Why is my automation running twice or skipping runs?

Duplicate trigger detection

Running twice usually means your trigger fires multiple times for one event. Webhooks sometimes retry on timeout. Polling might overlap with manual test runs. Check your trigger logs to confirm duplicates actually occurred. Most platforms have deduplication settings—enable them if available.

Rate limiting and delays

Skipped runs often happen when an API hits rate limits mid-workflow. Your automation pauses but doesn't retry. Check the error logs for rate-limit messages. Add delays between API calls or request higher rate limits from the service.

Conditional logic mistakes

Your automation might have filters that accidentally exclude data. Review any IF/THEN steps. Print intermediate values to logs to see what's actually flowing through.

Manual and automated runs conflicting

If you test a workflow manually while it's scheduled, both execute. Disable scheduling during testing. Use separate test and production workflows.

Solutions

Enable detailed logging on your platform. Review run history and error messages. Test with small data sets first. Add error handling (retry logic, notifications) to catch failures. Most issues disappear after enabling basic deduplication and reviewing conditional logic.