods

If you need immediate automatic triggering:

Integration-Based Triggers:

New contact created through integration
Donation recorded through payment integration
Form submission through website integration
These typically trigger immediately

Contact Created Triggers:

Automations based on "New Contact Created"
Trigger automatically when new contacts added
No manual start required

Manual Campaign Sends:

For immediate communication needs
Use campaign instead of automation
Full control over timing and recipients

When to Contact Support

You need automatic tag-based triggering enabled
Date automations aren't processing after 48 hours
You're unsure if your account has special trigger configurations
Integration-based triggers aren't working as expected
You need help setting up optimal trigger conditions

FAQ

Q: Can I make tag automations start automatically? A: For most accounts, tag automations require manual start. Some accounts with specific integrations may have automatic tag triggering enabled. Contact support to discuss your use case.

Q: How long after adding a date should the automation start? A: Date-based automations process on a daily schedule. Allow 24 hours after adding or updating a date field for the automation to queue qualifying contacts.

Q: If I remove a tag, does the automation stop? A: If a contact is already in a tag-based automation, removing the tag typically doesn't stop the automation. Check your automation's specific settings for continuation rules.

Q: Can I make dates trigger immediately instead of waiting for daily processing? A: The daily processing schedule is a system design that ensures performance and proper sequencing. Immediate triggering isn't available for date-based automations.

Q: Why do integration-triggered automations work automatically but not tag-triggered ones? A: Integration events (new donation, form submission) are discrete, intentional actions. Tags are often used for organization and cleanup, so manual start prevents accidental sends.

Q: What if a contact qualifies for multiple automations? A: A contact can be in multiple automations simultaneously. Each automation runs independently based on its own trigger conditions.

Q: Can I schedule when date-based automations process contacts? A: The processing schedule is automatic and system-wide. You can't customize when the qualification check runs for your specific automations.

Q: Do dates in the past trigger automations? A: It depends on the automation's date range settings. If you set "7 days before birthday" and add a birthday that's tomorrow, it won't qualify because it's not 7 days away.