A flow can fail to start, stop on a branch, or reach an action whose result never arrives. Start at the first point that differs from what you expected, so you don't have to rebuild a working section of the journey.
The flow doesn't start
Confirm the workspace, connected account, and active automation. Compare the actual test with the trigger: the correct post or Story, an ad-sourced interaction, the selected form, and the matching keywords or exclusions.
A normal DM isn't a test of an ad referral. An old post isn't a test of a next-post rule. Use Choose the right trigger to check the entry point.
The flow starts but stops or takes the wrong path
Run Validate, then trace the path the test contact should take. Check both sides of a Condition, every Randomizer destination, and Collect Info's skip and timeout handling. A branch without a next action ends there.
For a Condition, inspect the available data and all/any setting. For a delay, check the duration and the next action's eligibility. A comment-triggered conversation may need a supported reply-button interaction before another DM is allowed.
The action's result is missing
DM: inspect the recipient's inbox and message requests. A public comment reply doesn't confirm private delivery. See DMs not sending while comments work.
Form: confirm the submission, then check the following action separately.
Sheets: check the connection, spreadsheet, tab, and actual row before retrying.
HTTP: inspect the receiver's request log, authentication, and expected body. The reviewed editor test uses sample data.
Meta event: check receipt in Meta; do not assume attribution from a flow run.
Send support a reproducible example
Include the automation name, trigger action, approximate time and timezone, and expected versus actual result. Share relevant screenshots without tokens, passwords, or private attachment contents. Send any necessary customer references privately.
AI FAQ Usage History isn't a universal delivery log for Flow Builder. For account connection errors, use the focused articles in Troubleshooting Common Issues.
Check the current editor's limits
A website button opens a destination; a reply button needs a connected next step to continue the flow. On comment-triggered paths, another DM may require a supported reply-button interaction. Form Submit paths do not offer Send a DM.
A single Smart Delay must be shorter than 24 hours. Waiting does not make an otherwise ineligible message eligible. Randomizer weights describe probabilities, so a small test need not split evenly. A branch with no next action ends there.
For a walkthrough of the concepts, see Conditions and branching and timing and A/B tests. Use the options available in your current editor when following older examples.