Automation runs and troubleshooting
See every automation run, find where a run stopped, retry a failed step safely, ask Orbit for a repair and control automation spending.
Each time an automation starts, Spacebrain records a run: who it ran for, which steps ran and what happened. This guide shows you how to check runs, understand a failure and fix it without sending the same message twice. It's for anyone who looks after live automations.
Before you begin
- Permission: anyone who can open Automations can view runs. Retrying a step or preparing a repair needs editing permission.
- Know the record: it helps to know the lead, person or company you're checking, and roughly when the event happened.
Where to find runs
- Automations → Runs lists runs from every automation in one place.
- In Automations → All Automations, the Runs column shows each automation's run count. Select the count to see a run summary, then View executions.
Read the Runs list
Runs shows "Monitor automation and email executions from one operational history." You can search, and filter by engine (Automations or Email) and by status.
| Column | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Automation | Which automation ran. |
| Engine | Automation or Email. |
| Subject | The type of record it ran for, such as a lead. |
| Status | Where the run is now (see below). |
| Started | When it began. |
| Finished / next | When it ended, or when the next step is due. |
| Issue | For a failed run, where it stopped, such as "Failed at Send Email". |
Run statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Queued and about to start. |
| Running | Working through its steps now. |
| Waiting | Paused on a Delay or waiting for something before the next step. |
| Paused | On hold and not currently moving to the next step. |
| Completed | Finished its path. |
| Failed | Stopped because a step couldn't finish. |
| Cancelled | Stopped before finishing and won't continue. |
Open a run's details
Select a run to open Execution Details. You'll see:
- The automation, Trigger Event, Record Type and Record ID.
- Started At, Completed At and Duration.
- Execution Steps: each step in the order it ran. Condition steps show whether they went down the TRUE or FALSE branch. Select Show details to see the step's Input and Output.
- Execution Logs: messages recorded while the run happened. They update live while a run is in progress.
- Execution Context: the data the run started with.
Fix a failed run
A failed run shows a Failure recovery section. Before you do anything, check what already happened.
- Find the first failed step. Read its error message and its Input.
- Check what already happened. Steps before the failure did run. If an email, text or call step ran, check the inbox or CRM activity before sending again.
- Fix the cause. Common causes are a disconnected account, a missing email address or phone number, or a setting left blank. Select Inspect automation node to open the failed step in the editor.
- Choose how to recover:
- Retry failed step: continues from the failed step, using the same automation version. Steps that already succeeded are not repeated.
- Prepare AI repair: opens Repair an automation draft. Orbit suggests a fix as a draft. It doesn't replay the failed run. Review the draft, run a dry test and publish when you're happy.
Don't send a message twice
If the failed step sent a message or placed a call, Spacebrain may show Check the communication outcome before sending again. That means it can't prove a retry is safe. Check the inbox or call history first.
Very old runs may show This legacy run has no saved automation version, so it cannot be retried safely. Fix the automation and let the next event run it instead.
Worked example: a follow-up email failed
A run shows "Failed at Send Email" with an error about the sender account.
- Open Automations → Connections and reconnect the email account.
- Open the run. Check Execution Steps: Add Tag and Create Task completed, Send Email failed.
- The email was never sent, so a retry is safe. Select Retry failed step.
- The run continues from Send Email. The tag and task aren't created again.
- Confirm the email appears in the lead's activity.
Control spending
Some steps, such as AI calls and AI replies, use credits. You can set a monthly budget for each automation:
- Open the automation in the editor and select its budget button. It shows the current state, for example "No budget" and the credits spent so far.
- In Automation admission budget, set Monthly budget · credits and an Email alert threshold · %.
- Turn on Block new paid actions at the limit if new runs should stop when the budget is used up.
- Select Save policy.
A budget stops new runs from starting. It doesn't stop runs that are already in progress. To see workspace-wide numbers, open Automations → Usage, which tracks active automations, configured nodes, executions and charged credits.
If something goes wrong
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| No run appeared | The automation is Active, the trigger matches the event, and any Only this form or Condition check lets the record through. Drafts never run. |
| Run is stuck on Waiting | A Delay is counting down. Finished / next shows when the next step is due. |
| Run failed at a messaging step | The sender account in Automations → Connections, the recipient's email or phone number, and consent or opt-out status. |
| Run failed at a table step | The table still exists and its columns haven't changed. Open the step and select Use reviewed schema if asked. |
| New runs stopped | The automation may be paused, or its budget may be blocking new runs. Check the budget button in the editor. |
| Automation runs could not be loaded. | Select Try again. If it continues, check your connection or permissions. |
For message delivery problems, see Communications and automations troubleshooting.
FAQ
Does retrying repeat steps that already worked?
No. Retry failed step continues from the failed step. Earlier successful steps are not repeated.
Does pausing an automation stop runs already in progress?
Pausing stops new runs from starting. Check Runs for anything still Waiting and decide whether it should continue.
Can I test without creating a run?
Yes. The dry Test in the editor and classifier tests don't create real runs or send anything. See Build an automation in the editor.
Next step
Improve a draft with Build an automation with Orbit, or go back to the Automations overview.
Next step
Keep moving
Open the relevant Spacebrain screen or contact support if you need help.
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