If your automation is not running how you would expect, you might have made a mistake when setting it up
Common mistakes made when setting up an Automation
- Using the wrong external source or external event to test the automation
- Missing transitions between actions
- Missing quotation marks in messages/text fields/variables
- Incorrect synax used in variables
- Using a variable name that does not exist in the payload
- Using a cell number in the Msisdn field instead of the variable to pull the number from the payloads
Finding the External source ID
Login to engAIge: https://marketic.webuildgreat.software/
Click Settings
Click Data Sources > View All
Search for External Source
Click More
Click Analytics
In the URL you can find the External Source ID
Finding the event ID
Moving forward from the above process, Click on Events
a list of events/Automations created against this External Source will be displayed
Click on the automation name for which you are trying to find the Event ID
A list of steps within the automation will be displayed
The Event ID can be found in the URL as highlighted below
Please note: The ID shown in the below screenshot (next to 'sendingwhatsapp' is the Action ID and not the event ID.
Check your Actions within the automation for missing quotation marks and syntax errors. Keep an eye out for a missing transition between actions
Below is an automation that will listen for triggers from Segment (External Source). Each transition has a condition based off the status of the customer that comes through in the payloads. Depending on which condition is met, 1 of 4 SMS's will be sent to that customer.
This is the below details of the DisputeSnapScanLink SMS Action
Ensure that a JS is in the SMS Msisdn field and not a single number
Ensure that the syntax of the JS in the SMS Msisdn field is correct.
Check that phone is exactly as displayed in the payload as the field name hosting the customer phone number
Ensure that the quotations marks exist and syntax of the JS in the Message field is correct
I have extracted the message:
I will highlight issues I see
'Dear ' + InputData.title.ToString() + ' ' + InputData.customerName.ToString() +', Your debit order for your OnAir Account was not successful. Call 0861001970 to re-activate your debit order details. In the Interim please pay your outstanding amount of R' + InputData.billedAmount.ToString() + ' by making an immediate payment today by clicking on the SnapScan link: ' + Url1.url.ToString() + ' or pay via Banking Details: ABSA Acc Number 4086019863; Branch 632005. Payment will avoid a negative listing on your credit profile. Ref : ' + InputData.policyNo.ToString()
+ InputData.title.ToString() +
There are spaces between the + and the variable. Correct version will be +InputData.title.ToString()+
' '
The empty quotation marks most like would not cause the automation to not work, but it is technically incorrect.
In the above message, a plus and quotation mark is missing from the end. SMS will not send without it.
Please see the correct format below for this message:
'Dear '+InputData.title.ToString()+' '+InputData.customerName.ToString()+', Your debit order for your OnAir Account was not successful. Call 0861001970 to re-activate your debit order details. In the interim please pay your outstanding amount of R'+InputData.billedAmount.ToString()+' by making an immediate payment today by clicking on the SnapScan link: '+Url1.url.ToString()+' or pay via Banking Details: ABSA Acc Number 4086019863; Branch 632005. Payment will avoid a negative listing on your credit profile. Ref: '+InputData.policyNo.ToString()+'
So to break it down:
The SMS message must have quotations marks around it
'Hello, How are you?'
If you add a variable, you need to close the quotation marks, add the variable with+'s on either side. Then reopened and close the quotation marks for the rest of the message.
'Hello '+InputData.customerName.ToString()+', How are you?'
And you can keep adding variables or content until you are happy with your SMS.
'Hello ' +InputData.customerName.ToString()+' , How are you? Check your policy by clicking '+InputData.policyNo.ToString()+' Have a good day. '
Keep in mind that 1 SMS is equal to 160 characters and going over this limit will split the message into 2 SMS's. Note: spaces, comma's and punction marks must be within the quotation marks too.
If you have used/mispelt a field name within a variable, then the action will not be triggered to the customer. Ensure you have used the correct naming convention.
Email and WhatsApp content are created within templates under the Channels Section, Unless there is a misalignement with the email template name in the automation or an approval issue with Meta for the WhatsApp template there should not be an issue.
Another common issue: This is when using the Shorten URL
The URL to shorten must be written within quotation marks as seen highlighted below
And then secondly, the variable to be used in a later action to bring in the shortened URL is written as such: Url2.url.ToString()
The Url2 is the naming convention chosen in creating the shorten URL action. There is NO InputData when using this