Automation is supposed to save you time. But when it stops working? It costs you leads, sales, and your sanity.

If you are a small business owner, coach, content creator, or digital marketer using GoHighLevel in 2025, I'm sure you have encountered an automation failure. Perhaps it was your email that didn't go out, you had a lead that didn't move, or the workflow just never fired.

You are not alone.

With GoHighLevel’s user base continuer to expand, we have more users, more workflows - more of everything. And with more workflows comes more complexity, which creates more opportunities for automation failures. The good news is, there are very few things that go wrong when it comes to automation, if you know what to look for!

Also Read👉 Top 10 GoHighLevel Features You Must Know to Boost Your Business Efficiency

We’ll walk through a step-by-step process to fix broken workflows in GoHighLevel with practical tips that actually work.

Why Automations Break in 2025

Before we get into solutions, let’s take a moment to understand the why. The most likely reasons are:

Trigger not firing — for example, tag or form submission is not properly connected

Wrong conditions — workflow logic is erroneous or contradictory

Timing problems — delay, time zones, or wait steps are incorrectly set

Incomplete fields — a data field isn't filled in or is empty so you cannot take the next step

Platform bugs or updates — as they add new features, old features may start to break

These are not just technical issues. They lead to real business outputs. While missed follow-ups might lead to lost sales, broken nurture sequences lead to lower engagement.

GoHighLevel has never been more powerful. But what this also means is the workflows available are deeper now with several levels of nesting and custom conditions. A small error can break the chain..

Step 1: Start With a Strategy Check

Before diving into technology, ask yourself:

• What is the goal of the workflow?

• Are we trying to capture a lead?

• Are we following up on a sale?

• Are we booking an appointment with a client?

• Too frequently automation fails as it was built without considering strategy.

Pro Tip: Book a 15-minute strategy session with your team or VA and clearly define your desired end goal before mapping out a journey in reverse!

Step 2: Check Trigger Conditions

In GoHighLevel, every workflow starts with a trigger. If the trigger doesn't fire, the workflow won’t even start.

Common trigger issues:

• Wrong form selected

• Incorrect tag added

• Trigger only set to fire once per contact

• Contact doesn’t meet the condition at all
  
  

Fix: Go to “Workflows” → Open the broken one → Click the trigger at the top → Review and test each element

Pro Tip: Test it with your own email and SmS. Submit the form or action, then watch if it enters the workflow.

Step 3: Watch the Workflow History

GoHighLevel has a Workflow History tab for each contact. It’s like the black box on an airplane.

You can see:

• If the workflow started

• Which steps fired

• Where it stopped
  
  

Fix: Open the contact → Go to “Workflow” → Check for skipped or failed steps → Hover over the red icons for error messages

This is one of the fastest ways to troubleshoot broken automations.

Step 4: Review All Workflow Conditions

Though a trigger fires, some sort of logic within the workflow may never allow any steps to happen.

Examples:

• An "If/Else" step with invalid logic.

• A delay with too long of a time-span (30 days instead of 30-minutes)

• A time-based condition that wouldn't match user behavior.

Fix: Re-read each condition step. Try to simplify. Ask: "If I was the contact, would this logic include me?"

Pro Tip: Use a test contact with known values. See how far they get into the workflow.

Step 5: Check for Missing Data

Some automation actions depend on specific data fields. If the contact is missing that info, the action may silently fail.

Example:
You have a “Send SMS” step but the contact has no phone number. Nothing happens.

Fix: Use filters to show contacts missing required fields. Add fallback values or set conditions to check data before sending.

Step 6: Look at Recent Platform Changes

GoHighLevel is improving fast. That’s great—but it also means things move or change.

New releases may cause temporary glitches. Occasionally, a plugin or third-party integration breaks due to updates.

Fix: Check GoHighLevel’s official Facebook group or status page. If others report the same issue, it’s likely a platform-side fix is coming.

Step 7: Use Debug Mode

In 2025, GoHighLevel has introduced an improved Debug Mode inside workflows.

Here’s how to use it:

• Toggle “Debug Mode” on from the top right

• Run the workflow manually

• Watch a visual map of which steps fire and which don’t
  

This tool is a game-changer for diagnosing complex workflows. It shows real-time path tracking like a GPS for your automation.

Step 8: Keep Your Workflows Lean

Sometimes, less is more.

Overly complicated workflows are harder to debug and more likely to break. Instead of stuffing everything into one monster automation, break it up:

• One workflow for opt-in

• Another for nurture

• A third for booking
  

Bonus Tip: Use “Goals” inside workflows to stop or shift contacts based on actions like booking a call or replying to a message.

Real-World Example

Sarah runs a digital course business through GoHighLevel. She noticed her welcome emails weren’t going out after someone signed up.

After checking her workflow history, she found:

• The trigger was set to “Tag added: new_lead”

• But the signup form added a tag named “lead_new” instead
  

A tiny naming error. Easily missed—but costly. She fixed the tag and all emails went out as planned.

Lesson: Always double-check naming and use naming conventions across your team.

When to Ask for Help

If you're stuck after all this, don’t hesitate to ask for support. You can:

• Message GoHighLevel chat support

• Ask in Facebook groups

• Hire a GoHighLevel VA or expert

Automation is a team sport. Don’t try to fix everything alone.

Broken automations can feel like a nightmare. But they’re usually fixable. With the right process, you can turn chaos into clarity.

As more small business owners and marketers use GoHighLevel in 2025, debugging skills will become just as important as building skills.

Remember:
Start with strategy
Check triggers and logic
Use workflow history and debug tools
Keep it clean
And never stop testing

With that, your workflows will run like clockwork again—and your leads, customers, and business will thank you for it.

Need Help Auditing Your Workflows?
Whether you’re a coach, creator, or agency using GHL or Kajabi, we offer done-for-you automation audits and workflow fixes. Let’s fix what’s broken—together.