Common Causes and Solutions

If you see the error "An error occurred, please try again" when testing an email in your automation, or if your email trigger isn't firing at all, follow these troubleshooting steps.

1. Check for Broken Custom Fields

Missing or mismatched curly braces in your email content are the most common culprit. Look for:

  • Missing closing braces: {parent.first_name instead of {{parent.first_name}}
  • Too many braces: {{{parent.email}}} instead of {{parent.email}}
  • Broken merge fields in your subject line or email body
[SCREENSHOT: Email editor showing correct vs incorrect custom field syntax with highlighted examples]

2. Verify Custom Field Values

Make sure all custom fields you're using actually exist and contain valid data. Pay special attention to:

  • Links: Check that URLs are complete and properly formatted (start with https://)
  • Dynamic content: Ensure the parent record you're testing has values for all fields you're referencing
  • Date fields: Confirm date custom fields are in a valid format

Pro tip: Send a test to a real parent record that has all fields filled out, not an empty test contact.

3. Check Email Address Formatting

Invalid email addresses will trigger this error. Common mistakes:

  • Typos in the domain: parent@gmail,com (comma instead of period)
  • Missing @ symbol
  • Spaces in the email address
  • Using a custom field that's empty or contains invalid text
[SCREENSHOT: Email settings panel showing the To field with a valid email address]

4. Verify the From Address

Your "From" field must be a valid email address, not just a name.

Won't work: ABC Childcare Center
Will work: info@abcchildcare.com

Go to Settings → Email Services and confirm your sender email is properly configured and verified.

[SCREENSHOT: Email Services settings showing verified From address configuration]

Still Having Issues?

If you've checked all four items above and still can't send test emails:

  1. Check your Mailgun logs for specific error details
  2. Verify your domain's email authentication (SPF, DKIM records)
  3. Contact Enrollio support with the specific automation and parent record you're testing