6h (edited) • General Discussion 💬
Most automation workflows fail at step 4 (here's why)
Spent the last 3 weeks analyzing why some workflows work perfectly while others break constantly. Found something interesting.
The pattern:
Step 1: Trigger works ✅
Step 2: Data extraction works ✅
Step 3: Processing works ✅
Step 4: Everything falls apart ❌
Turns out, most people build workflows in a straight line:
Trigger -> Extract -> Process -> Output
But real-world data is messy:
- Fields are sometimes empty
- Formats change randomly
- APIs timeout
- Files get corrupted
Here's what actually works:
Add a "validation layer" between steps 3 and 4.
One simple node that checks:
- Is the data actually there?
- Is it in the right format?
- Did the API respond properly?
If yes -> continue to step 4 If no -> log error, notify team, try alternative path
Real example:
Client had a lead capture workflow failing 40% of the time.
Problem? Step 4 assumed every form submission had a phone number.
When it didn't -> entire workflow crashed.
Solution? Added one validation node:
- Check if phone exists
- If yes -> send to CRM
- If no -> flag as "incomplete" and send to manual review queue
Failure rate dropped from 40% to 0.3%
Question for the group:
What's the most common failure point in your workflows right now?
Drop it below, chances are someone here has already solved it.
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Most automation workflows fail at step 4 (here's why)
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