Every time an automation fires — system template or custom — it creates a run. The Runs page is where you see what happened, verify a message went out, and debug a failed step.
Where to look
Automations → Runs (or /automations/runs directly).
The runs list
Each row is one execution, newest first. Columns:
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Automation name | The system template or custom automation that fired. |
| Trigger event | The record that started the run — customer, job, invoice, membership, or webhook. |
| Status | Succeeded, Errored, Running, Waiting (in a Delay), Cancelled. |
| Started at | When the trigger fired. |
| Duration | Wall-clock time from start to finish (or start to now, if still running). |
Click a row to open the step-by-step timeline.
Filters (top of the page): filter by automation, by status, or by date range.
Runs are retained for 90 days and then archived.
The single-run timeline
Clicking a row opens the run detail. What you see:
- Header — the automation name, run status, trigger event, and start time.
- Timeline — a vertical list of every step that ran, in order:
- Status icon (green check, red X, blue clock for "waiting").
- Step label (whatever you named the step).
- Duration.
- Input — collapsible JSON: what the step was called with.
- Output — collapsible JSON: what the step returned (message body sent, record fields fetched, webhook response).
- Error — if the step failed, the error message.
If the automation used Paths, matched paths show inline; non-matched paths are shown but marked "not run".
Debugging a failed run
- Open the run.
- Scroll to the errored step (red X).
- Expand Input to see what data reached the step.
- Expand Error to see the message — usually a validation error, a missing variable, or an integration error.
- Fix the automation, republish, and re-trigger with a real event on a test customer you own — see Building a custom automation.
Common errors
| Error message | What it means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
Missing required field: phone | The customer has no phone number — Send SMS can't proceed. | Add a Filter checking {{customer.phone}} isn't empty, or Get the customer first. |
Messaging not enabled | Messaging addon isn't active. | Turn it on — see Enabling SMS-based automations. |
Step limit reached (100 steps) | The automation exceeded the per-run step cap. | Simplify the flow — merge steps, remove redundant Get steps. |
Webhook timed out | An external URL didn't respond in time. | Check the URL in the destination system; add a Filter for retryable conditions. |
Where else runs show up
- Customer profile → Communication tab — SMS and email steps that reached this customer.
- Job / invoice / estimate detail — the sent SMS or email is logged on the record.
Every run in /automations/runs is the authoritative timeline. Everywhere else is a filtered view.