Issues and enabling
Why an automation cannot be switched on and what the messages in the editor mean
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Tillor keeps checking your flow while you build it. As long as there are open issues, you cannot enable the automation. That prevents a flow that cannot work from trying to send real reminders or tasks.
Where you see the issues
- Every step with an issue shows a small warning number
- In the panel on the right, the issues of the selected step are in an orange block above the settings
- At the top of the panel is a button with the total, for example 3 issues. Click it for the list and click a message to jump to the step
- In the overview of automations there is a label such as 3 issues next to the name, and an Issues filter
Why can't I enable it
The Active switch does not work as long as there are issues, with the text Fix the open issues first. In the overview you cannot turn on the automation's switch either.
If the automation is already on, you cannot save changes that have issues. A flow that is running has to stay valid. Fix the issues, or pause the automation first.
What the messages mean
| Message | What is going on | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Add a trigger to start with. | The flow has no trigger | A flow always needs at least one trigger. Drag When this happens from the list on the left onto the canvas |
| This event no longer exists. Pick another one. | The event of the trigger no longer exists | Pick another one under Event |
| Not connected, so this step never runs. | No line leads to the step | Connect the step to an output of another step, or delete it |
| This step is part of a loop. A flow can only go forward. | A line comes back to an earlier step | Delete the line that points back. A flow cannot run in a circle |
| [Field] is required. | A required field is empty, such as the Title of a task | Fill in the field. Required fields have an asterisk |
| [Field]: [variable] is not available at this step. | You use a variable that does not exist at this step | Pick a variable from the list behind the Variable button. Also check that the step that produces the variable comes earlier in the flow |
| [Field] is not valid JSON. | The Payload or Body is not correct JSON | Check braces, commas and quotation marks. Variables are allowed |
| Add at least one option. | An Ask for a decision step has no options | Under Options, click Add option |
| Every option needs a name. | An option of Ask for a decision has no name | Enter the name or delete the option |
| Add a condition. | An If / else step has no conditions | Click Add condition |
| A condition has no valid field. | The field of a condition is empty or unknown | Pick or type a field that is in the list behind Variable |
| Enter a value for [variable]. | A condition has a comparison but no value yet | Enter the value, or pick a comparison such as is empty that needs none |
| [Field]: [variable] is not a known format. | After the | you use a format that does not exist | Use currency, number, date, datetime, time, upper or lower. See Formatting a value |
| [Field]: [variable] is not a unit. | You write a date shift with a unit that does not exist | Use minutes, hours, days, weeks or months |
| [Field]: custom field [variable] does not exist. | You use a custom field that does not (or no longer) exist | Pick an existing field from the list behind Variable |
| [Field]: [variable] has a format or date shift, which only works in texts. | You use a format in the code field of Run code | Compute it in the code |
| [Field]: [variable] is not a variable name. | The name of a result contains characters that are not allowed | Use letters, digits and dots, such as result or result.names |
| A delay of 0 does nothing. | The delay is set to 0 | Enter a duration greater than 0 |
| The path must start with / and stay inside your organization's API. | The Path of an API request is not allowed | Start the path with a single / and do not put .. or \ in it |
| The URL must start with https://. | The URL of an API request is not secure | Use an address that starts with https:// |
| The cron expression is not valid. Use five fields, such as 0 8 * * 1. | The cron expression is not correct | See On a cron expression |
What Tillor cannot check beforehand
Some errors only come to light when the flow really runs.
- A URL made up of variables can only be checked once it has been filled in
- For events whose data is not described, Tillor does not check the variables
- Whether a record exists, whether an invoice can be sent or whether another server is reachable only turns out during a run
A flow without messages is therefore not necessarily a flow that always succeeds. Test it with Testing and runs and check the first real runs.
An event that disappears
If an event or a field your flow relies on changes, you see it as a message at the step concerned. Adjust the step before you enable the automation again.