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Why is an automation run held?

What the Why? check on a held run tells you, what each answer means, and what to do next.

This article is being updated.

When a step in an automation fails, Prevarro tries it again a few times. If it still fails, the run stops there and is held: it shows a red Held chip in the automation's runs, and under Held runs on the Failures tab of its Trace, with the step and what went wrong. Select Why? beside the chip to see why the run is held, what stands in the way of running it again today, and what to do.

Held runs are also listed on Dead-letter under Activity in Automation, and Needs attention on the list opens it there. Held runs also show under Check my account when you open Help in Automation, newest first. A held run is listed until it's replayed or cancelled. Runs of an archived automation aren't listed.

For how to build, publish and pause automations, see Automations - build, change and pause them.

What stands in the way today

The answer names the step the run is held at, when it stopped, and what that step met. Prevarro then checks what would happen if the run were replayed now. A replay runs the held step again on the version of the automation the run started on, even if a newer version has been published since.

The action can't run yet

The step uses an action that automations can't carry out yet, so a replay would stop the same way. Cancel the run if it no longer needs to finish.

The team or list it reaches can't be reached yet

The step sends to a team or a job role, or makes a change that kind of record can't take from an automation yet, such as adding a tag to an invoice. Automations can't reach these yet, so a replay would stop the same way. Cancel the run if it no longer needs to finish.

A field the step reads isn't available

The step reads a field that automations couldn't read, so a replay would stop the same way while that's still true. Cancel the run if it no longer needs to finish.

The number it texts from can't send

The text step sends from a number your business no longer holds, so a replay would stop the same way. Choose another number on the step and publish, then cancel the held run if it no longer needs to finish. If the number can send again, the answer says so, and you can replay the run.

The date it waits until wasn't set

The step waits until a date on the record, such as the appointment's start, and that date was empty. Set the date on the record, then replay the run.

The flow has no way on from the step

The version the run started on has no connection out of this step. A replay would stop the same way, because it runs that version again. Fix the flow and publish: runs that start after that use the new version. Cancel the held run if it no longer needs to finish.

One of the step's settings couldn't be used

A setting on the step couldn't be used, for example a value that's missing. As with a broken connection, a replay runs the same version again and would stop the same way. Fix the step and publish, then cancel the held run if it no longer needs to finish.

All automations are paused

All automations are switched off for your business, so a replay would wait until they're switched back on. Choose Resume all on the Automation list, then replay the run.

Replay it

The step failed, or ran past its time limit, and nothing stands in the way of trying again. If the step's action couldn't run when the run stopped but can now, or its number can send again, the answer says so. Choose Replay beside the run under Held runs or on Dead-letter, or Replay run on its trace, to run the step again.

If the answer only says the run is held, Prevarro has no record of why the step stopped. Replay it to try again.

To give up on a held run instead, choose Cancel under Held runs, or Cancel run on its trace. A cancelled run can't be replayed.

Answers with nothing to fix

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