In this lesson you’ll learn:
- How to identify failed workflows
- How to troubleshoot common errors
- How to ask for help
Workflows can sometimes encounter errors for various reasons such as logical mistakes, connection issues with 3rd-party apps, expired credentials, or bugs. This is a common occurrence and should be expected. When these issues arise, Keragon’s platform can help you diagnose the problem and apply the necessary fixes to get your workflows running smoothly again.
Troubleshooting failed workflows
In this section, we will guide you through the process of identifying and troubleshooting failed workflows. We will provide a step-by-step approach to navigate through the runs page, locate a failed workflow, identify the step that caused the failure, and understand the error message.
Step 1: Identify failed workflows in the Runs page
Step 2: Identify the step that caused the failure
Once you've identified the failed workflow, click on it for more details. This will take you to the page for that specific run, where each step of the workflow is listed. Look for the step highlighted in red, as this indicates the point of failure.
Step 3: Examine the error message
This is the most important step, as the error message usually indicates the nature of the problem. While we strive to provide helpful messages, please note that most error messages originate from the third-party vendors we connect with, and we cannot control their quality.
If the error message is unclear, you can use the Explain error button for a more user-friendly explanation.
Common troubleshooting scenarios
Depending on the error message there may be different actions needed. In this section we’ll explore a few common types of errors and their possible solutions. These include HTTP status codes, authentication issues, data validation and mapping issues.
HTTP errors
Keragon connects to your third-party apps using an internet protocol called HTTP. Errors can occur during making a request on your behalf. Most of the time, the error message will include an HTTP status code, which can provide valuable information about what went wrong.
Here are some typical HTTP status codes and their meanings:
| Status code | Possible causes | Possible remedy |
|---|---|---|
|
400 Bad Request |
The request failed because something is wrong with the data you entered. |
Ensure all required fields are correctly filled or have the correct type. |
| 401 Unauthorized | The request failed because the credentials you provided are incorrect or missing. | Verify that your API keys or tokens are correct and have not expired. |
| 403 Forbidden | You don't have permission to access the resource you're trying to reach. | Ensure you have the necessary permissions. Usually, this is something that needs to be configured in your account settings. |
| 404 Not Found | The app can't find the specific resource you're trying to access. | Make sure that the resource you’re looking for exists or that the ID of the resource is not null or incorrect! |
| 429 Too Many Requests | You've sent too many requests to the app in a short period, and it is temporarily blocking further requests to prevent overload. | Wait for a while before making more requests. If this happens frequently, consider adjusting your workflow to send requests at a slower rate. |
| 500 Internal Server Error | The app's server encountered an unexpected problem and can't complete your request. | Try again later or contact the app's support team for assistance. |
| 503 Service Unavailable | The app's server is temporarily overloaded or undergoing maintenance. | Wait a while and try again later; if the issue continues, contact the app's support team. |
Data validation errors
Keragon will throw an error if the data you pass does not match the expected types required by the vendor’s system. This validation helps prevent logical errors and incorrect data submissions. If a data validation error occurs, the error message will look like the example below:
Here’s a list of typical reasons this can happen:
| Possible reason | Possible remedy |
|---|---|
| Invalid data type | Ensure that the data type matches the expected type. For example, if a field expects a number, do not provide text. |
| Missing required fields | Check that all mandatory fields are filled. Missing required fields can cause the workflow to fail. |
| Incorrect data format | Verify that the data format matches the expected format, such as specific date or phone number formats. |
When you see such an error, the first step is to check the actual inputs passed to the step. You can do this by clicking on the “Inputs” tab in the failed step’s details. This will help you verify the data and ensure it meets the expected requirements.
How to ask for help
Use the “Need help” banner in the editor
Contact support from the Help Center
What's next?
Well done 🙂 This is the end of this beginner course 🎉🍾🎊
You should now be ready to build simple workflows on your own. We know that it can be intimidating so our automation experts are always available to help you.
You can explore more advanced topics and guides in our (Intermediate) Extend Your Workflows with Logic and Data Transformations course. You can learn how to:
- add logic in your workflows such as branches and continue ifs
- format strings and dates
- and more